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Sharp Zaurus SL-C750 (P)reviewed
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."
That said, I don't like these small widgets. Try typingon it.
It hurts.
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 $440. I'm not going to be able to touch type on it but it still has a keyboard to enter data.
But when I see people clumsily tapping away on their PDA screens to enter data, I just scratch my head and wonder why the clamshell designs never took off.
<a href="http://www.joblessjimmy.com">Work is dumb and so is Jobless Jimmy.</a>
Huh? That keyboard is like 5 times the size of the already very useful keyboard on the Zaurus or the wildly popular blackberry devices. I liked their little pointer device, but the new one's arrow keys look just as functional. Between that and tab complete and the very nice looking and very much big enough to be useful screen, this should be easier to use than the already easy to use Zaurus. It certianly kicks WinCE ass.
I guess it's nice that it runs QT which means development for it should be a breeze, but seeing as how the source kit for this is still under lock and key (it's not the same source as the palm-sized Zaurus), it's not yet Free.
Open Zaurus works on this. The Debian style feed is about as free as it gets.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
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.
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?
Do your homework AC, these run Linux!
the most recent kernel was released TODAY. 7/29/2003.
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).
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.
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!
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?
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