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New Sharp Zaurus SL-C760/C750 Linux PDAs
i4u writes "Sharp announces new models of their Zaurus PDA line. The new models are the SL-C760 (launch date: June 21, 2003) and the SL-C750 (launch date: May 24, 2003).
The new PDAs have a faster CPU, more memory and feature a bigger Screen (VGA 640x480) than the former SLC-700 model.
The start speed of applications improved to about twice (compared to the SL-C700) by adopting the Intel XScaleTM PXA255 400MHz CPU.
Connectivty is possible via Wireless Lan and FOMA broadband wireless phones. The installed software contains also an MP4 Player for Movies. Nice for business users is the ability to connect the Zaurus to a projector (800x600) and present MS PowerPoint Slides. Photos and English translation of Press-Release available on I4U.com"
is very good, starting to come around in size finally.
I didn't see where the size was listed, but after looking at these I have to question when do PDA's become subnotebooks? Or maybe its just the form factor thats throwing me off.
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
Excuse me if I missed it, but no where in the translation did I see if these models were going to be available in the US. Are they going to be like the C700, only release in Japan, but re-sold through companies like Dynamism? --Jon
Check out this month's Linux Journal for a review of this. It's currently only available online to subscribers
Also, check out this site to buy one.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/urltrurl? url=http://www.sharp.co.jp/corporate/news/030516.h tml&lp=ja_en&t
Would prefer A300 with Bluetooth and Lithium-Polymer batteries. These c7xx come close in features, but look how thick they are! (.9" or 23mm for the bigger model.)
..that thing is really nice! I wonder how many people will buy on of those and not actually use it for anything productive atall. I know thats what would happen if I got one! :)
...only better. More resolution, flipable display, and best of all, no WINCE.
The Mobilon stopped production when Microsoft pulled support out from under it. Seems the MIPS processor was a part of the WINCE Tower of Babel that they figured was more dispensible than the SH series.
The SL-C760 was one of the models I had a play with at CeBit, and the screen is so good that it cannot be described.
:o)
They already had a working OZ build for it, so that should be available publicly soon if not already.
The form factor is nice, it fits great in a hand just like a palm, but when you need a keyboard (ssh anyone?) this arrangement is much better than the pull out version on the 5500. They even remembered to put a | key on it this time
They were having a few speed problems with the XScale (it was running about the same as the Arm 206's in the 5500) but they may have fixed that.
Build quality is fine, much more robust than the 5500, same good mix of CF and SD/MMC. Much better battery life as well. Not sure whatll happen with the arm-compiled packages that are in such surplus for the 5500 though - maybe someone will write an emulation layer.
On the whole, definatly a winner, especially for Linux/UNIX admin types - go out and buy one now!
Beep beep.
What makes you say that? FYI: These PDA's are about the same size as Ipaq is for example. Only difference is the form-factor.
Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
The English article's slashdotted, so I don't know what it said, but the poster's comment about the 800x600 video output failed to mention that it requires an additional expansion card to do this.
From the Japanese page, the other options are:
Large lithium battery: 10,000 yen (same as supplied with SL-C760)
Lithium battery: 5,500 yen (same as supplied with SL-C750)
Battery recharger: 5,500 yen (only supports SL-C750's battery)
Digital camera card: 24,000 yen (fits in CF slot; 350,000 pixels)
Voice recorder kit: 5,000 yen
Also, they've tested it with a variety of CD cards. The selection available includes:
PHS wireless cards (PHS is a form of mobile phone in use in Japan)
802.11b wireless cards
Modem cards
LAN cards (10baseT only, it seems)
Graphic card (this is the one I mentioned above; I think it's the first CF-slot video card I've heard of)
The usual CF memory cards
According to the page, the SL-C760 gets 8.5 hours use on battery. The SL-C750 gets 5 hours.
The software includes the usual Hancom apps, an MPEG-4 player, an MP3 player, presentation software, audio recorder, and a Java environment.
You are an idiot. These are perfect for anyone who needs a truly portable computer. No, laptops aren't really portable. They have to sit on something flat, have a power connection (most have an under-2-hours battery life, thus rendering the battery useless for those of us who actually USE computers) , and not be moved around. They also weigh several pounds, and are very uncomfortable to carry around.
With one of these PDAs, I can use it an entire day. For example, they are perfect for students (take notes on the touchscreen or the keyboard, put it back in your pocket when you are done). They have some very cool games available. They can do 99% of the things I need to do when I don't have access to a real computer.
