The Gadgeteer Reviews the Zaurus SL-C760

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/sharp-zaurus-c760-review.html' target='_blank'>http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/sharp-...760-review.html</a><br /><br /></div>Sharp has been busy updating their 640x480, keyboard-integrated swiveling handheld -- and they've released a new version with 128MB of RAM in Japan. A guest reviewer at The Gadgeteer takes a look, and likes what he sees.<br /><br />In some ways, so do I. The obligatory high resolution, plus the memory and the landscape keyboard make for a very solid mini-laptop combo in something that's just a little larger than most Pocket PCs. Unfortunately, it has been only released in Japan, and getting an English version is dicey (and/or not cheap). I'd like to see Sharp release it here to give Pocket PCs (and Sony, for that matter) a run for their money. Does anyone have tips on how to convince Samsung and Sharp to release their hi-res PDAs here more quickly? ;)

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Wow! Very nice looking unit. Too bad the screen appears to be similar to the old-school HSFT that Casio used to use (beautiful indoors but near unviewable outdoors).

The resolution looks great at that size!

[Foo Fighter]

Love the design, but I loathe QT Linux. Worst software I have ever experienced on a PDA.

[sponge]

Really? I prefer QT over PPC anyday.

I'm also REALLY looking forward to the Tapwave Zodiac. If it weren't for the lack of high quality games and emulators for Palm, it would be my next choice indeed. Anyone seen the screenies of Galactic Realms (apparently it's not an RTS anymore) on the Zodiac? WOW.

[tj21]

I've had my 760 now for about 3 weeks. Hardware-wise it is a great design. It's certainly smaller than my ipaq+sleeve used to be and very close to the larger pocket pc's. The screen is fantastic and is surprisingly usable outdoors. Not as good as say an ipaq 54xx outside but close. Indoors is no contest as even the older Casio screens were never this clear and bright. 640x480 is too good to even mention.

English conversion wasn't that bad. I'd say it only took about 30 minutes to do the longer conversion with the correct fonts + conversion for word and movie player. That leaves me with a machine that is about 98% English. Mostly you still lose the help files, network wizards, and a few unneeded menu items. It's really not an issue.

Software availability is still a big deal though. The standard PIM apps are quite bad. The address book won't even sort contacts alphabetically so it's tough to use as complete PDA replacement. The mail application lacks the ability to only download headers which is annoying while using GPRS. Web browsing is near desktop quality in speed and formatting. VNC and ssh are perfect for admins.

If you're willing to spend time configuring it it's probably closer to a mini-laptop replacement than a pda replacement. I love mine so far but can't say I'm definitely committed to it yet. I need to see how much better I can make it in the next month or so. It's great for big tasks but somewhat clumsy for the small quick ones. Qtopia is still a long ways from the refinement of Pocket PC or Palm OS.

Maybe I just need a smartphone for PIM functions to go along with the 760. :lol:

BTW Sharp has already said that the 750 and 760 will NOT be coming to the U.S. They had planned to release a 7500 model late this year in an English version but have since cancelled any plans for distribution outside the U.S. Too bad IMHO.

[Stephen Beesley]

The more I see of the various Sharp Linux PDAs the more I like them and the more I am tempted by them!

Form factor wise this is just about perfect for my needs - the only thing I would miss is some hardware buttons on the screen part (hey you have to think about playing games!) at least some sort of dpad.

The big thing that would put me off at the moment (apart from cost and availability of course!) is software choice. At the moment I have pretty much everything I need for my Pocket PC of choice, a lot of it stuff that I really would not like to be without.

Oh well maybe one day one of the PPC OEMs will come up with something this cool - nah I am probably dreaming....

Goldtee

[Jason Dunn]

This underscores something that people often forget: building a killer piece of hardware is easy compared to building a killer platform. You can have the best hardware in the world, but unless you have developers and an enthusiast community around that hardware, you don't have a platform, and you don't have a successful device.

[Stephen Beesley]

This underscores something that people often forget: building a killer piece of hardware is easy compared to building a killer platform. You can have the best hardware in the world, but unless you have developers and an enthusiast community around that hardware, you don't have a platform, and you don't have a successful device.

Jason - you have it in one. No matter how many times I have been tempted by the latest sharp PDA or even by some of Sony's Palm OS devices it still comes back to the total package and for me (at least at the moment) the Pocket PC is still the best value around.

Of course, as I said in my earlier post - that doesn't mean that I will ever stop hoping for the OEMs to push the boundries of PPC design a bit more.

As any other ex-Newton user on the list will remember the enthusiastic community (still going strong out there as well!) was one of Newton's great pluses. In fact one of the things I like so much about PPCthoughts is how much it reminds me of the Newton user community (hmmm, which reminds me I really have to send off my subscription :) ).


Goldtee

[jnunn]

Capable hardware coupled with a capable OS makes a capable package. For my needs, the PPC is the hardware weakling: it keeps the same diminutive screen resolution whereas Palm (T3) and Sony have at least moved to somewhat satisfy user needs. This Sharp/Linux device shows that the PPC community can integrate a VGA screen into a standard (3.8in) screen form factor if it has OS support.

