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Sharp Zaurus SL-C750 (P)reviewed

Posted by timothy on from the note-built-in-drool-cup dept.

Bill Kendrick writes "Dynamism loaned the Japan-only 'C750' clamshell model Zaurus Linux PDA to the folks over at BargainPDA.com, and they've put up a mini-review, with the promise of a more in-depth review to come soon. The funniest part is they needed to scale down the screenshots to fit on their site."

156 comments

  1. When... by Sir+Haxalot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    do palms become laptops? If I got a palm, I'd get one because of its size, if I wanted something more powerful, I'd get a laptop. This just seems to me a cross between a palm and a laptop that has none of the benefits of either.

    --
    I have over 70 freaks, do you?
    1. Re:When... by kmak · · Score: 1

      The glass isn't always half empty, and perhaps for others, it's half full..

      Doesn't seem so bad, if it weren't for the price, I'll snatch one myself!

      --

      I'm not the devil.. just his advocate.
    2. Re:When... by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      " This just seems to me a cross between a palm and a laptop that has none of the benefits of either."

      In this case, it's more like a tablet PC.

      Frankly, I don't understand your beef here. The unit has a one-handed mode. .

    3. Re:When... by dbarclay10 · · Score: 2, Informative
      do palms become laptops? If I got a palm, I'd get one because of its size, if I wanted something more powerful, I'd get a laptop. This just seems to me a cross between a palm and a laptop that has none of the benefits of either.

      Except that this is the size of a normal PDA. I believe it's somewhat smaller than an iPaq with its sleeve.

      Of course, even if it *was* bigger, that may still hit the sweet spot for many people. Or perhaps we're all your clones, and not only do we actually *CARE* about what you don't need this device for (hahahaha), but we also have the exact same not-needs? :)

      --

      Barclay family motto:
      Aut agere aut mori.
      (Either action or death.)
    4. Re:When... by Sir+Haxalot · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      If I got a palm, I'd get one because of its size, if I wanted something more powerful, I'd get a laptop
      Please note I was only giving my opinion, I'm sure everyone else has opinions over their own :)

      --
      I have over 70 freaks, do you?
    5. Re:When... by buck_wild · · Score: 3, Funny

      "I prefer to think of the glass as too small."

      --I forget the source.

      --
      If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
    6. Re:When... by agallagh42 · · Score: 1

      "The glass isn't always half empty, and perhaps for others, it's half full.."

      I've never understood that half full/half empty thing. If a glass is half full, isn't it also, by definition, half empty? It can't be one without also being the other.

      I hate dumb sayings like that.

      --
      Carpe Cerevisi - Seize the Beer
    7. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you'd think that, wouldn't you? Seeing as how you're an asshat.

    8. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I prefer to think of the glass as too small."

      Dontcha mean too big?

    9. Re:When... by sfire · · Score: 1

      Actually, I prefer. The glass is completely full. Part of it is full of water/whatever. And the rest air.

    10. Re:When... by IanGiblin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Some of the beauty of this device is that it's the *size* of a Palm and the *power* of a laptop (albeit a limited one). If you don't need the power, fair enough. But nobody can fault a 640x480 screen on a PDA. It makes a big difference (the screen is the same physical size as the Zaurus 5000 series, and it's the first Zaurus with a PXA255 instead of that nasty PXA250 chip.

      I wrote that preview and I have the PDA here; it somehow still surprises me how small it is when I put it down next to my regular Zaurus.

    11. Re:When... by Michael+Spencer+Jr. · · Score: 5, Informative

      I think there's another way to think about this.

      How much computing power does a device have? How much computing power does it take to enable some range of tasks?

      How portable is a device? How big/small does it have to be for it to be useful in various parts of your life?

      I have been carrying around a Zaurus SL-C700 for the past four months. (The SL-C700, 750, and 760 all use the same form factor but have different hardware features.) The size helps a lot. Every time my car keys go in my pocket, the Zaurus goes in my pocket. It's *always there*. When I sit down I can barely feel the rounded corners, but they don't poke. The hinge isn't flimsy or weak at all. The screen is closed up inside the case, so there's no danger of damage that way. (Caveat: it's possible for a coin to wedge itself up in there between the screen and keyboard, but that's very rare. It's only happened to me twice, and I haven't noticed any scratches on the screen.)

      The size is small enough that I have been allowed to use it on math tests at college. I showed the professor Maple on it, explained that I was using the 802.11b card to remotely control my home computer...even showed that I could switch from Maple to an internet browser. I was still allowed to use the machine on tests. It isn't big and bulky like a laptop -- it doesn't sprawl out and take up the whole desk.

      The battery life, for me, is inconvenient but not insurmountable. With a power-hungry CF card in there you do only get about 90 minutes of runtime. That sounds kinda bad, but think about your own lifestyle and your own use of this device. How long are you away from a power outlet for 90 minutes in a stretch, if you just go between home and work?

      I built a custom battery pack for my unit, and you should too. (We're slashdot readers -- this isn't mass market land.) http://mspencer.net/battery/ It's eight 9000 mAh capacity D cells (NiMH) in two four-D-cell holders, wired in parallel. In theory the numbers say I should have about 20 times the battery life of the internal battery pack. In practice I know I have to recharge the pack about every two to three weeks. It's about as heavy as a thick schoolbook, and sits in my backpack just fine, in a separate compartment that's too small for a full-size textbook but larger than the tiny pocket in back.

      OK, that's the size. It's pretty much go-anywhere, once you realize the limitations of the battery size. If you want that kind of computing power (see below) available anywhere (for 1 to 4 hour stretches) or available any time you're with your backpack (for weeks of power), it might be worth hacking together a battery pack for yourself.

      What computing power? The biggest feature is that beautiful screen and keyboard. The keyboard is better than most that size, but of course nowhere near the convenience of a full size keyboard. The screen is clean and bright -- on full battery-sucking brightness, it's brighter than my monitor. I can see some smudges when the screen is off, but they're completely invisible with the screen on. Slightly visible in direct sunlight (because it emits light, doesn't reflect) but it's useful as a flashlight in the dark. It's capable of truly tiny print. To see if you can tolerate text that small, take a screenshot, scale it to the correct size and print it out. Hold the paper out at various distances.

      RAM is very limited, but you can use a swapfile. It's good for a few things at once. For school I've run mysql for database classes (and wished I had postgresql). ALL of my unix C programs were written, compiled, tested and emailed in from the C700. And then there's VNC in to the desktop, running Maple.

