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New Zaurus Linux PDA Available In the U.S.
pdawerks writes "The Sharp Zaurus SL-6000L handheld, which runs Linux in the Trolltech's Qtopia environment, has finally made it to the U.S. at a pricepoint of $699, according to a PDALive.com article. It has a 4-inch 480 x 640 CG Silicon reflective screen that is much larger than the one in the 5x00 models, and the screen supports rotation on the fly (portrait and landscape modes). Sharp has also incorporated a sliding thumb keyboard into this model."
Nope.
The last "real" story is that Slashdot was Slashdotted before this story was posted.
Keep your eyes to the sky.
It's a tad on the pricey side, but I'm gonna buy one just to show up some dude at my company who got a tablet with XP Tablet Edition and thinks it's the cat's meow...
Although he sometimes salivates over my Mandrake desktop....
I wonder if it would be any cheaper if they went with GTK instead of Qtopia? Ah, wtf, it should be cool anyway! Count me in!
bash: rtfm: command not found
For a minute there, I thought that Slashdot had replaced all of its pages with "500 Internal Server Error" as an April Fool's joke...
Can I be on that test team? Just goes to show, there's QA testing and then there's QA testing. "Debug code? Bah! I wanna drop things!"
That is a price of a cheap laptop.
considering that none of that $699 pays for an OS
The flag just makes more sense than the constitution. - Judas Gutenberg
"Sharp has also incorporated a sliding thumb keyboard into this model."
Didnt all the 5x00 series have the same type of keyboard?
This looks like a great geek toy, but aside from that who on earth would buy this thing? It's $699, and huge. If all you need is a PDA, you can get much, much nicer machines from Sony, Palm, or even (dare I mention it) WinCE licensees.
Enable 3D printed prosthetics!
im trying to decide what the real advantage of a pda that costs 700 dollars is? portability aside where it the payoff? oqo had an intersting idea in full pc power in a sub laptop size but that has seemingly become vaporware.. what is the true advantage to this device other than it being (linux)?
...I have been waiting for this release for couple of months now to get my first PDA!
Cheers,
RoadkillBunny
Does anyone else notice that these Sharp PDAs are less-than-beautiful in case design?
:)
I'm not highly impressed with either the case design OR the OS design, but the case in particular.
Look at the Sony Clie NX series modles, the Tungsten E, etc. Those are some nice looking handhelds. The Sony Launcher also LOOKS nice.
Sorry, but when I see pictures of these Sharp PDAs, they just don't excite me. The only upside is the VGA screen.
I'll definitely be looking out for VGA Palm units in the near future though, those should be great
Really, what is the demand for a product like this? The price alone sets this way above what the average consumer should be willing to pay. Sure there are the "power users", the technophites and the "too wealthy to cares" who this is perfect for, but what about the rest of us? Seems like another case of a product with too high a price for the features that will be frequently used.
GG April 1st?
The hardware is actually free, the $699 is to cover the Linux license.
Score: -1, Cheap SCO gag
Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
Funny how I was always on spring break when 4-1 came around!
-- In Soviet Russia, radio listens to YOU!
It's a tad on the pricey side though as an SL-5500 can be had for under $200 and the SL-5600 (which has the 400 MHz xscale proc and 64 MB of RAM) is under $400 last time I checked
Why would I want to spend this much money when I could spend a LITTLE bit more and get a notebook with higher rez, better specs that really isn't that much heavier. It seems to me that if you want a great handheld it should be smaller and more affordable. Of course, maybe I'm missing something...
A little learning never hurt anyone.
Errrr... Is this some kinda April fools thing?
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I recently purchased a Zaurus SL-C860 from Dynamism, and it is truely a device I can't live without. Sure, it was pretty expensive at around $850, but no other pda I've ever used can touch it in terms of speed, style, and overall "coolness." Hell, I'm running an X11-based ROM on it now, and nearly all X apps can be recompiled to run on it.
I think I like the clamshell layout better than the traditional vertical PDA layout of this and the 5X00 series. Being able to quickly convert between mini-laptop mode and PDA mode is more useful than I'd ever imagined it would be. If I were to suggest a PDA to anyone, I'd say the SL-C760 is the better bet, as it costs the same as the 6000 and is nearly identical to the 860 (the 860 has a slightly larger screen, all-silver case and better default software, which is only helpful if you are japanese!).
Sure, the 7XX and 8XX series do not have the built-in wireless, but the coolness factor of the design, and the fact that almost nobody in the US has one, make it the better choice (IMHO).
--- At my sig, unleash hell.
is what you mean.
to see 802.11g and USB 2.0 standard jack. Or do those suck too much power?
I'm surprised that the Sharp web site doesn't list this product yet. But this page spells out a few more specs.
To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.
