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$300 Linux PDA from Royal to feature Qtopia

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-it-fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to a Linux Devices news item, Royal is preparing to release a Linux PDA before the end of this year with a price point of under $300. The device will use Trolltech's Qtopia, so it will share a common operating environment and application platform with the Sharp Zaurus Linux PDAs. Royal announced a Linux PDA in January 2002, but apparently discontinued that project and embarked on a new design. The Linux Devices story includes a photo of the earlier version."

19 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Time to Market by slavitos · · Score: 3, Interesting
    So, they introduced their device in January 2002 and then went on redesigning it for almost 2 years? Isn't such a product development cycle just a little slow?

    Also, am I the only one who's getting the impression that Linux-based PDA's fall behind the curve in terms of time to market and features?

    1. Re:Time to Market by sirtimbly · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, Royal has been working on a Linux PDA for a lot longer than that. I remember reading a bunch of rumors about their progress on such a project back in 2000 and even 1999. That was back in the day when I owned a Royal daVinci. It was really a pretty good alternative to the Palm Pilot, except that it didn't have many decent 3rd party apps. Honestly I am amazed that their Linux PDA project ever surfaced again. If this thing actually shows up in stores I probably owe someone money from a long forgotten bet.

      --
      Sir Timbly of Cannatuna, offical Knight of the Heptagonal Table
    2. Re:Time to Market by tchuladdiass · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I've strugled with this question myself. I've got a Zaurus 5500, and love it for what I use it for, but a Palm seems to make a better PDA. So, I've come to the conclusion that a Linux handheld device isn't a PDA, but a small-sized computer. So, a Linux pda makes for a good platform if you are a unix developer who needs to write custom hand-held software. Also, while there are a bunch of Palm apps out there, not many are free. It's not that I have to have everything for free, but often times an app doesn't quite work the way I want, and I like to be able to tweek them a bit. An example, I found a good TI-85 calculator emulator, but the buttons looked awful. A bit of messing around with the xpm definitions, and now the button colors are defined in the config file. This is the kind of stuff that you just can't do with non-free apps that you find on Palm or PocketPC.

      As for what I use mine for:
      * Web lookups (i.e., looking up items in Internet phone books, TV listings, dictionary definitions)
      * Other web browsing when it wouldn't due to to carry a laptop (meetings, nature's call, etc)
      * Custom PIM app -- I wrote a web-based app which allows me to organize data and meeting notes in a unique way that suites me. On my Zaurus, I've got a version of the app served up by a local web server. Whenever I'm within wireless range, a background task automatically keeps the local database synced with the one on my server. (Once I perfect it, I'll put it up on sourceforge).
      * Entertainment -- with a wireless card in the Zaurus, and one in my laptop, I can stream movies and music to the kids in the car served up by my laptop which I use for navigation. It also runs Mame.

    3. Re:Time to Market by OrangeTide · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well you can run uCLinux on lower end CPUs. (16-bit and 32-bit cpus). Also the Dragonball is technically a 32-bit cpu. Of course it does not have an MMU, which can be a problem for standard linux.

      I'm just waiting for an Open PDA that doesn't costs $300. I'm more worried about the bottom line than anything. Most people who want an open PDA want it to have more processing power, more colors and more IO ports than anything else available. This really goes against my own ideas of what makes a good PDA.

      Here is what makes a good PDA (in order of importance):

      Open Architecture - anyone can build applications to run on the device.

      Small - should fit comfortable in a pocket. should be thin and try to have the biggest LCD possible for it's small size. (keep the border around the pda small. like the AgendaVR3)

      Long Battery Life - should last for weeks on a charge with normal use.

      Inexpensive - any high school or college student could pick one of these up and hack up some fun apps for it. This is good for making the list of available applications nice and long.

      Standard IO ports - should have some standard connectors so we can get a solar-powered charger or hook it up to a PC with some commonly available connector (USB?, IRda, etc)

      Different models for different people - I personally prefer a nice crisp monochrome LCD. They are low powered, inexpensive and easy to read in a variety of light conditions. And it fits with the way I use a PDA. Other people use PDAs quite differently and really need to have a nice strong backlight, crisp colors and high resolution.

      Of course it is pretty easy for me to just go around telling everyone how to do their jobs. I am working on a small public domain OS geared towards PDAs. (starting with ARM7tdmi processors, which can draw as little as 22mA at 33MHz. It's comparable to ) Perhaps someone can use it someday for my ideal PDA.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  2. If at first you don't succeed... by jbellis · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is Royal's what, third try at the PDA market? First there was the Da Vinci, which at $99 was priced right in 99 when the lowest-cost palm was 2 or 3 times that much, but still didn't make a very big impression. Then there was the, uh, something that made even less of a splash than the DV... Now this. Best of luck to ya, Royal, but I think it's going to be another too little, too late. If anything there's even less room in the market now for a non-MS, non-Palm pda now than in 99.

  3. Royal hates their customers by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Have you ever bought a Royal product before? I did. Long ago I got a typewriter with a printer interface on it. I paid way too much, but was attracted by the promise of being able to replace the print wheels, of the promise of variable spacing type print wheels amd how I could use this on a computer. Then I ran into Royal customer service when I tried to actually buy the variable pitch print wheel. They pretty much laughed at me and told me it wasn't really available. While I was still trying to track it down I also tried to find out what the width table for the variable spacing mode was (I would need it to build my own printer driver software - this was long before Windows and there was no company supplied sriver software at all). Again, I was treated like dirt for even expecting that I could get information that was going to be needd to actually use my Royal product from the group that claimed to be supporting it.