      It's basically like a fiddly old resurrected linux PC, in your pocket. It has severe limitations, but they CAN be surmounted. Mount a swapfile. Close some programs. Stop that httpd you left running. It can do very impressive things, slowly and one at a time. It can do lots of little workstation things very w

    12. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well you'd think that wouldn't you? Seeing as how you're retarded and irrelevant.

    13. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't get one because of it's spell checking features. Check out the first screen shot.

    14. Re:When... by pj737 · · Score: 3, Funny
      "The size is small enough that I have been allowed to use it on math tests at college"

      Is your professor a moron?

    15. Re:When... by Michael+Spencer+Jr. · · Score: 1

      The class was "number theory and cryptography". It didn't really help that much. Mostly it did things like: "well, when I brute-force the problem with Maple I get the same answer, so my solution and proof is probably right." or "When I brute-forced it I got such-and-such answer...but I've got no CLUE how to get there from here in a proof. *leaves rest of question blank*" "Ooh, I got +2 out of 15 for the brute-force stuff..."

    16. Re:When... by Jake_Knickerbocker · · Score: 1


      If anything it is a PDA that has some of the benfits of a laptop really. I am trying to come up with benefits of the Palm devices over these and fall short. Bigger software base? Maybe, but the Zaurus has a pretty good following of developers.

      One thing I see no one talking about is the handwriting recognizer, which to me is a bit wonky. It is fantastic for writing in Japanese as you can just write in entire kanji characters and have them recognized. For English you can write in standard non-cursive English and it does a pretty good job of recognizing, a lot better than my old Newton MP did for sure. It is passable though and this little keyboard is not bad at all once you get going on it. Faster than graffiti on my last Clie NX60 (rest its soul). I am typing this now on a C760 as a matter of fact via a wireless connection. Even browsing the web on my Clie was tough sometimes, but with the Zaurus Netfront browser it is better. Pages keep their formatting well and I really have yet to have trouble with any page.

      My current computer is an Apple Titanium and to sync up and moves files I stick to scp. (Downloading the new Orb album in the background now for the train ride tonight) Really is fantastic to move files around this way.

      I like it, a lot. It is a good PDA so far with some of the benefits of being a real computer.

      -Jake

    17. Re:When... by ldrolez · · Score: 1

      Yes but its size (120x80mm) is like any other PDA. So it's cool to have so much features in the same space as before.
      (But for the weight, it's twice other PDAs :-( )

    18. Re:When... by BenjyD · · Score: 1

      And others say "hey, who drank half my pint."

    19. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah that's totally offtopic isn't it! Why not use Mod points wisely instead of being retarded with them?

    20. Re:When... by Divide+By+Zero · · Score: 1

      If you're going to be a spelling whore, use the right "its".

      --
      Dare to Hope. Prepare to be Disappointed.
    21. Re:When... by blitziod · · Score: 2, Insightful

      the glass is NEVER empty. It is always completely full. The air to water ratio may have changed, but a vacuum was NOT created.

      --
      The only way to bust a doper--is when you yourself become a smoker!
    22. Re:When... by buck_wild · · Score: 1

      Doh. Yes.

      --
      If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
    23. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Quit stalling, and get the next round in.

    24. Re:When... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The unit has a one-handed mode.
      Fnarr!!! Very useful, that. Kyuk kyuk!
  2. They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 3, Informative

    Nothing new, and certainly nothing to write home about. It's a clamshell design which means that it's even less useful than the palm-top design. Chiclet keyboard, small screen, bad fonts.

    I guess it's nice that it runs QT which means development for it should be a breeze, but seeing as how the source kit for this is still under lock and key (it's not the same source as the palm-sized Zaurus), it's not yet Free.

    Other than that, it's pretty solidly built, although the salespeople don't like it when you "test drop" the demo devices.

    1. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      OpenZaurus (www.openzaurus.org) claim compatibility with the C750. I use OZ on the 5500 - very nice : )

      IMHO PDA screens are too small, this one looks just right for comfortable use.

    2. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Blasphemy · · Score: 2, Informative

      The great thing about this is that it's not just a clamshell. Turn the screen around and close it and you have a regular PDA-style stylus-based device. It's the best of both worlds.

      A proud C760 owner (same as C750 with longer battery life and 128MB flash ram)

    3. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's an optical illusion.

      The screen is in landscape, but it is actually smaller than the palmtop Zaurus. Both are QVGA, I believe (gotta check the specs), but the retail version of the C750 has 'quick' buttons on each side of the screen eating display space. The net result is that the screen is actually smaller than the original.

      Save your money, the device you want will be out shortly.

    4. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd go with the Sony Clie before going with the Zaurus. Bigger screen, better support, and a built-in digital camera for teleconferencing.

      But yeah, I guess it doesn't run Linux so it must suck.

    5. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      "It's a clamshell design which means that it's even less useful than the palm-top design."

      No, it's more useful than a palm-top design. It's like a tablet PC. The clamshell also rotates, allowing the keyboard to be tucked under the screen. In other words, you can use it with one hand just like your Palm Pilot, or you can unfold the kb and use it on a table.

    6. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A guy I work with has one of these Clies - the camera sucks. Big time. No way could you do teleconferencing with that.

    7. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Bill+Kendrick · · Score: 1

      Turn the screen around and close it and you have a regular PDA-style stylus-based device.

      Exactly. I wonder if any of the trolls around here actually looked at the photographs that were thrown up in the mini-review! >:^P

    8. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by Jake_Knickerbocker · · Score: 1

      "Nothing new, and certainly nothing to write home about. It's a clamshell design which means that it's even less useful than the palm-top design." Well, ya it is kinda new as it hasn't even been out for 2 months now in Japan, and how the the clamshell design detract from its use as a palmtop? I think this poster isn't aware that the screen fold over the keyboard, making it like every other palmtop out there. I don't get what you mean I guess. "Chiclet keyboard, small screen, bad fonts." The keyboard is the best I have seen for any device like this and very useable. Yes, it is small but then that's the point! -Jake

    9. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by kanner · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You held it in your hands and failed to see anything special about it? You must have failed to notice that it has twice the resolution of any other PDA out there, including the recently announced devices from Sony. This means you can put a copy of the Tokyo subway map on it and be able to read it. You can also buy an electronic train schedule for about $10 (good for when you're out drinking near time for the last train). The high res display means the Zaurus is also good for keeping those little store maps that show you how to get to the shop from the nearest station. This device really can replace all those scraps of paper you bring with you and then loose.

