Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 Reviewed

Bill Kendrick writes "Sharp's hard-drive-packing SL-C3000 model Zaurus (available in the U.S. from Dynamism) has been reviewed by BargainPDA. They cover the differences between this one and earlier, similar models, and even go over some of the stuff interesting to Linux users."

Comments

Autonomy ?

[mirko]

A year ago I sold my SL-5500 because it couldn't stay on batteries for more than 1h30, how far has it improved, now ?

Re:Autonomy ?

[tchuladdiass]

The 5600 can more than double that if you can find one on ebay. The review says that the sl-c3000 lasted about 6 hours of article editing before getting a low-battery warning. My experience with my new zaurus 6000 unit seems to confirm this. However, using the wireless card will cut battery life in half -- or it used to on mine -- I've since adapted the diald program to automatically turn on & off the wireless card after 15 seconds of inactivity, which brings the battery life back up to normal.
Also, it all depends on how bright you make the display. I'm not sure about the c3000, but on the 6000 if I have the brightness set up all the way it hurts my eyes. I have to turn it down a couple of notches, unless I'm outdoors. Even then, the backlight is only needed if your in the shade (i.e., a lot of ambient light), but in direct sunlight the screen seems to be quiet readable.

but does it

[minus_273]

run linux? Seriously, anyone know if there is a siginificant difference in performance using the default installation and an open embedded build of linux?

Re:but does it

[Cyn]

Performance isn't the most important thing, by far, between ROMs. That said, I would say no there's not a particular performance change between ROMs. The important difference, is the usability.

An OpenZaurus installation (built by OE) would actually look pleasing and be functional. I have a c700 and a c760, and neither of them dares to touch the Sharp ROM.

Unless they've made leaps and bounds - the Sharp ROM addressbook is still beyond useless, not to mention a host of other lackings in all things. The only thing Sharp ROM has going for it above OZ is full hardware support (specifically, the ok/cancel buttons on the side of the device - and the 'jogwheel' equivalent).

However, if you just want to write text notes and read electronic books, sharprom should do you fine.

Re:but does it

[Lumpy]

how silly.

I have SEVERAL SL5500's in use and the addressbook is not that bad, and you also gloss over the fact that you can load a different addressbook app on it, but you lose all sync functionality.

also I do things with my Z's that palm and windows based Owners only dream of doing.

finally being able to beam contact information to PALM -or- windows pda users is awesome, the salespeople here have discovered that the built in apps are more than useable, the pocket Office compatability apps are extremely useful and the very large selection of free software for all the sharp SL pda's will significantly increase your useability.

We have barcode scanner cards in the CF slot on ours. The custom software for the sharp devices was 10X easier to write and interface to the master server than any PALM device. (I know I also wrote the app here for our old Palm+barcode scanner devices.)

coupled with the fact that Z's + the CF card are 1/5th the price of the insanely overpriced PALM or windowsCE or pocket PC units with barcode scanner built in I can keep 5 units in the shelf as emergency replacements when the other units get broken or lost.

I am looking to upgrade to the C700 series (you can get them for around $300.00 now) when we roll out these devices to all 20 salespeople here in the office.

so IF 5 sales people and 1 PHB has no problems with the sharp rom apps, I would simply guess you are simply jaded against it because it does not work theway YOU want it.

and they certianly are doing much more than reading electronic books, and writing text notes.

Gotta be better than Palm

[doublem]

After all the hardware, software and support issues I've had with the Palm T2, I can't imagine a PDA that's worse.

I'm never buying another Palm Pilot again.

Lack of WiFi frustrating

[chris09876]

It's too bad it doesn't come with built-in WiFi. That would really increase the usability of the device. WiFi is so prominent now, there should really be WiFi built into *everything*. (Yes, I want to be able to control my oven from work) :)

Re:Lack of WiFi frustrating

[chris09876]

But as the article pointed out, if you're using the CF slot for something else, you'd have to constantly swap it out

Re:Lack of WiFi frustrating

[tchuladdiass]

In previous zaurus models this was a concern, since the most likely other use for the CF slot was for a microdrive. But with the built in drive, you most likely aren't going to need to put anything else in that slot, other than maybe a bluetooth adapter (which you probabably won't use at the same time as wifi), or a gps card (which you would want to use with wifi). However, the device does have a usb master port, so you can always use a usb wifi/storage/gps device. But then you've got portability issues...

Re:Lack of WiFi frustrating

[bloggins02]

Yes, I want to be able to control my oven from work

The fire department called, they want your SSID.

Shipping?

[SuperDJ]

The Sharp Zaurus ships direct to you from Japan, arriving in about 3 business days. We do accept returns within 5 days. Well that gives me plenty of time to get it back in those 5 days, eh? Looks awesome, though. If I only wouldn't have bought that camera...Heh

Nice units, but...

[ackthpt]

Zaurus are nice units, but the battery life seems rather short. I picked up one of those SL 5600s off the home shopping thingamabob, with the $25 discount for first-time buyer, etc. Nice unit, but after using it for a few months the battery would hold a charge for noticibly shorter lenght of time.

Has anyone a recommendation on a better source of batteries for these puppies?

I'd have it with me at work, but it's run down again.

Why's this in the Linux-Corner?

[koi88]

I'm running BSD on my Zaurus, you insensitive clod!

Interesting, but need more details

[Anonymous Cowherd X]

Stuff interesting to Linux users:
<831 lines deleted>
c596f000 __insmod_p80211_O/lib/modules.rom/2.4.20/net/p8021 1.o_M4138646F_V132116[p80211]
c596f060 __insmod_p80211_S.text_L14776[p80211]
c5972a18 __insmod_p80211_S.rodata_L2884[p80211]
c59736fc __insmod_p80211_S.data_L228[p80211]
c59737e0 __insmod_p80211_S.bss_L20[p80211]
<359 lines deleted>

What, no raw memory dump?! As a Linux user who finds this interesting I am appalled!