The PPC screen resolution is it's Achilles' heel. The PPC initially won over many customers like myself with its screen but it will lose these and many more customers if it fails to at least keep current with its screen. Personally, I am giving the PPC until the next product rollout (summer 2004) before jump ship to Palm.

[mjgroff]

I have never thought that the PPC screens weren't high enough resolution. Not that I wouldn't appreciate 640x480. For me the appeal of this Zaurus is the built-in keyboard. From the pictures it looks like a mebrane type which I have never liked. They should stick to using them in microwave ovens. Did the pictures mislead me? Is there any tactile quality to the keyboard? If it gave as much feedback as a RIM Blackberry for instance, with the larger size, I can imaging getting some decent WPM scores with it.

[thatblokekev]

Jason - you have it in one. No matter how many times I have been tempted by the latest sharp PDA or even by some of Sony's Palm OS devices it still comes back to the total package and for me (at least at the moment) the Pocket PC is still the best value around.

I did have a Sharp Zaurus Linux PDA and hardware-wise it was well ahead of anything else you care to name, however the basic PDA functions were really poor, synchronisation with Outlook was poor and the whole software experience was mediocre at best. From what I can tell Sharp have canned Linux based PDAs for any territory outside Japan. The idea is still a good one, Sharp's problem is that they just don't have a giant like Microsoft or Palm making the platform attractive enough for developers.

Having said that, I would seriously dispute whether the Pocket PC is the "best value" PDA package. Sure you've got people like Dell almost giving their PDA away as they can subsidise sales through PC and server market. But the Palm market is still much bigger than the Pocket PC, Palm OS based PDAs make up about 52% whereas PPC is about 35%. HPs PDA sales have declined by over 10% which is hardly surprising given the very limited innovation of the devices, an old looking OS and old Ipaq based hardware is hardly very helpful in difficult times.

Palm and Sony have been able to keep ahead because they're able to make very attractive machines for both consumers and businesses and often provide the same solutions as PPC for less money. It's also of benefit that there are more applications for Palm OS than PPC. But it also has to be the lack of innovation too, where is Microsoft's SmartPhone? When sales of Symbian based SmartPhones have gone up 1000% shouldn't the PPC world be a bit worried by this? They're additionally hamstrung by the fact the big mobile networks and hardware vendors like Nokia and Ericsson probably just don't find Microsoft's aggresive licensing policy all that attractive. The PC world already has the equivalent of a Microsoft tax that is a very unattractive business model for anyone that isn't Microsoft...

But getting back to the value for money gambit; when I was looking around for a PPC a few months ago (I bought a Dell) I realised that all PPCs were much of a muchness: whatever you bought you were buying the same dogfood just in different tins. There might be minor differences in specification but basically they were all the same. That's what undermines the platform, when there is so little variety in the hardware, which I'd say is especially bad, considering how bland the PPC designs are.

[jnunn]

Although I am anxious for MS to update the PPC screen resolution, I cannot agree with the above post. Palm retains the dominant market share due to its long standing name recognition in the market where handhelds are ubiquitously referred to as Palms or Palm Pilots. Until very recently, Palm has ignored the needs of its customers while stating as a matter of fact that users simply need PIM and devices that do more are a "pocket rocket" and a geeky overkill. Even the upcoming T3 is a half step: Palm simply imitated Sony by going half-VGA whereas customers are calling for full VGA like on the Sharp/Linux device.

Until very recently, again, the Palm devices were devoid of innovation outside of form factor. The PPC and specifically the iPAQ was the innovator defining the crucial importance of processor power, memory, and screen that all handhelds including Palms now imitate. The Palm OS devices have shown innovation in form factor and I do credit that. The PPC OEMs, however, have been confined to same form factor due to MS licensing constraints and MS has just lifted that constraint. The form factor innovation of the PPC OEMs was constrained so we should see new form factors rolling out.

The PPC has been marketed more towards enterprise and more savvy users. These users see the handheld more as a tool so gimmicks like thick folding PDAs (i.e. Sony) and built in diminutive cameras are not valuable. Processor speed, large screen, memory, and expansion are valuable. There, and with the new exception of screen the PPC compares at least favorably to the Palm OS. I not agree that PPC designs are bland: various models may or may not include Bluetooth, WiFi, CF, SD, etc. where the capabilities are far more expansive than Palms. If form factor is the basis of variety then I look at the 1910, the 5550, 2210 and I see plenty of variety and that is just within one vendor; I want a small device, not a gimmicky folding thick device. My preference for my next PDA is small, effective, and finally … a VGA screen.

[Foo Fighter]

...an old looking OS...

That comment seems grossly misplaced. I've been a Palm user since 1997. If any handheld OS appears archaic or long in the tooth, it's PalmOS. Aesthetics is one element Microsoft has over PalmSource. I use both platforms, and without question PPC looks so much cleaner and modern than Palm's dated interface, which is quite primitive by comparison. While there are a number of flaws and inconsistencies with Microsoft's platform, both technically and visually, it is still a step ahead of competing platforms in many aspects, even Symbian, IMO.

PalmOS is badly in need of a major GUI overhaul, which will take shape with OS6.

[drac]

Foo,

What improvements would you like to see in the "look and feel" of the PalmOS interface?