      You probably haven't noticed that the new DoCoMo and J-Phone releases by Sharp, with equally stunning displays. They all have "CG Silicon" somewhere near the display. These displays are very bright and crisp, with very high resolution. Btw, you can zap contact information from those phones to the Zaurus using the IR ports built into both devices.

      About the keyboard: when I first saw it, I wondered what the point of it was; now I can tell you. The point isn't to compete with a full sized keyboard, it's to compete with grafiti or other handwriting recognition techniques, and I'm grateful to have it.

      So the Zaurus doesn't have the Bluetooth (does anybody actually use this?) or wifi stuff built in (a touch unfortunate), nor a camera (but you already have one in your phone, don't you?). On the plus side, DoCoMo is coming out with a PHS/WiFi card so you can use WiFi at the office and get wireless PHS access from anywhere else (well, almost anywhere). It also doesn't have a built in mike (I think all the Pocket PC devices do have one), the speaker is not very good (but there's a headphone jack of course), the PIM software is not as good as the Palm PIM software is (IMHO).

      Of course there are three models out there - the older SL-C700, the SL-C750, and the SL-C760. The SL-C760 is the one to buy - comes with everything, including a large enough battery to feed the power hungry display. I haven't had any trouble running out of power, but I plug it in every day, and only use it away from power for a few hours each day. The power adapter is very small and light (like mobile phone power adapters), so it's not a problem to throw it in a bag and take it with you.

      About the price, yes, you can almost buy a cheap laptop or desktop, but for $500 neither one will be worth writing home about.

      If you are into computers, then you really need three devices. The Sharp Zaurus SL-C760 for pocket computing, the Sony Vaio TR-1 for mobile computing (has bluetooth and wifi), and your desktop machine.

    10. Re:They've had this at Yodobashi for a while by mr.+methane · · Score: 1

      Sweet. I had a Sidekick for a while. It was a neat piece of hardware, but the network it was running on (T-Mobile) had some really bad coverage issues.

      I'm still hoping for the "killer device" that will be as tough and small as a pager, have a keyboard (even a tiny one), a phone, and decent battery life. So far I haven't had much luck. (must.... resist... geek lust.....)

      But that Sharp PDA does look pretty cool.

  3. Big deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I've owned a CZ-75 for years. It's a great handheld device:)

    1. Re:Big deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Alas for those poor Slashdotters who don't exercise their right to keep and bear arms and therefore don't understand this post.

      Further alas for those who do exercise that right but don't appreciate the beauty of roller-retarded locking.

  4. Troll post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    The URL posted by the poster above is just a page that tries to crash those with the bug in Internet Explorer (I'm running Mozilla and can see it no problem though).

  5. Bah. by JoeD · · Score: 3, Funny

    Insert obligatory Beowulf cluster joke here.

    1. Re:Bah. by niko9 · · Score: 1

      With a pocketfull beowulf cluter of these, you'd probably be more popular with the ladies than with the super-computer cluster crowd. ;)

  6. What could be better? by kinzillah · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm a big fan of the Zaurus. While I love my Palm III to death, you're kind of limited by the available software. It seems to me that the Zaurus is perfect for the admin on the go. What else gives you ssh in such a small package? :)

    --
    Douglas P. Price
    1. Re:What could be better? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What else gives you ssh in such a small package?

      Any WinCE device.

    2. Re:What could be better? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "working ssh" is implied.

    3. Re:What could be better? by cfoster611 · · Score: 1

      you mean besides my Treo 180? or my Visor Dlx, or any other Palm for that matter?

      --
      --- Kicking the Cheat since late 2002
    4. Re:What could be better? by child_of_mercy · · Score: 1

      whats it like ssh'ing with grafitti anyway?

      also the only palm ssh clients i've seen were ssh1 only, where do you get ssh2?

      --
      'There is a Light that never goes out.'
    5. Re:What could be better? by yomegaman · · Score: 1

      Many Palm-based devices have thumb keyboards nowadays. You can get ssh2 here.

      --
      ...wearing a skin-tight topless leather jumpsuit, with cutaway buttocks and transparent crotch panel.
    6. Re:What could be better? by kinzillah · · Score: 1

      Like this :)

      --
      Douglas P. Price
    7. Re:What could be better? by child_of_mercy · · Score: 1

      *shudder*

      don't you need some sort of command character to enter?

      --
      'There is a Light that never goes out.'
    8. Re:What could be better? by kinzillah · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't want to ACTUALLY do that, now would I? ;)

      --
      Douglas P. Price
  7. Re:A great review by Speare · · Score: 2, Informative
    Some other really great reviews can be found in the previous TWO slashdot stories that headline about this very Zaurus model. One of them was even offered by the very same timothy who rubber-stamped this story.

    Sharp Zaurus SL-C750 English Conversion
    New Sharp Zaurus SL-C760/C750 Linux PDAs

    I think he might have enough kick-backs from slashvertisements to actually buy a couple of these units.

    --
    [ .sig file not found ]
  8. Users in Japan like this a lot by Bushcat · · Score: 5, Informative
    The SL-C750 and C760 are selling well in Japan, especially the C760. 760 has 128MB flash RAM vs 64MB, 1700mAH battery vs 900mAH. Both support VPN over services such as YahooBB Mobile (Yahoo's hotspot adjunct to home ADSL service). With support for wireless and cellular data cards (up to 128k for cellular), it's probably much more of a connected mobile device in its home market that in the US.

    Street price of theC750 is about $375, and $500 for the C760.

    1. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do you base this on?

      PDAs are almost nonexistent in Japan. Whereas in the US you could see PDA users everywhere, in Japan I haven't seen anyone using one for months.

      Yes, there are systems like AirH" that give wireless dialup, but most people use those cards with laptops, not palmtops.

      Laptops are ubiquitous here, not PDAs.

    2. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Scumbag+Tracker · · Score: 1, Troll

      The SLC-760 sucks. Sorry, but it sucks. I bought one at first sight, and got some use out of it, but it's battery life is horrendous (using a PHS device to use the 'net I get an hour and a half -- 1.5 hours on a PDA!), and usable memory is so small it's laughable. This problem was alleviated somewhat by getting a sdram card and adding a swapfile, but that makes things really slow. It was also really overpriced (cost me around 80,000 yen for the unit, a CF network card, a 256 Mb SDRAM chip, and a PHS wireless card).

