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Indian Linux PDA For $300
raj2569 writes "Business Line is reporting that kaii (hand in South Indian languages), a Linux PDA to hit the market in Oct. Based on Hitachi SH7727 @ 160MHz, with 64 MB SDRAM, 32 MB Flash, 3.5" Colour TFT (320x240x64k-16 bit) and USB host controller, the device looks cool. The monochrome will be priced at $200"
With a specification and price like that, it makes the new Palm Zire look rather overpriced wouldn't you say?
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I fail to see how people in India can afford to drop 200(or 300 if you read the title of the article) on a PDA
Well, last time I was in India I met several software engineers that had worked in the USA and had moved back to India because they said the standard of living was better and that they were relatively better off working in India than they were in the USA!
India is a big place with a massive population. Even if only a small percentage are wealthy enough for electronics toys, that's still a huge market.
Not including hindi shouldn't hurt the PDA too badly. Almost all the educated folks who can afford to drop $300 on a PDA already know english. Watch some Indian tv and movies sometime--knowing english is considered chic. Movies aren't my only source of information on this topic, of course; both of my parents are from the subcontinent.
I'd suggest you don't use Slashdot as your only news source, or you will suffer permanent brain damage.
This thing is pretty impressive. Truly, I only see one flaw.
/. uses for an icon is trendier than this beige/off-white case that this thing uses.
It's BUTT UGLY.
The antequated Palm III that
I'm still waiting for a PDA that comes in a titanium cae. Yes, I know I can buy one for $100 or so and put my PDA in it, but seriously... why make a geek toy that looks so ugly?
There is no reasonable defense against an idiot with an agenda
:wq
It always seems PDA makers are moving towards more expensive items... $300 is still very expensive (at least to me).
I swore I would never buy a stylus-based input PDA because I know $200-$400 should get me a nice one with a thumboard (which I like).
Guess what. I gave in when I got a refurbed Palm IIIx for $39 CDN. At $39 I don't worry about it being broken, lost, stolen, whatever. And it has all the features I see me needing, because a thumboard is just a want.
I wish there were some people making handhelds with the kinds of features old Palms had in the $50-$100 price range. But that's just me... And probably quite a few more consumers.
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
>I've never been much for PDAs, mostly because I don't need one I never really had a burning desire for a PDA either until one day when I saw this huge pile of articles sitting on my desk that I had printed out to read later. I spent several months watching ebay and finally picked out a Casiopeia BE-300 that came in under my set price ($120 US.) Now I print out almost nothing and instead save copies over to my snyc folder and take them with me. It makes me feel better that my recycle bin isn't as full, I'm not stuck behind my computer for an extra three or four hours everyday, and with the backlit screen I can even read comfortably in bed after my wife has turned out the light. I do use the appointment book to an extent, but not exclusively. My primary tools are the browser and Mobibook. I will admit that for my specific purpose, the PDA is adequate but not ideal. The screen on most PDA's is a little on the small side, but certainly useable. I picked the Casio because I found the screen quality to be the easiest on my eyes (your mileage my vary.) Lately however, I've had my eye on the various Tablet PC's on the market. The wider screen appeals to me, and since 95% of my use is at home, or in a car (not while driving!) the extra size and weight is not an issue for me. If I could find a stripped down model that was wifi enabled and acted more of less as a slave to my desktop PC, with a small amount of storage for traveling out of range, I'd be in heaven. Crocuta
Which is why you buy the afforementioned Zaurus. And oh yeah, did I mention they're almost as cheap as the Kaii's retail these days?
In fact, a friend bought his Zaurus for 265USD+tax a week ago due to some price-matching trickery, rebates, and another special at Office Depot or Office Max (I forget which).