    I will never buy a Royal product again. Any company I'm involved in where I have a say in the matter will never buy Royal equipment (yes, I have stopped some purchases). There are other PDA's in the world; no one needs one bad enough to buy one from Royal.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  4. Not needed, I think by saikou · · Score: 2, Interesting

    While it's always nice to have more choices, I think this new PDA is somewhat unasked for. There are two Zaurus models (5500 is already cheaper than $300, and 5600 is heading that way). Most of the iPaqs can run linux on them (IPAQLinux.com), and they are way cheaper and been around awhile, so all the quirks were worked out. Will the new $300 device be more attractive than currently available models, be it not for the "it comes with linux" factor? I am not sure. Those who want Linux on their PDA are usually skilled enough to get it already :)

    --
    Hyperom.com
  5. Zaurus more expandable by Gothmolly · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Not quite a -1, Redundant post. What nobody mentions is that the Zaurus ALSO has a SD/MMC port. Interestingly, the SD driver does NOT honor any kind of DRM on the SD cards. The nice thing about having 2 dissimilar expansion slots is that you can have storage (SD) AND networking (CF), rather than swapping frantically. Add this to the built in IrDA, serial port, Blackberry-style keyboard, and Ultima IV emulator, and the Zaurus spanks it soundly.

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  6. Re:Wow. by typobox43 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've heard the same from a lot of people. I wish that the prices of Tablet PCs would come down, because they seem to be a lot more viable than your everyday PDA, and the size isn't as bad as dragging around your laptop. They are obviously much more powerful, and can do nearly anything that your home PC can... you just have to pay for it.

  7. I don't get it by gsfx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What's the point ? HP iPaq 1930 costs around 200$ after rebates.

  8. Qtopia ? I prefer OpenZaurus by theefer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Qtopia is fine on my Sharp Zaurus SL5000D, but OpenZaurus (with Opie) is really better (and Free) in my opinion. It's more polished, more mature and better documented.
    I don't really need the few software Qtopia has over OZ (Opera, Handcom Office Suite, ..) since there are free alternative (Konqueror, etc).

    Good to see Free forks can compete and sometimes overtake the original commercial software.

    If you have a Zaurus, you really have to try OpenZaurus !

    --
    theefer
  9. What about battery power? by IANAAC · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have a Zaurus 5500 and really love it. I use it everyday. My one big gripe is lack of battery time. If they could get a Linux PDA that does everything currenty being done with the Zaurus to last even as long a decent laptop, I'd be happy. 1 - 1 1/2 hours before needing a recharge is horrible. Granted, lighted screen and CF card usage are power eaters, but it'd be nice to be able to have the thing on for an entire cross-country flight.

  10. Apps on Desktop vs. PDA Linux??? by G4from128k · · Score: 3, Interesting

    With more mobile and portable devices running Linux, it raises the issue of running the same Linux applications on both the desktop and the palmtop. For example, do the various Linux Office-oid applications have counterparts on the PDA side? Are the PDA Linux distros identical/similar/compatible-in-name-only with their desktop breathern? Or are desktop distros far too bloated to run on lighter platforms?

    I, for one, would look more seriously at both developing for and using Linux if many/most applications ran easily on a range of device sizes.

    Perhaps some Penguinophilic /.ers might shed some packets on this issue.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  11. They didn't indicate WHAT was going to be in them. by Svartalf · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The ARTICLE said that they'd planned to go to market with a PDA with the specs you mentioned, but canned the idea before going there with it. The article itself didn't indicate what the specs were going to be for Royal's new attempt.

    Now, having said this, they're going to be hard to believe since they backed down the first time. As to why they backed down, your guess is as good as mine- could be that the applications provided by Pixil wasn't good enough (Stock apps (and application availability in general) will make or break your PDA in the market- ask Franklin about the eBookman sometime...) or perhaps they determined that the overall design was too lacking compared to the Zaurus and the non-Linux based competition. Who knows for sure, except Royal?

    --
    I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
  12. Usability by HeelToe · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wish these Linux PDAs would get usability right. I have a Zaurus, and it sure doesn't.

    Nothing beats a Palm in this regard. What PIM / oft-accessed organization function can you not access in under 2 clicks/buttons on a Palm?

    I love the capabilities of my Zaurus, but it's annoying it takes me 5-6x longer to use regular functions.

  13. How do they do it? by jav1231 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A Linux PDA for under $599? Amazing! It's about fscking time someone did Linux in-your-hand on the cheap! JAV

  14. Re:Nice, but will it Sync with Linux? by irix · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We are working on it.

    Somehow I doubt that syncing with Linux will be critical to the commercial success of a PDA, but the ability to do so is nice for us Linux users.

    --

    Do you even know anything about perl? -- AC Replying to Tom Christiansen post.
  15. Re:Not much different than the 5500... by jc42 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    there's still issues with making the platform "plug-n-play" enough so you can get real use out of it without being a somewhat familiar with linux at the start.... especially when it comes to Synching with a desktop.

    Well, frankly, I find all the PDA sync things rather uncompelling. They all seem to use secret, binary data formats, so I can't do anything with them. And they can't back up my personal files, just the data from a select list of apps.

    When I can use scp and/or rsync to do the job, then I'll be impressed.

    Of course, this shouldn't be impressive. I routinely use these to sync machines that are thousands of miles apart, and I don't need any special adapters or cables. Why can't a PDA be as easy?

    --
    Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
  16. Re:Ridiculous pricing by twalk · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Dell and HP are basically selling just a little over cost. Basically they're losing money on each one sold, but they make great throwins to help get big server purchases, so it evens out.

    Palm, et al, actually need to make a nice profit off of each one sold...

    Palm Zire 71 is going for about $275 right now.
    The Tungsten E will be out soon for $200. (It's roughly comparable to an ipaq 19xx.)