      It was nice to finally be able to read Slashdot during my train commute, and more importantly, to give me something to read on the shitter, but when the beautiful Panasonic W2 (http://www.dynamism.com/w2/index.shtml) came out a couple of weeks ago I snapped one up (I got it direct from Panasonic with a 60 Gb drive and 512 Mb of RAM), and my SLC-760 is sitting unused, collecting dust. I only wish I could sell it and get even HALF of what I paid for it just a couple of months ago. :(

      --
      I track known Slashdot scumbags on my foes list!
    3. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Bushcat · · Score: 5, Informative
      On many of the Japanese-originated PDAs, you'll notice CF and SD slots. In the US reviewers tend to mistakenly assume this is simply giving users a choice. In Japan, as I'm assuming you know given your location, typically the memory card goes in the SD slot and the feature card goes in the CF slot: wireless, Docomo P-In, Air H" or whatever.

      I agree that PDA penetration in the market is less than in the US; you suggest this is because everyone has a laptop instead. Actually, for the casual user, I think it's because everyone has a cellphone instead: most newcomers to the internet in Japan enter via cellphone.

      But I see a lot of PDAs in business and tech: visiting a large electronics company last year, everyone at the meeting had company-issued PDA swhich were kept updated over an internal PHS network.

    4. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wouldn't say they're nonexistent in Japan - just that the Japanese don't feel the need to wave their PDAs around in public to prove how big their dicks are (figuratively speaking), unlike people in the US.

    5. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, they do. You just can't tell.

    6. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      fine...

      I'll buy it for 1/2 the price...

      if you respond to this, I'll respond back with
      how we can contact each other.

    7. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by CaVi · · Score: 1

      You bought it a couple of month ago ? That's difficult to believe since it went out only end of June...

      I pre-ordered one in person in Japan, and got it first week of July. I used it from that time, and I'm very satisfied with it.

      I installed Perl to be able to play with it, installed a few games dowloaded for free, use its 'ebook-like' mode to read Project Gutenberg files when travelling by train (very easy to read 640x480 screen, back-lighted).

      The Clie series was fine too, but it wasn't clear for me if they had a developper pack, in case I really wish to program it myself. Also the Zaurus community seems to be well alive.

      Aren't you just trolling ?

      --
      -- No signature yet.
    8. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by timeOday · · Score: 1

      Does that Panasonic W2 really get anywhere near 7.5 hours batter life? I would be awfully impressed with 4 hours of DVD playback.

    9. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Scumbag+Tracker · · Score: 1

      I haven't ran out yet, but I easily got over 4, doing lots of disk activity (installing crap under Linux), reading a bunch of web sites over a PHS card (which sucks power). I think 7.5 is really pushing it, but the battery life is really damned decent. I am crazy about this Panasonic. I kind of got fucked on the Windows XP cd, though -- it's a "recovery cd", and when I tried to install it in a vmware virtual machine on top of Linux, it gave me a cock and bull story about my configuration not being supported and I couldn't install from there. Fucking Microsoft. :p I did get dual boot working fine though (albeit, grub seems to cause it to hang if I try to load it as a physical disk via VMware).

      If only swsusp didn't fucking HANG every 2nd resume, I'd be one very very happy camper.

      --
      I track known Slashdot scumbags on my foes list!
    10. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Linux+Freak · · Score: 1

      Jesus Christ, a TROLL!?!?!? I posted my honest opinion of the SLC-760 after evaluating it seriously for several weeks, and slashbots mod me down.

      Well fine. I hope you don't mind when you buy one, try to use it in the park, and find the battery life is only 90 minutes. Or try and load Slashdot and have it run out of memory.

    11. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by DrFrob · · Score: 1

      Where do you get that price? On the dynamism site, they are selling the C760 for $800 and that's not including the large-capacity battery (one of the reasons for purchase of the 760 over the 750, I believe?) or the voltage adapter (for those of us not living in Japan) or wireless LAN card.

    12. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Bushcat · · Score: 1

      Kakaku. Japanese prices for a Japanese product in Japan. Dynamism is offering a bespoke customization service, and charges a premium for that (quite fairly).

    13. Re:Users in Japan like this a lot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, you appear to be trolling, not only because of your impossible purchase time frame, but because you replaced it with something 4 times the mass and not much more battery life, and think you could only get half price (I would gladly pay more than that for a used one, but I doubt you are honest---I have not seen any used ones for less than 4/5 retail). I know what the battery life is and I've seen the Japanese pages with detailed descriptions of battery mods and how to do them. Conclusion: You are a troll!

  9. Moddies, please :) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Honestly, deserves +5 funny :)

  10. Mirror here - Site /.ed by nacs · · Score: 4, Informative

    The review site looks to be /.ed so I've uploaded a mirror here:

    Mirror

    --
    "I filter at +6, and have yet to miss out on an important comment." (#822545)
    1. Re:Mirror here - Site /.ed by Joey+Patterson · · Score: 3, Funny

      Looks like the mirror is /.'ed, too. :( Anybody got a mirror of the mirror?

  11. Looking Sharp by dark-br · · Score: 4, Insightful
    TrollTech has done a fantastic job with the Qt embedded GUI lib. It's superfast.

    That said, I don't like these small widgets. Try typing
    c.t[j] 1) ? sft[i-1] : sft[i]
    on it.

    It hurts.
  12. YES BUT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    DOES IT RUN LINUX

  13. Damn html filter :/ by dark-br · · Score: 1



    c.t[j] <<= (m % 2 && i>1) ? sft[i-1] : sft[i]

    1. Re:Damn html filter :/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try writing readable code to begin with. Unless you're one of those people that thinks fitting as much as possible on one line and single-char variable make you 733t.

    2. Re:Damn html filter :/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well he is Brazilian...

      you should be out scoring babes or playing soccer on the beach, snorting a truckload of coke or ... fuck I dunno.

      but u should not be fucking around here dude.

      seriously.

      I'll trade spots with ya!

