YOPY Arrives

Victor Tramp writes "Apparently the fabled Linux based YOPY handheld has been put on the market after all! Not only do they look like cool PDA versions of a Gameboy Advance SP (they fold), they look like they give the Zaurus a real run for the money, featurewise. Though the fastest processor is 206MHz, they include CompactFlash and MMC slots on the 3700 model. Apparently you can download their Linupy distro, too. And finally, they don't seem to be vaporware!"

Comments

Nice but...

[j0nkatz]

Even though it would be nice to have Linux in a small for factor like this, i'm not sure Linux would be the best solution for a platform like this. And one thing the device is lacking... A BACKLIGHT!

I really am enjoying my Palm Tungsten C!!!

Bit pricy still - but competitive for it's market

[mao che minh]

Wow, it's new design is a radical departure from the original "beta" models, which looked a hell of a lot like a thicker Zaurus. I like it a lot (the design and the layout).

However, a $449 price tag is rather hard to justify here. I known that it's comparing Apples to Oranges, but, a person can still pick up a used, last generation laptop with vast amounts more computing power for the same price on an auction, or slightly more at a computer show. And yes, I do realize that making these things are not exactly cheap, but $400+ dollars for those specs - from an unproven manufacturer?

I'll stick with my $195 backlit Clie that I got from Circuit City - after my $35 mail in rebate and the $10 mark down from the holiday sale (which can do everything that this can) for now. I'll pick a Yopy up off Ebay in a few months though.

Again...

[}InFuZeD{]

The reason these PDAs will never make it mainstream is due to the HUGE program base that is out for Palms and PocketPC...

You can make an amazing PDA based on Linux, but if it doesn't run the apps that are all ready out there, are the few advantages great enough to outweigh the lack of support?

Program base doesn't equal success

[mao che minh]

Look at the Handsprings. They ran Palm OS, but for some reason, I have never, ever seen one in use in the public (the local CompUSA's and Best Buys stopped selling a long, long time ago) - despite the fact that they actually had better specs then a Palm and larger screens, for only $10-15 more.

PDAs are main stream; everyone from the CEO to grandma has one. Which means that the average PDA consumer is like every other average consumer of anything else, and name recognition and marketing pizazz still rules the market (in regards to sells).

Someday maybe...

[BrynM]

When will someone build a handheld with basic USB support? I just want to plug a drive in, or maybe basic printer support. I realize that drivers would be a nightmare, but if someone came up with a unified driver standard or something some USB device manufacturers might eventually support it. The price of a 512MB flash card is just too much and I've got a bunch of old hard drives laying around (some even with USB enclosures already).

Even if it's not USB, some kind of mass storage would be quite a boon. Perhaps Apple will just steer the iPod in that direction eventually.

Killer App

[appleLaserWriter]

MAME

Wireless Lan CARD - LAME!

[frovingslosh]

How lame. They promote the wireless nature of the beast, but it comes with a wireless lan card that stick out the end. Not only does that make it easy to break (and other brands of lan card might not work with the provided driver), but it wastes the slot, something you might need for other things when connected.