I loved my SL-5500 PDA from sharp for about 2 weeks, and then tossed it in a drawer along with my Palm IIIx and Newton. I am sure that there are many out there that love PDAs, but my cell phone has done everything I have ever needed out of a PDA. I'd rather spend the $700 and get the Sony Ericsson P800 phone with the megapixel cam, etc!
Maybe when we have star trek like PDAs that will analyze everything about my surroundings i'd be more receptive.
-------
artlu.net
..will it take until someone posts an amazon link with a referral tag, then get modded informative, then a reply pointing out parent had a referral link and giving a clean amazon one, then have someone reply that we need to boycott evil amazon........
It's a lie.. it's just a April's Fools gag.
What ever will they think of next!?!
I broke the glass on my SL-5500. Sharp wants $350 to replace it. I would do it myself if I could find the replacement digitizer/glass. Anyone have a broken SL-5500 with a good digitizer they would sell, cheap?
---
eeww, I'll have a crab juice.
$699? SCO? Any of this ringing a bell?
True story.
that's all well and good... but what about Canada?
My Zaurus is not a PDA but a PDT (Person Digital Tool), and anyone who says otherwise is getting a foot in their arse.
A PDA is a glorified address book that plays music and sells for 300$. My Zaurus (SL-5500) costs less than 200, runs a mobile X-11 server, allows for quick coding (802.11b CF card + ssh) when I am off campus and can't log into something heavy, plays movies, serves webpages, and runs Linux. The Zaurus is very hackable and has a high fun value attached to it. $699 is alot to spend for it, but in 6 months you can ebay one for about 300 which would be more inline.
There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.
You could also pick up an older model off eBay for about $50.
That is if you don't mind less RAM.
If any application makes use of X then you can run the X server image on the PDA and serve yourself a remote window to any application running on any host to which you have network access. This obviates the need for you to run the application on the PDA or write it for the PDA. It also obviates the need for the PDA to save any data locally. The PDA serves up to you the GUI of the application running remote to you and allows you to a rich variety of input (touchscreen, voice, keyboard or stylus stroke). So, the PDA only needs to run one application, the X server, and it serves up any application that runs at 640 x 480. Cool.
Here's another vertical market app that you could add to the list applications of what this device could easily handle when used as a touchscreen X terminal, Point of Sale
At that price, its going to have to have a hell of a lot more going for it than the fact that it runs Linux. Regardless of what I think of Linux, it takes more than just that to make me buy a particular PDA. I'll be sticking with my Zire 71.
I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
Do such things exist? Such as standard things like "openssl speed rsa dsa", compiling bash, compressing a file etc.
$699 for a PDA? The price of a bargain laptop? APRIL FOOL'S!!!
Cyde Weys Musings - Scrutinizing the inscrutable
[The Sharp Zaurus SL-6000L] is a true enterprise level device
Well yupee, I can sure dang near swear that you can hot swap 1800 of these guys into any sort of CPU-cluster config with full on NUMA and native SMP. It is a bona-fide grade A "enterprise level" enterprise level device after all, and damn since I only run the calendar, built in MP3 player and some basic email, think of all that spare CPU time I can fork over (no pun intended) to SETI@home! And with the SCSI RAID Flash drives with automatic fail over and load balancing, well, storage just ain't an issue.
Yeap, yessserrreeee... SUN has done just bit the dust here 'cuz what we have here is one true enterprise level device that fits in the palm of your hand.
Maybe they meant tricorder or something.
my 6 year old 80 oregon scientific osaris has a word compatible wordprocessor, keyboard, spreadsheet, database and all that kind of crap. why would i possibly drop all that money on that bloated linux peice of crap?
We can only hope that they wont fork Qtopia like Sharp did and upgrade as TrollTech releases new versions. Because of Sharp's fork, the Zaurus users never got the bug fixes from TrollTech and Sharp never gave back their fixes leaded to a very rapid End Of Life for the Zaurus. Ever wonder why Sharp's Qtopia sucked so much? It was a fork of 1.4beta. 1.5 was TrollTech's first stable release and that is debatable as to being stable. 1.7 is much better.
Now for the big question... Will it be compiled with gcc 2.x or gcc 3? If they use 2 they get binary compatibility. If they use 3 they get a much needed speedup, but only have source compatibility. Sharp choose the worse of the two. They broke binary compatibility and kept gcc 2. What stupidity!
Anyone know how long the 1500mAH Lithium-polymer battery will last on this thing? I had the SL-5500 and the battery on that thing would only last 8 hours max. Is this one any better?
To be honest, I'm not highly impressed with overall package anyway, but it was the case in particular that got my attention.
For example, look at the Palm Tungsten serieis, the Sony Clie NX series, etc. Those are some *really* nice looking handhelds. The Sony Launcher also looks nice (but is let down by its practicality).