    3. Re:Damn html filter :/ by dark-br · · Score: 1

      Good to see that my reading is giving some good results! ;P

    4. Re:Damn html filter :/ by binarytoaster · · Score: 1
      Try writing readable code to begin with. Unless you're one of those people that thinks fitting as much as possible on one line and single-char variable make you 733t.

      First try writing
      SuperCoolStruct.ArrayOne[Indexer] <<= (DivisibleValue % 2 && FirstIndexer>1) ? ArrayTwo[FirstIndexer-1] : ArrayTwo[FirstIndexer]
      on a PDA, then tell me about readable code. It's hard enough writing the "unreadable" code...
    5. Re:Damn html filter :/ by fredrik70 · · Score: 1

      mind you, it's 1337, not 733t...

      --
      if (!signature) { throw std::runtime_error("No sig!"); }
    6. Re:Damn html filter :/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      mind you, it's 1337, not 733t

      Unless you're speaking Hebrew.

  14. Re:A great review by InnovativeCX · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Mods, this is a troll...the page linked to is nothing more than the MSIE bug causing MS-based browsers to crash. Please mod down promptly.

    Thanks!

  15. Psion by solanum · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why do you people complain about the clamshell design and compare it to a laptop? Psion practically invented the PDA and many Psion 5's/Revo's (including mine) are still in use because no one has yet made a better PDA. Possibly excepting this Zaurus (can't afford one so not about to find out).
    It's not like a laptop it's virtually the same size as a palm. But more useful because you can type on it.
    I can't believe how people were brainwashed into thinking that the Palm design IS a PDA. Even the article talks about generic PDA when they mean a palm type design.

    --
    Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.
    1. Re:Psion by solanum · · Score: 1

      Sorry, that should have said palm design is THE PDA, I wasn't inplying that the Palm isn't a PDA! Huh, preview is for wusses.

      --
      Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.
    2. Re:Psion by release7 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Agreed. I had the Psion 5 until the screen went dead (and Psion went out of business). Loved it. Then I bought the HP Jornada 728 (now discontinued). A little bulkier and a lot buggier, but I still loved having a keyboard you could touch type on.

      I just sold the Jornada, however, (the number of crashes and Microsoft software bugs were a bit too much), for $800 on eBay and am exchanging it for the more "traditional" PDA form factor with the Zaurus 5600 for a street price of $440. I'm not going to be able to touch type on it but it still has a keyboard to enter data.

      But when I see people clumsily tapping away on their PDA screens to enter data, I just scratch my head and wonder why the clamshell designs never took off.

      --

      <a href="http://www.joblessjimmy.com">Work is dumb and so is Jobless Jimmy.</a>

    3. Re:Psion by podperson · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Surely Apple not only virtually but actually invented the PDA including coining the term.

      And frankly, the Newton MP2000 / 2100 kicks the ass of any PDA ever shipped (so far) except for its size.

    4. Re:Psion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That, and it's grayscale only screen.

      That said, I miss my MP2K at times...

    5. Re:Psion by solanum · · Score: 1, Informative

      Hardly, although apple coined the term PDA the first psion palmtops predated apple's newton by almost TEN years.

      --
      Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.
    6. Re:Psion by Zimm · · Score: 1
      Surely Apple not only virtually but actually invented the PDA including coining the term.

      Ever heard of the Casio Boss? These were out at least several years before newton. I agree that newton was a big step forward, but there where other products before it. Frankly I think PDA's are just starting to get to the "cool" stage. We finally are getting small computers, instead of just email, calendar, etc. I hope Zarus grows so we get more and more apps to run on it.

    7. Re:Psion by podperson · · Score: 1

      apple coined the term PDA the first psion palmtops predated apple's newton by almost TEN years

      Thanks for mentioning that. Before posting I tried (not very hard) to find out when the first Psion came out. A second search today revealed the answer -- 1984.

      I think that certainly shows that the first Psion came out before the first Newton. Whether the psion was a "PDA" or an electronic organiser is another question -- the Newton was designed as a "PDA" (whatever that means) and its functionality has yet to be matched by any "replacement" technology. The Filofax predates the Newton too, but it wasn't a PDA either.

      The Newton was designed from the ground up to do what it did. E.g. it was designed to conserve memory (e.g. using on-the-fly compression for storage). A Newton can do with 2MB of RAM things that many more modern organisers fail to do with far more.

      The Newton had a UI designed specifically for handheld use. Once the handwriting recognition was improved (far far beyond Graffiti) it was a highly usable system.

      I don't really use my Newton any more. For four years, however, I took all my meeting notes (and I attended a LOT of meetings) on my Newton, and could search through them instantly. I still can't take notes effectively on any current PDA.

      I don't really see what most modern "PDAs" do that my phone's built in electronic organiser can't do just as well in far less space, with better battery life, and in one less gadget.

    8. Re:Psion by dotmaudot · · Score: 1

      I had a 5mx, and I switched to SL-5500 last year. Psion has a more usable keyboard (dunno about C-7x0, it would be too much of a hassle to import one in Italy), but Z is workable. I like Zaurus because I have a real PC in my pocket!

    9. Re:Psion by solanum · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it's a moot point as to what is an organiser and a PDA, but even the mid-eighties Psions had a programing language and the Series 3 was in every respect a PDA and it also came out before the Newton.

      --
      Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.
  16. Keyboard devices are cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    I still use my Psion Series 5mx, simply because I can type on it. Forget stylus devices for data entry. For meetings and note taking it is the best - I can type very nearly as fast as I can on a normal keyboard and its just perfect for long flights. Its also only slightly larger than a palm and fits in a jacket pocket. Much more convienient for many uses than a full laptop, not to mention it is up and working within 0.1 seconds of opening it. Of course running for 20 hours on a set of AA batteries....

    1. Re:Keyboard devices are cool by Goth+Biker+Babe · · Score: 1

      We've had both a Psion 3a and a Psion 5 because you could use them by holding in both hands and typing with thumbs. Plus, because the software was just so intuitive. I even suggested that my Dad, a technophobe, should have one and he bought a 3c. For some years he wouldn't be without it.

      Last year I was looking for a value for money PDA with a keyboard. After trying several models I opted for the Sharp Zaurus SL5500 just because I can use it in the same way. I find the software pretty usable (although I'm now running Open Zaurus) and seem to be always finding new uses for it. I even use it (with one of those cassette style adapters) as an in car MP3 player.