And it runs Nethack

[doublem]

The sharp runs Nethack, but the Palm does not.

The project to port nethack to Palm dies. Seems no one could get it to work, since the Palm API is so limited.

QT Nethack on the Sharp Zaurus though, I hear that works.

Damn, I can't wait to have the cash to trade in this damn Palm for something that WORKS, even if it doesn't work very well.

that is one yummy machine, but i want an oqo

[f()bz]

that new zaurus is tasty, but i'm holding out for an oqo with debian. that would be delicious... anyone working on porting the stylus drivers or the screen sizing with x11 (or any drivers for that matter) for the oqo to deb yet?

~fabienne

Great product

[Realistic_Dragon]

The Zaurus is a fantastic product. It's best use for me is on economy flights (no one has enough air miles to fly decently all the time) where the seat pitch is just too damn small for my powerbook.

It's got enough power and battery life for me to do a bit of coding (well code review, the keyboard is ok for edits but not writing huge chunks) and with a 4gb CF disk in it (I currently have one ripped from another device - but the new solution is nicer) more than enough movies to keep you going.

Mine manages ~10 hours or ~5 watching films, but spare batteries are pretty cheap at ~$100 each, and higher capacity than the default one on my model too.

If you do get one INSTALL VIM FOLDNIG EXTENSIONS! Or the same for emacs if you prefer. Folding editors make life easy on big screens, on a small screen they are invaluable.

Target audience?

[stratjakt]

This thing is neat-o, and all that, but for 819 bucks?

So it's, roughly, the size of a Nintendo DS? 4.9x3.4x1.0 inches.

I'm just wondering, for the price, what would make this a better buy than a really tiny laptop? I've seen ultra-mini laptops that aren't much more than 8" wide.

It's not small enough to fit in your pocket, but would you really want this zaurus, with it's HDD, bouncing around in your pocket?

Can this thing be a USB host, (Can't tell from TFA), so you could possibly plug in an external HDD or even a CD-R?

I guess what I'm wondering is, where's the line between a device like this, and a uber-small-footprint laptop?

Main differences

[Cyn]

The main differences between this model and the older clamshells can be summed up as such:

* 4gb internal hard drive (3.6gb formatted, 2.9 user)
* Less internal ROM - 16 instead of 32 or 64 (or 128 for c860? - don't quote me on that)
* USB Host (poorly supported)

As most would argue, given that it's a PDA (constantly mobile) and flash memory is pretty damned cheap - AND that the hard drive isn't exactly easily upgraded . . . the hard drive is mostly a non feature. (mostly - the sd driver is a bit of arse, and binary only - so 4 gigs always in your Zaurus with the CF still open does still have advantages... but it has moving parts - so it has disadvantages....)

So, the main feature of note over the older models is USB host. If you don't need that, you're likely better off enjoying the price cut on older models (where still available).

Still - it would be nice to have 4gigs + CF open without having to touch that stupid buggy binary SD driver.

Re:Main differences

[bungo]

Sorry, I can't agree with you. The main feature is the hard disk,
not the usb.

I've just instaled gcc on my c3000, a full uncompressed install,
abd next I'll be downloading some software and be compiling
on the c3000 itself.

I'v already installed alot of other prepackages software on to
the hard disk. If this was any other model, I would have had
to used CF cards - and anyway, my CF slot is occupied
by a d-link wireless card as I'm posting this from my c3000.

With around 2.5g free space, that's a massive amount of storage
which is always with you - far better than swapping SD and CF
cards.

btw, I got mine from www.trisoft.de, I have no conection to
then, but they gave me fanstatic service and ship to all Europe.

Lack of Bluetooth frustrating

[fm6]

Bluetooth would be more to the point. WiFi only works if you're near a hotspot. With Bluetooth, you can network through your cell phone and control your oven from anwhere you can see a cell phone tower.

WiFi is fine for laptops. To use a laptop, you at least need a chair, and preferrably a table. Whoever provides you with these conveniences is probably going to go the extra 500 meters and give you a hotspot as well. But for a device you use while standing on a street corner, you want Bluetooth.

Incomplete OS translation from Japanese to English

[DavonZ]

Please note that the Zaurus C3000 is shipped in a hybrid EnglishJapanese state to allow for the translation software to work. The ability to switch to a pure English translation is done by typing the following two commands into the terminal:

su
reconv

After which the unit will reboot and be in an English only mode (Japanese Inputs remove, Input switching removed, Larger fonts, etc...).

Typing the two commands again will revert the unit back into hybrid mode to allow for the translation software to work again.

As well, please see the following forum post at ZaurusUserGroup for more information about the C3000 and its Issues/Solutions:

http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8 84 6

Re:$820? Can we please stop advertising Ripoffism?

[Keith Russell]

Amazon.co.jp has the SL-C3000 listed for ¥74,800. At the latest US Dollar/Yen exchange rate, that's $729.01. Given the system's specs, that sounds like a fair price.

That leaves Dynamism $89.99 for:

• Per-unit tarriffs and shipping costs.
• Localization, including both translation and regression testing.
• Operating costs for a tech support department that, if they were just a grey-market box shifter, they wouldn't have to provide.

Only after all that do they get whatever profit the free market will bear.

Re:BargainPDA

[Luke-Jr]

Zaurii aren't PDAs, they're handheld computers. There *is* a difference.