When I see pictures of these Sharp PDAs, they just don't excite me -- it is suicidal from an advertising perspective. If anything, its only redeeming feature is the VGA screen (I cant wait till a VGA Palm unit is released).
rsync -ave ssh ~/mypdastuff root@zaurus:/mnt/card/
Is one line to sync from Linux, or Solaris in my case, to the pda really that difficult? The entire point of a Linux pda is that it's just a small computer; what works for a Linux server works for a Linux pda.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
I will buy a Zaurus the day it comes out with a phone....
The availability of the SHARP SL-6000 in the U.S. will hopefully lead to make it available in Europe (e.g. from Xtops.DE - Linux, laptops, PDAs soon. But to sell electronic devices in Europe a certain examination (CE-Certificate) has to be provided first.
You get the lot in a single package. The best PDA OS and UI in the market, hundreds of third party applications and the phone is integrated right into the system. The cost sans connection is $699. If you get a connection with it, $50. Use the other $650 for something else.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
Next fashion: bulging square pockets.
For a moment I thought that I read New Zealand Linux PDA is available in the US....what is it called? Kiwi PDA?
This is a superb enterprise-level piece of equipment.
With this and a bluetooth phone your on-call engineers can be active and able to fix software problems without having to stay at home or carry a large/heavy/short-lived/fragile laptop around.
My Zaurus CL860 is linked to my GPRS phone. It has X, vnc, ssh and a battery life that lasts days giving me mobile net access and a screen that lets me see one whole and a few partial 80x25 xterms at once. All in a size and weight to fit into a shirt pocket.
-- Don't believe everything you read, hear or think
No FLTK, no Gnome, no Gtk+, no Tcl/Tk, no wxWindows, no Mono/Gtk#, no X11, no Firefox, no R, etc. The thing doesn't run any software that I use or develop for. Sorry, Sharp, until the thing ships with X11, it's no more than a PDA, and as a PDA, Palms are more usable and mature. Not to mention that I can develop commercial and free software for Palm without paying anybody.
I'm a die-hard LInux user, but my PDA is a Palm--Palms even work better with Linux than Zaurus. My Zaurus is gathering dust--it's useful neither as a PDA nor as a Linux handheld.
Sharp could easily fix this without changing their product much: replace Qt/embedded with Qt/X11. That won't make it a better PDA and it won't make Qt less of a resource hog (Qt/X11 is worse than Qt/embedded), but it would make the Zaurus a better Linux handheld.
The i-mate pocket pc has integrated GPRS, so you can almost surf the web meaningfully (rather than on a phone). Of course it also has phone capabilities and bluetooth headset.
This is the best I have seen to date.
The Yopy runs X11 and is a proper Linux PDA, at half the price of this new Zaurus.
Seriously, I'm looking for a total solution these days. I have a Treo 300 and I'm very happy with it, but it lacks OS upgradability (I know the Treo 600 is out there but I prefer the clamshell feel when talking on the phone) and the GPS that would be handy for geocaching.
I talk about stuff.
One Sharp doesn't even list it as a Zaurus product on their website.
:p
And another thing is that's the picture of their beta product they showed at a conference only several months ago as a beta or alpha (Found old slashdot article)
Another thing is Sharp always lists the newer PDAs on their product page way before it's released for purchase of anykind. OK so it's official I ruined the April Fools joke.
This space is not for rent.
The only April fool is you:
It's available at Amazon
Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.
Although "Sex with a mare" technically isn't a day, it is still the best option.
Has no one seen the Amida? Check this out!!!and it's cheaper. Loads better than the Zaurus.
http://www.amidasimputer.com/techbenefits/
That is a price of a cheap laptop.
That's an absolutely silly comparison.
By that logic, no one would ever buy a laptop, because they're more expensive that a desktop.
I have an SL-5500 and it really is a great tool. It was invauable during my college days, when I could connect via 802.11b just about anywhere, and run just about anything I wanted. The ability to do mobile IM alone made it worth it (no monthly fee), but it also functioned for web-browsing, email, MP3 player, etc.
Would you want to walk 10 miles a day with a laptop on your back?
Life is too short to proofread.
I already bought one from Mac / PC Connection, which apparently didn't realize it was supposed to wait until 31 March to ship it.
I don't have too much time to ramble on, but would like to share a few first impressions:
I can use it effectively while standing up. I can not say the same for the laptop it replaces.
It does not remind me too much of a PDA. I have had a Clie and two Palms. I am more interested in the functionality of a laptop in a form factor I can use while standing up.
Most of the built-in software is clumsy, but not Opera! Opera is a real pleasure on this thing!
The screen is VASTLY superior to any pda, not just in resolution, but also brightness and outdoor usability. Also, my former officemate had a Sharp laptop and claimed that the screen would take many more years to fade than its Sony rivals. He was intensely loyal to Sharp for its emphasis on screen quality. My 2 year old Clie, by the way, looks quite dim (and crude) by comparison.
