[nirav28]

The real problem with Linux PDA's is the availability of software. PPC and Palm have that plug and play development advantage. I mean any Joe with a background in of event driven programming in visual basic can probably learn to write apps for the ppc and palm. Appforge has a Visual Basic wrapper for writing Palm OS and PPC enabled applications. Not to mention the huge community devoted to writing apps for the PPC and palm. Linux is a little clunky. To write apps for a linux pda would probably require someone to know C/C++, or atleast something like TCL/TK to create effective GUI based applications.

I think the Zaurus is probably for the highly devoted unix fans.

[nirav28]

The real problem with Linux PDA's is the availability of software. PPC and Palm have that plug and play development advantage. I mean any Joe with a background in of event driven programming in visual basic can probably learn to write apps for the ppc and palm. Appforge has a Visual Basic wrapper for writing Palm OS and PPC enabled applications. Not to mention the huge community devoted to writing apps for the PPC and palm. Linux is a little clunky. To write apps for a linux pda would probably require someone to know C/C++, or atleast something like TCL/TK to create effective GUI based applications.

I think the Zaurus is probably for the highly devoted unix fans.

[ThomasC22]

Originally Posted by Timothy Rapson

This could lead to some real changes in the PDA market. If they can sell this for $500 and you can run full OpenOffice and Mozilla on it and it goes in you pocket as easily as a Casio E100 did, they and OQO could really cut out the high end profitable PPC market that HP/Ipaq has enjoyed so much success in.

It's possible but I doubt it. The thing about IBM (at least the new post-Gerstner IBM) is that they have little to no tolerance for the Consumer and so marketing this device outside of the enterprise is probably never going to happen.

Moreover, IBM doesn't really play well with others. I've looked at IBM's Websphere for our company and although they offer some great products you really have to buy into IBM as a whole to get the full effect. Which is expensive (keep in mind IBM makes most of it's money off of consulting fees).

So, although I expect this to sell fairly well to IBM customers (and lets not forget IBM is huge and has a lot of customers) but outside of the confines of IBM's current customer base I don't see this making too much of a dent.

[vincentsiaw]

if a device is running a linux, instead of pocket pc operating system, it's still considered as a pocket pc or we gonna call it something else? :?:

[ECOslin]

Vincentsiaw - I'd love to call it something else!

ThomasC22 - So true. Check IBM does not play well with customers on their report card. The IBM z50 was meant to be a corporate toy for $1400. It's nice but in no way worth what they wanted. Who say's Elephants can't dance, when they do, check where you are.

Linux has plenty of software that will run thru a graphics shell. I see the problem being with software that has to be configured(tweaked) below the shell to make proper, I don't see IBM quality checking all the home grown Linux software out there. The device had better be very stable or have a handy reset button for all the 'can it do this' software people will want to run.

Edward

[Timothy Rapson]

Originally Posted by Foo Fighter

What's the pricing on this Linux device, non-IBM?

Sharp has announced around $500. That is, they had an actual list price listed in Japanese that equates to $506 in US dollars or right near there.

Keep in mind that Japan sells PDAs for less. That would translate to the same selling price of the Sony NR70V that list here for $599 and Dell sold to me for $498.10 (not still smarting from every penny of that now are we, Timothy? 8O )

At that price this offers a ton of features and a real pocketable size for me. I consider anything Casio E125 or smaller acceptable.

IBM sold their Palm rebrands for the same price as Palm. I expect the same with Sharp. So, $599 list.

[Timothy Rapson]

Originally Posted by ECOslin

. Who say's Elephants can't dance, when they do, check where you are.

Edward

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[sub_tex]

Originally Posted by Timothy Rapson

This Sharp probably also runs a full desktop OS-Linux.

I wish. It's got all the goodies of a full linux distro, but getting X to run on it and installing KDE is doable, but not very fast (or so i've been reading on ZAurus forums).

So i guess in theory you COULD install KDE and run open office (though it would have to be tweaked heavily to handle the smaller screen when you run it in portrait mode. Landscape 640x480 would be fine.) But the speed would be a major killer.

The Sharp ROM doesn't allow you to install all apps to SD or CF so you end up using onboard RAM, which leaves less memory for apps to run in. THere's that OpenZaurus ROM that will let you do it which is a nice idea. Since then you'd have all 64 megs of RAM free to run apps in (those memory happy KDE apps would thank you).

Still, this device is just what i want since Psion seems to have ditched Symbian and any hopes of us getting a color 5mx (like the Nokia phone, but not a phone/pda combo).

[Jonathon Watkins]

Originally Posted by vincentsiaw

if a device is running a linux, instead of pocket pc operating system, it's still considered as a pocket pc or we gonna call it something else? :?:

YES. A Pocket Penguin! :beer: :mrgreen:

[Will T Smith]

The devices that IBM is working with are geared for LARGE deployments. From that standpoint, lack of third party software is not really a problem*.

These devices are intended to be single purpose deployments for custom applications. From IBM's standpoint, this is much preferable to paying licensing fees to Microsoft. Remember, that even though OS/2 was a flop in the consumer space, it still has a very LARGE deployment in single purpose enterprise systems like banking, etc...

IBM is starting to embrace Linux in a serious way since it really doesn't involve a huge investment on their part. IBM isn't trying to sell OS or devices persee. They sell complete IT systems through their global services divisions. Hardware/Software/Management and their crown jewel cash cow ... SERVICES.


*Note that it isn't a problem anyway as these are full-fledged Linux hhandhelds.

[Will T Smith]

Originally Posted by nirav28

The real problem with Linux PDA's is the availability of software. PPC and Palm have that plug and play development advantage. I mean any Joe with a background in of event driven programming in visual basic can probably learn to write apps for the ppc and palm. Appforge has a Visual Basic wrapper for writing Palm OS and PPC enabled applications. Not to mention the huge community devoted to writing apps for the PPC and palm. Linux is a little clunky. To write apps for a linux pda would probably require someone to know C/C++, or atleast something like TCL/TK to create effective GUI based applications.

I think the Zaurus is probably for the highly devoted unix fans.

Java runs on top of Linux. Therefore, Java runs on Linux handhelds. (for that matter, Java runs on a handful of cell phones as well, more phones then run MS).

As far as VB goes, one shouldn't confuse a programming language with a programming library. MS VB provides lot's of "automagic" tools for non-programmers to create applications.

As far as the VB language goes ... we'll it sucks!!!!!! Your free to disagree. But any user of Java or C++ will grimace and gag at the prospect of being bounded by VB and it's ugly sophmoric syntax and lack of full fledged OO power.

I'll assume that KDE runs on linux handhelds. From all reports it's a great (and cross platform) GUI interface environment.