  17. Review at www.newmobilecomputing.com by davejenkins · · Score: 4, Informative

    You are welcome to read my review a couple weeks ago posted over at www.newmobilecomputing.com

    --

    davejenkins.com |

    1. Re:Review at www.newmobilecomputing.com by Jake_Knickerbocker · · Score: 1

      Not to nitpick, but you certainly don't need Windows in order to install .ipk files. Simply ftp them to your "/home/zaurus/Documents/application/ipkg/" directory and they will show up in the software installer. And there is IP over USB software available to accomplish this in lieu of a WiFi card. I just went for a WiFi card for C760. No sweat. This is a Linux device. The last thing I want to hear is "Windows Required". No way!

    2. Re:Review at www.newmobilecomputing.com by davejenkins · · Score: 1

      yeah-- i agree. But it was faster to simply reboot the machine into windows and do it the way thier manual said, rather than hunt for software to do the IP over USB (this was all in Japanese)...

      thanks.

      --

      davejenkins.com |

  18. DragonFlyBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh, boy! I can't wait to port DragonFlyBSD to this.

  19. Google Cache by Sir+Haxalot · · Score: 1

    here
    As I noticed slashdot has taken it's toll on the server :)

    --
    I have over 70 freaks, do you?
  20. Another mirror by nacs · · Score: 2, Informative

    OK. That one appears to be down too so here's another to distribute the load further:

    Mirror #2

    --
    "I filter at +6, and have yet to miss out on an important comment." (#822545)
  21. A couple of thoughts came to mind: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    1) Can it handle a bluetooth type mass storage? If it could, then can it be used as a display/player for those mpeg saved movies or would the bandwidth be too much for Bluetooth (also what about battery consumption?)
    2) Wouldn't it be cool to take a some of the old VGA res DOS games and see if they can be ported to this?

    1. Re:A couple of thoughts came to mind: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) No. Linux does not support Bluetooth.

      2) Yes, but the screen is QVGA, not VGA.

    2. Re:A couple of thoughts came to mind: by BJH · · Score: 1

      Actually, Linux does support Bluetooth, and quite well, thank you very much.

      Perhaps you meant to say, "the Zaurus version of Linux does not support Bluetooth". Although I wouldn't be surprised to find it actually does.

    3. Re:A couple of thoughts came to mind: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Perhaps you meant to say, "the Zaurus version of Linux does not support Bluetooth"

      Actually I think he was trying to say that the Zaurus doesn't have bluetooth integrated... but that's what the CF slot is for.

    4. Re:A couple of thoughts came to mind: by BJH · · Score: 1

      Aaah... OK.

  22. Har Har Har! MOD UP +5 Insightful! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You made a Windows CE funny! You are teh clevar!

  23. Coming to the US? by tempest303 · · Score: 1

    So when is Sharp going to make models like this for the US?

    --
    The Free desktop that Just Works
  24. Discontinued by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Just wanted to let you know that the 5000 and 5500 have reached their end of life here in the USA and Sharp USA has no plans to release any new ROMS for those devices. In fact there are only three people still at Sharp USA who are working on the project (managers can't seem to fire other managers...) Yay for Anonymous Coward. P.S. Ask around and I know that you can confirm this.

    1. Re:Discontinued by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks... explains why the price of the 550o has dropped like a rock - saw it for 288.99 on Pricescan.com, but if Sharp won't support it, might as well be free...

    2. Re:Discontinued by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The trick to buying computers is to get something that:
      1. Already works
      2. Is open so that anyone can maintain it
      And then you don't have to worry about whether it is "supported" or not.

      It looks like the Zaurus has "open" down pretty well. So it's just a question of reading enough reviews to find out whether or not it really works.

  25. Not Complaining by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well atleast they are welcoming slashdot instead of yelling at us.

  26. Anytime I see something about sharp by smkndrkn · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have to post. I feel it is my duty as a burned customer. Give me my -1 I don't care....if even one person reads this and doesn't buy a sharp product because of it it worked. Karma be damned:

    Sharp Electronics: Buyer Beware

    --
    ======== In the future, everything will be artificial. ========
    1. Re:Anytime I see something about sharp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why not just return the TV to the store? I've returned expensive electronics to Best Buy countless times. They even took back my DVD player which worked fine except for reading some of my cheaper CD-R's. If the store doesn't do this then shop somewhere else in the future at least.

    2. Re:Anytime I see something about sharp by ward · · Score: 1

      So, two repair centers tried to screw you. Sharp paid for the TV, court fees, and an extra $275 for your trouble. I'd blame the repair centers before I made it my duty to waste my life booing Sharp.

      Next time, just return the damn thing to Best Buy. The only reason to buy from a big chain is the return policy.

      On your webpage, your 05/30/2003 10:30 AM update stated "I consider this matter closed," but clearly you don't. Still bitter? It's just a damn TV. Why would anyone agree to take time off to get a TV picked up? That's your own stupidity.

    3. Re:Anytime I see something about sharp by smkndrkn · · Score: 1

      Two repair companies screwed me and so did Sharp. First by producing a defective product and then by not replacing it for a full year and then by not giving me a refund until I took them to court. This is much more the fault of Sharp than the repair companies since if they produced a product worth selling I'd never have had the chance to meet anyone from the repair shops.

      I could not return it to Best Buy since it was 33 days after I purchased it. Maybe some stores are better but I DID call and was told that it was after the 30 day return period and that I would have to deal with Sharp directly. Also I owned a car that made bringing it back impossible. So showing up at the door and demanding a refund wasn't really an option.

      I consider it closed as far as Sharp making it right. That doesn't mean I don't want to inform as many people as possible that they make poor products and hopefully stop you or someone else from making the mistake I did...buying one.

      And I took time off to get my TV fixed because that was what it took. I was interested in having it fixed. If you had an expensive product that needed to be fixed you might want to do the same. I don't see how that is stupid. Still bitter? Yes I am. It took over a year to get my money back. Did you read the whole page?

      --
      ======== In the future, everything will be artificial. ========
  27. Re:Har Har Har! MOD UP +5 Insightful! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Could we give up on the 'teh' jokes already? It was funny for about a day, but now it's just lame.

  28. You don't have a Zaurus, do you? by twitter · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Nothing new.... It's a clamshell design which means that it's even less useful than the palm-top design. Chiclet keyboard, small screen, bad fonts.