The SL-6000L fits completely in the front pocket of my Levis. However, it is not very comfortable there. I would prefer to hang it around my neck like a camera, and I wish I could bring to market a method to do conveniently. I'm sure it will happen, because there are symmetrical grooves in the sides to hold the expansion jacket. Someone will fabricate plastic holders to fit those and mount it on car dashboards, etc.
I dislike the built-in keyboard (and all such keyboards). If I am sitting down, I will probably use my laptop, but I appreciate the fact that I can use a USB keyboard, which I will probably do. The USB host functionality is quite important to me.
Well, I've rambled on longer than I meant to!
1. How big is it, really? The review on PDASupport has the dimensions as "3.14 inches by 6.22 inches by .80 inches". Is the 6.22" in length with the keyboard opened/extended or not? The width and thickness aren't too far off from my Visor in its case, but the 6.22" is much longer [insert joke here].
2. Does it support 802.1x and PEAP? Given that it is aimed at the 'enterprise' market, one can only hope. That's the main requirement I have to be able to access the WLAN at work. If not, does anyone know of any 802.1x clients for the Palm platform?
-Phil
Boy, the Sharp website sure does stink --and it hasn't yet been updated with the 6000L info. I haven't been able to Google up a spec sheet for the 6000L either. Anyone have a link?
I'm disappointed that built-in Bluetooth was dropped for the U.S. version. To quote the PDALive.com source: The SL-6000L is an English version of the device and has integrated Wi-Fi only. However, the Japanese SL-6000 is available in either dual networking (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) or networking-less versions.
I suppose I can live with a PC Card. I was hoping to use the 6000L with a Bluetooth headset for a project I'm working on. Has anyone had success getting audio in/out of a Zaurus 5xxx or 6000x using Bluetooth?
It looks like SL-5600 has audio in/out via a minidin jack. Can anyone confirm that the 6000L has the same?
Nobody wants the vertical format PDA with thumb keyboard. Everyone wants the CL-7x0 and CL-8x0 models. I even spoke to some Sharp USA guys at a trade show, and they said *they* wanted CL-760s, and that dozens of people had walked past, seen the 6000, and asked when the 760 was coming out.
Look at the discussion for this story, for example. Count all the people saying the Zaurus is great, then see how many are using CL-7x0 machines.
Dynamism must be laughing all the way to the bank.
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
Says Personal MOBILE Tool on mine. :-)
sure... or it could just be me calling from Toronto, with my 'heavy accent' and cordless battery dying :P
- To err is human; but to really screw up, you need a computer
A linux PDA that sells for $699? $699 for something linux? Methinks they submitted the first April Fools joke a tad early.
...is why nobody's started putting 4GB microdrives in these Uber-PDAs instead of flash or ramsdisk for storage?
I mean, other than the fact that the Hitachi microdrive factory is basically a division of Apple right now.
That would totally kick ass.
hang brain.
This is the first PDA I've seen with a usb host port. I've been looking for this feature to use with a usb soundcard (the total bithead at headphone.com for instance). Does anyone know whether this would work? Do the usb audio drivers in the kernel work on non x86 platforms?
Palm OS offers this kind of sync support, and you might note that the number of Palm OS applications that have a complementary desktop component is very high (free, or otherwise). Also as a result of this well-established, consistent application data interface, many replacement applications exist for the Palm OS handheld PIM programs. And on the desktop, many alternatives exist that can sync with Palm OS data.
Of course, the idea of the handheld as a mere extension of the desktop was a dominant influence over the original PalmPilot design (from whence the venerable and still current HotSync was forged).
-Tez
Haskell, the static-typed, lazy, polymorphic, programming language.
I'm very interested in this device (it's more of a nano-computer than a PDA). I think it's great that every online news source is carrying this story, but a near verbatim reprint of the press release isn't very useful.
1- What is the battery life under continuous use with the WiFi active?
2- Do the CF and SD cards protrude from the case? If so, how much?
3- I've seen pictures of the unit with a clear flip-up cover for the display. Is that included with the unit? What "comes in the box"?
4- Are there special requirements or restrictions on the CF/SD cards? Do 1GB SD cards work? What about SDIO? Does it support CF Microdrives? CF I/II? 10x speed cards OK?
5- What is the audio quality for playing MP3?
6- Is the video fast enough for movie playback? How long will the battery last doing this (can I play back an entire two hour movie on a charge)?
7- What services are included in the installed distribution? sshd? rsyncd? SSH and rsync clients?
8- Does the 802.11b support WEP-128?
9- Is an X-Server included, so I can run remote X applications (important in an enterprise environment)?
10- How long does the battery last? I've seen reports that Lithium-polymer batteries can only sustain about 200 charges. Does that mean that it will need a new battery every 6-9 months?
Can You Say Linux? I Knew That You Could.