Besides, comparing the Sharp devices to the Libretto is just ludicrous. The Libretto was huge, heavy, and had a short battery life. It had all the shortcomings of a notebook with none of its benefits. You couldn't put it in your pocket, could you?
Stuff like this can be bought from at least three sites: http://www.dynamism.com/ http://www.japan-direct.com/ http://www.conics.net/ If it's not yet there, you can always mail them, and ask when it will be available...
Or for the full specs in English, go here.
There are two kinds of people: 1) those who start arrays with one and 1) those who start them with zero.
I agree with most of what you say, but to be fair every laptop I have ever owned will beat the Zaurus hands down on battery life. With a wireless card in my Thinkpad T23 I get about 2, maybe 2.5 hours. with a wireless card in my Zaurus i get maybe 45-60 minutes.
Finkployd
The keyboard is something I don't want to type on all day, so word processing, note taking and coding is out. I was misled by the java support... I was disappointed (it's a real big pain in the ass to get java code running on this thing). The processor is not fast enough for games... so gaming is out. The only thing I could use it for was packet sniffing ... which is not illegal. And even that didn't work too well. I want my $350 back.
The C700 screen is better than most laptops. I can see it in the Sun. The 760 has the bigger battery (1700 v.s. 950 mAh) and they are claiming 8 hours battery life, and it doubles the memory.
Basically think of most of a Linux laptop in your pocket (although it uses Qtopia, not X unless you add it). For network diagnosis it is hard to beat. Plus you get the standard WordProc/Spreadsheet/Present/etc.
Also it works as a SD and CF reader - it uses Samba to export the card mount points to your desktop. So you don't need another USB CF or SD reader. And it plays MP3s, and other formats (more than the iPod).
I have a collection of map images which I serve using the Boa webserver, the usual collection of network tools like (t)ethereal, and I can even compile on it (I have a 512Mb SD). I can also plug it into my cell phone and turn it into a wireless access point - NAT - firewall (I recompiled the kernel to add iptables).
It can replace a laptop if your eyes are reasonably good since the screen is sharp, clear, high-resolution, but still physically small (but there is the magnify button). I can't fully touch type (there is an external keyboard for that), but I can enter text reasonably fast.
I suppose someone will get one because they are neat, but people buy sports cars and rarely drive them and then never go much over 55. But that is a terrible waste.
I can assure you these are no desktop computers. Here's what they do GREAT:
- Play MP3's, ogg files, and even video -- particularly with OpenZaurus (OZ).
- Let you reference your contacts, appointments, to-do lists
Here's what they're GOOD at:
- Enter new appointments, to-do list items. Data entry is slower than on a laptop or desktop.
- Synchronize with your desktop. Setup is tricky on these units, especially if you go with a pure Linux solution, but doable.
And here's where mine is not-so-good:
- Trying to store any good size software package (like a compiler). Yes you CAN add a 256MB SD card or a 1G hard disk, but the hard disk eats your battery..
- Trying to do software development. Data entry is too slow without a full size keyboard (yes, I know you CAN hook one up, but that's difficult too). You have to build on a PC and deploy to the Zaurus. QT development is nice, though!
- Surfing the web. It works, but the small screen size and zooming and whatnot makes it tricky.
- Entering a long document. Without a full sized keyboard, it's slow.
And, the impossible:
- Trying to do something requiring a lot of CPU. You can try running xmame, for example, but most of the games won't work because the CPU is not good enough.
Sounds like a typical PDA if you ask me.
Get rid of everything Micro and Soft: Buy Viagra and/or Linux
Well these may be excellent, but I refuse to buy a PDA with qwerty keyboard if the keyboard layout can not be changed to accomodate my language. And from the pictures, I doubt it since there is no room for extra keys to the right of 'L'. I wonder how many customers PDA manufacturers lose worldwide because their keyboards can not be localized according to local markets.
One manufacturer that gets it (the first one?) is Nokia. If you take a look a their 6800 phone you will see that the keyboard layout leaves room for scandinavian characters, and I am sure many others too.
...Sharp is continuing to support the old models very well.
I got the 5500 I'm typing this on from the HSN deal, and I don't think I've ever blown a better 200 bucks.
Sharp released a new version of the ROM a couple of days ago:
http://community.zaurus.com
It's got Opera Embedded v6, which is just amazing.
Between Sharp and OZ, these things should remain useful for quite awhile.
hang brain.