    Huh? That keyboard is like 5 times the size of the already very useful keyboard on the Zaurus or the wildly popular blackberry devices. I liked their little pointer device, but the new one's arrow keys look just as functional. Between that and tab complete and the very nice looking and very much big enough to be useful screen, this should be easier to use than the already easy to use Zaurus. It certianly kicks WinCE ass.

    I guess it's nice that it runs QT which means development for it should be a breeze, but seeing as how the source kit for this is still under lock and key (it's not the same source as the palm-sized Zaurus), it's not yet Free.

    Open Zaurus works on this. The Debian style feed is about as free as it gets.

    --

    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

  29. Re:SMILE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now go fuck yourself, grampa.

  30. Re:Users in Japan like tentacle pr0n too... by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 1

    ... so what?

    --
    This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
  31. and in soviet russia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and in soviet russia, stupid beowulf jokes make YOU

  32. ONE SIMPLE QUESTION by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Has anyone, anywhere been able to get one of these darn-fangled Linux PDAs to sync against LINUX??

    Now to be fair, I know the 5500 supposedly works using the linux qtopia software. Kind of.

    But 6500 or better? Not that I have seen. And certainly none of them will sync against anything useful like say Evolution.

    Having a Linux PDA is neat and all, but if all you can sync against is Windows and Outlook, WTF?

    1. Re:ONE SIMPLE QUESTION by XavierXeon · · Score: 1

      If you want a PDA use a Palm instead of a Zaurus ! If you want a mini Linux box then the Zaurus is the right thing for you !

  33. Doesn't beat my Ipaq by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.ipaqlinux.com

    1. Re:Doesn't beat my Ipaq by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It not only kicks your Ipaq's a** from several technical standpoints, especially the display, it also doesn't require you to pay tax to any organizations trying to destroy linux (unless you count sharp's feeble marketing engine)

      you linux on ipaq people need to carry a boot over your shoulder kicking you in the butt every few seconds ... oh, wait, no, you already have that.

  34. Re:Discontinued,, well not really.... by q2a · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Do your homework AC, these run Linux!
    the most recent kernel was released TODAY. 7/29/2003.
    If you want an OS that doesn't live and breathe, go back to BillyBorg.
  35. Why would you put a carpet in a pickup truck? by BigBlockMopar · · Score: 1

    Some of the beauty of this device is that it's the *size* of a Palm and the *power* of a laptop (albeit a limited one). If you don't need the power, fair enough. But nobody can fault a 640x480 screen on a PDA.

    Wow! That thing is adorable! But...

    • More pixels means more battery consumption, and frankly, I don't need more pixels than my Palm III.
    • Color means more pixels again. So 3x640x480 versus 160x160...
    • More processor power means more battery power...
    • More RAM means more battery power...
    • My Palm IIIxe is big enough as it is. (Both RAM and physical dimensions.)

    Most of what I use my Palm for is telephone numbers, quick notes and reading documents on the bus or subway (saves me having to waste 20 pages of paper for a document I'll only read once - in fact, it's Acrobat files that make me use the IIIxe for its 8 megs of RAM rather than the IIIe). As a result, the thing is on for prolonged periods everywhere that I have downtime. Part of the joy of my Palm is that a pair of batteries will last me a month. And if I need to do more than jot a quick note or I'm looking for something to do on a flight - I'll unfold the keyboard.

    Power in the Palm III series? Well, it's a derivative of the Motorola 68000 running at twice the CPU speed of my old Amigas, and it solves linear equations comparably quickly. No problems there: I'm not analyzing the aerodynamics of a 747 in my hand.

    I'd love something the size of my existing Palm III series, with a built-in digital camera, MP3/Ogg playing capabilities, cellphone with integrated modem for Internet connectivity and HotSyncing. Basically, all the little gadgets built into one tiny package. But until I can have all that without having to worry about keeping spare batteries with me everywhere I go, I'll stick with my little Palm IIIxe.

    Despite it serving a need, the only no-frills PDA I see out there is now is the Zire, and that just feels horribly cheap.

    (Forgive me if this is starting to sound like a rant along the lines of "what the hell do you need carpets in a pickup truck for?" but ...really. Ever try to get drywall compound or mud out of a carpet? PDAs are like pickup trucks: I want mine practical. I want to be able to point a hose at my floor to get the muddy boot prints off the rubber mats. Keep the marketing droids away from it.)

    Not that this Linux-powered Zaurus isn't really neat, but I'm thinking of it more as a sub-notebook. (Too small to type on, but too big to be in your back pocket everywhere you go.)

    In fact, does this thing have a hard disk drive?

    --
    Fire and Meat. Yummy.
    1. Re:Why would you put a carpet in a pickup truck? by shamino0 · · Score: 1
      I'd love something the size of my existing Palm III series, with a built-in digital camera, MP3/Ogg playing capabilities, cellphone with integrated modem for Internet connectivity and HotSyncing. Basically, all the little gadgets built into one tiny package. But until I can have all that without having to worry about keeping spare batteries with me everywhere I go, I'll stick with my little Palm IIIxe.

      Have you looked at the newest model Palms?

      When I used a Palm III, I always worried about keeping spare batteries with me wherever I went. Since it had no charger, I had to make sure to always be near a replacement set of AAA batteries, so I could quickly change them as soon as the "low battery" warning popped up.

      My current PDA (a Palm m515) is actually much better in this area. Yes, the faster processor and color display consumes more power. But the unit uses rechargeable batteries. I place the unit in its cradle every evening to hot-sync it, and I usually leave it there while do my evening's web surfing. This fully recharges it every evening.

      If I forget to charge it, it's still not a big deal. The batteries seem to last about 3-4 days if I use the backlight, and about 10 days if I don't (and the display uses a reflective tech, so I don't need the backlight when outdoors or in a brightly lit room). This is less than the 30-60 days I got out of my III, but it lasts long enough that it isn't a problem - I've never forgotten to sync/charge the unit more than two nights in a row.

  36. bug in internet explorer? by ratfynk · · Score: 1
    There are no bugs in MS software their CE software is like a miniature supercomputer. Their products are so supperior, oh wait I need to reboot. Can anybody tell me when my penis enlargement kit will arrive........... OH shit the RIAA is at the door I'll see you guys tomarrow, maybe......Linux on a PDA how usless unless I can download Brittany Spears videos.........