Use Bluetooth in the Zaurus then. WiFi is a power hog but Bluetooth allows for various output power ranges( 2m, 10m 100m ) and therefore varying power drainage. WiFi is fixed at 100m(~150mA) while a 10m Bluetooth setup will drain at less than 40mA.
Ive run a SL-5600 for ~6h straight with the frontlight at 50%( using 'ping' to keep the connection alive ). A Socket WiFi card only lasts about 3h doing the same.
And with Bluetooth you also get mobile internet via a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone/service. Use a WAP or NAT the connection through your PC and get the Internet too.
LoB
"Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
I guess you sort of missed OpenZaurus, which addresses all of the concerns you list here? Ah, well, that's okay, you're an AC. :-)
... because Sharp actually did issue the news in a language more comprehensible to this audience either:
Linux "clamshell" PDAs with an Intel Xscale PXA255@400MHz, 64 megs of RAM and up to 128 megs of built-in flash are only some of the mouth-watering specs for the new SL-C760 and C750, just released in English to make geeks world-wide wish they were in Japan - the only place, again, for which Sharp has announced to market the new models. The predecessor, widely acclaimed for its excellent "Continuous Grain Silicon" VGA LCD, has been made available by third parties in the USA, Germany, and directly from Japan, but if you're looking to replace e.g. your aging Psion with the latest and greatest Linux PDA from a local vendor, you may want to get Sharp to change their mind and make it available world-wide this time.
In other news, in India the Simputer is expected to be shipping below US$200 (10000 rupies) soon.
Wouldn't both of these be rather compelling items for ThinkGeek to carry as well (just in case the current vendors get overwhelmed by Slashdotters buying up the equivalent of a monthly production - BTW, what's the discount at 30000 units) ?
Still, you can make an external battery pack that takes AAs for about $7, or get one on ebay for between eight and ten bucks. I can get about 11 hours with the initial charge + 4 AAs.
hang brain.
OK, I have both a Libretto and a Zaurus. I love my Libretto. The Zaurus was a fun toy for a bit and if it actually worked well would be good, but it has too many little problems (the worst of which I could probably sort out if I invested the time but I'm now fed up with it so I don't).
OK, you can't fit the Libretto into a shirt pocket, but you can't really fit the Zaurus either. You can fit it into most overcoat pockets. OK, the Libretto's battery life is really crap - but the Zaurus's battery life is no better if you have an 802.11b card in, and if you try to take the card out it sulks, and won't recognise the card again if you put it back, so you've no network... unless you reboot, and about one time in ten the reboot doesn't work and loses all the stuff you have in the filesystem. The Libretto, by contrast, just works.
Again, the Libretto is a real computer - mine has Oracle, Postgres, Apache, Tomcat and all my own applications on it, so I can walk into a customer site with this ridiculous little box and demonstrate a whole suite of client-server applications. It may be old, but it still knocks people out. Also, you can really type on the keyboard. The Zaurus keyboard sort of works, but it's painful. The handwriting recognition is better - except the membrane over the screen gets scratched by the stylus, so mine has a dull patch over the writing area which is really annoying.
Finally, my Libretto runs perfectly ordinary vanilla-flavour Debian 3. It's a very comfortable user environment. The Zaurus logs the user in as root, and has a clumsy and awkward-to-use file system layout. It's security is very poor, with an open password-less FTP server which (again) logs all comers in as root.
In summary I think my Libretto is a briliant machine and the best yet stab at ultra-portable real computing. THe Zaurus is an interesting prototype of a machine which with further development might become usable, but in its present state is a gimmicky toy.
I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
OpenZaurus still runs as root with a blank password.
(It has exactly the same remote vulnerabilities as the normal Zaurus ROM- after all, it has to be compatible with the same desktop sync program)
(That's why I dislike PDAs with keyboards. They force you to continually switch between finger and stylus. Maybe some people are dextrous enough to multiplex their keyboard/stylus hand. I'm not. Not that I'm any good at Graffiti or Jot. For me, the ideal is a stylus-compatible keyboard.)
The new Zauruses may be as small as "other" PDAs. But the keyboard and the L-shaped design make them too much like subnotebooks for my taste. A good slate-style tablet PC is actually closer to the PDA concept than the Zaurus. A slate-tablet may cost 4 times as much, and be way to big for your pocket. But at least it preserves the strolling user concept.
It looks from the pictures like the new models (C750, C760) have flat "membrane" keyboards, and the the C700 has actual keys.
Is that true?