    Come on you guys this my processor is hotter than your processor stuff is rediculous. When will they bring out a CE with 1 gig power and 512 ram don't worry CE will still use it like a doggy hump rather than an OS. The future of mini computers is in great small foot print software. To this end I think Linux will eventually win because there are more and more programmers writing for linux that are getting very good at pared down assembly routines. MS software is just getting more bloated and is more and more turning into an overwritten slug, thats why you need a 400 mhz with 64 meg to run CE. Palm has always rocked because it does alot more with less code. Linux needs to keep on that track also.

    --
    OH THE SHAME I fell off the wagon and use sigs again!
  37. Have they put any decent software on to it? by Moderation+abuser · · Score: 1

    Cos as a day to day PDA, the applications and user environment on the SL5500 and SL5600 are almost criminally bad.

    Hmm, I notice the review doesn't mention the agenda, todo list, word processor, contacts list or spreadsheet. I guess we can therefore assume that they are the same abysmal versions which have previously been installed on the sl5500 and sl5600.

    Before you mod me as a troll, consider this. I have had and used all of the major PDAs, wince, sharp, palm and psion and the installed sharp application software is easily the poorest with poor integration and a truly dreadful user interface. The best by far being the Psion. Why is this such an issue? Because I, the user have paid for the software as well as the hardware and a computer, especially a PDA no matter how sexy or how much raw RAM or CPU, is only as good as it's software.

    --
    Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
    1. Re:Have they put any decent software on to it? by Gothmolly · · Score: 1

      _I_ put decent software on it. If 'decent' means "something other than the Sharp-supplied applets", then just put OpenZaurus on it. OpenZaurus has superior management and (arguably) better wireless and networking support. The stock Sharp ROM apps seem to run better - the builtin Opera browser stomps the tough-to-install-and-fiddly Konqueror.
      Oh wait, this was a Psion troll, and I bit. Oh well, it doesn't make what I say less true.

      --
      I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    2. Re:Have they put any decent software on to it? by aaaurgh · · Score: 1

      I have to say I support the poster's underlying point here. I'm a Psion user of some 17 years duration (I still have a Organiser II from 86) and have been spoilt by the set of inbuilt apps. that the Psions included.

      I've recently been looking round at PDAs because the screen on my Series 5 packed up and I was thinking it might be time to change now that Psions aren't made any more. All I can say is that the current crop of Palm and Pocket PC based units made me suffer the loss of my Psion while it goes to Sydney for a week for repair.

      I'm lucky that my current employer is looking at PDAs for a major project and we've got a variety to evaluate, both in their own right and for suitability for bespoke customisation. Frankly I was disappointed with the lot. None provided the full set of applications/features I've grown to love over the years, to say nothing of the limited input mechanisms in many cases.

      To be fair though, this review and your post have raised my hopes that there is light at the end of my Psion tunnel. Obviously I won't be getting something new soon since I've now sent my 5 for repair but at least I can look more favourably on replacing it when the time finally comes, for which I thank you!

      --

      Go permanent? In your dreams and my worst nightmares.
    3. Re:Have they put any decent software on to it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Sharp is marketing these things wrong if you are calling it a "PDA". If you want a PDA, there's no reason to look any further than your old Psion or a Palm m105. Any PDA that costs more than $150 is either a ripoff, or not really a PDA.

      But call the Zaurus a tiny PC that fits in your pocket, and then you'll realize there's a shitload of software for it -- 30 years of accumulated *nix stuff. Major woody. It may or may not not include an "agenda, todo list, word processor, contacts list or spreadsheet" but hackers don't use those or even know what they are, anyway. Vim/Emacs can do all that crap.

  38. Screen Sizre by Richard_J_N · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One thing I wonder - why is there so much wasted space on the top half? They could make the screen 40% wider (and still have space for the backlight).

  39. The Zaurus is a great product! by kickinit · · Score: 1

    A lot of the discussion focusses on target market. With a little lateral thinking, Samsung as well as the resellers like Dynamism could widen this significantly. An example could be to use it as a home entertainment controller through LIRC combined with a funky custom interface. c.f. this expensive S.O.B., the Philips Pronto.

    With this example of course the battery life is not right. I'd like to hear other people's example uses, demonstrating the value of the new Zauruses.

    (btw, this is an example that I would personally implement, keeping the unit plugged into a wall socket when using it as a remote control; in fact I was gonna do this about 6 months ago but spent the money on a stupid impulse buy instead :'( )

    1. Re:The Zaurus is a great product! by kickinit · · Score: 1

      Oops, I called Sharp Samsung ;) This is my first time posting. Can someone please tell me why my post appears chronologically out of order?!

  40. Let me get this straight... by jav1231 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Yet another review of a product that few will ever see has been performed!? WOW! I can't wait to never be able to by this one! >

  41. Re:Psion - It's from Al Gore by leeet · · Score: 1

    We all know he invented the PDA, among other famous things...

    --
    -- Leeeter than leet
  42. Refurbished Revos are cheaper than a new screen by Moderation+abuser · · Score: 1

    I went the S5 -> wince -> palm -> zaurus route when the screen on my S5 died, I guess it's a common problem with the way it flips open.

    Anyway I'm now back on a refurbished Revo. Cheaper than getting the original machine fixed.

    --
    Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
  43. Ogg player for Zaurus by twistedfuck · · Score: 1

    Anyone notice the Ogg and MP3 player that you can get with the Zaurus?

    tkcPlayer- Easy to use Ogg and MP3 player with advanced filtering and playlist management features.

    1. Re:Ogg player for Zaurus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you don't want to pay (tkcPlayer is around $15 IIRC), you can use XMMS or the default Media Player with the Ogg plugin that is available.

      But tkcPlayer has a nicer UI.

  44. All I want... by Sloppy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Is a device that can double as a phone, runs any sort of Unix or Unixalike (Linux and NetBSD are fine), lasts 12 hours on a battery charge, has built-in networking so that the CF slot is still free, can be used in one hand while standing, has a keyboard at least as usable as a PS/2 keyboard from 1987, has a display that an unfold to 21-inch widescreen, and has the processing power of a dual-Opteron. And it should cost about $99. Is that too much to ask?

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  45. Re:Discontinued? Not an issue! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you want to upgrade then you have more than one supported option. Open Zaurus is one option. Another is the newly released tkcROM from theKompany, which I've heard great things about, and plan to try very soon. Both free, of course.

    The Sharp 3.10 ROM, the last one released for the 5500, is to be avoided.