Japan Gets Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 PDA with 4GB HD

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.i4u.com/section-viewarticle-71.html' target='_blank'>http://www.i4u.com/section-viewarticle-71.html</a><br /><br /></div>Engadget <a href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000673022159">spotted</a> that I4U News have a review up of the Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000. The main points of note about the unit are that it runs Linux and that it's got an impressively large Built-in Storage area ;-):<br /><br /><i>"The twisting screen is great, but not new for this model. The SL-C3000 can be used as a flip open PDA with full keyboard, or as stylus operated PDA. New with this model is the USB interface and of course the integrated 4GB hard-drive. Connecting the PDA to a PC lets me access the Hard-drive and move files back and forth. The bundled Intellisync software also works over USB and synchronizes the usual PDA applications with MS Outlook. The bundled PC software is in Japanese."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/zaurus_sl-c3000_linux_pda_twisted.jpg" /> <br /><br />As Engadget mention, there's no onboard Bluetooth or WiFi, but that's nothing an add-in card or two can't fix. I don't fancy that flat keyboard though. The unit reminds me of the Sony Clie line: interesting hardware designs, shame about OS. ;-) Come on, where are the clamshell Pocket PCs with landscape VGA screens and 5Gb hard drives? I'm looking forward to the diversity that PPC2003SE and beyond enables, but the future seems rather slow arriving....

[Darius Wey]

The reflective nature of the screen reminds me of the CSV technology employed in a lot of laptop screens today. I definitely wouldn't mind laying my hands on one of these devices. It's got a slick look to it. 8)

[jonathanchoo]

If the price is right and they can fit bluetooth into it I will get one.

Also Jonathan, your link it wrong.

[Darius Wey]

Also Jonathan, your link it wrong.

You're referring to the Engadget link? I just realised there's one less "w" in the "www". Don't worry - I'll fix it.

EDIT: Er, hang on. It's already been fixed. 8) Jonathon's had his coffee today.

[Jonathon Watkins]

If the price is right and they can fit bluetooth into it I will get one.

No Bluetooth for now......

Also Jonathan, your link it wrong.

Fixed. That's OK, you spelled my name wrong, so I figure we're even. :wink:

[popabawa]

Man, that is one sweet looking device 8O

Message to manufacturers.... I'd love a PPC in that form factor.

[surur]

Sony sure makes lovely hardware. The tic-tac keyboard does not look too useful though.

Some pocketpc OEM needs to remake this with WM and a better keyboard, and wifi and bluetooth of course.

I wonder if the OS can be reflashed with WM. It has the same hardware as most other pocketpc's, and the lack of non-standard wifi and bluetooth might actually make it easier.

Would people donate $10 to a fund for an engineer to get their hands on this device and open it up?

Surur

[Stephen Beesley]

If they could marry that screen (keeping the ability to flip over and be used as a tablet) with a keyboard like the one on the ol' Psion 5/5mx range then I would probably buy one tomorrow - well except for the fact I probably couldn't actually afford it... :?

[Deslock]

Bah. The screen is too small for the footprint of the device. Its OS is some-tasty though...

[Stephen Beesley]

Bah. The screen is too small for the footprint of the device. Its OS is some-tasty though...

Agreed there seems to be a lot of wasted space on either side of the actual screen area - kind of reminds me of the screen layout of the old HP Omnigo.

If the upper part of the clamshell was "all screen" then you would really be talking.

As for the OS - I would love to have a play with one of the Sharp line of Linux PDAs. Visually the OS looks great and some of hte apps look very well developed. The only downside for me is the lack of a good "proper" HWR software (something like Calligrapher) for the Zaurus line.

[Mark Johnson]

interesting hardware designs, shame about OS. ;-)


I'm in the "bring on the Linux" camp. Since Microsoft is going well out of it's way to make sure the PPC featureset never gets "feature rich enough" to threaten XP sales, they've made OS irrelvant to the user.

If a Linux or Palm PDA using some FooText application can properly open/edit/save a .doc, then why should I even remotely care what the OS is? If I can open/edit/save a .xls, then I have ZERO concern if my PDA uses WinCE and PocketExcel or FooBarOS and GizmoCalc to do it.

Way, way, way back I was "enthusiastic" about the WinCE/Palm-SizedPC/PocketPC platform itself, when I was still under the illusion that Microsoft would try to unify the API's enough to make it another flavor of Win32. I made the mistake (as I think not a few did) to think the plan was to have possibility that a developer *could* (assuming they wanted to and aimed at the "least common denominator" API's) write ApplicationX and able to run it on NT4, Win98, and WinCE.

Since that hasn't happened and won't, there really is NO POINT to caring about what "platform" I'm using AT ALL. I now have ZERO "brand loyalty" to PPC, it simply happens to be the best choice for them moment.

I honestly cannot understand why anyone here (unless they are a programmer with a lot of "sunk cost" hard-earned experience developing specifically for the WinCE platform) would care even the least bit about "platform" or "API" issues.

Microsoft has NO intent on supporting my desire to run my purchased Win32 apps on my PPC, and they have only minimal intent to support a common file format. I don't think the failure of .doc's to "round-trip" properly is an accident - my opinion is that this keeps OEM/end-users from looking at cheap WinCE devices as a potential replacement for WindowsXP licenses. They DO NOT want a future where a $250 PPC can actually produce the exact same .doc file as a notebook where you had to pay for a $100 WindowsXP license and probably a $150 Office license as well.

For Microsoft, WinCE is the unloved stepchild of the Windows family. The PPC is the "problem child" where the problem is simply: how do we make sure it's good enough to cream Palm (done) but never good enough to compete with WindowsXP (also done).


Come on, where are the clamshell Pocket PCs with landscape VGA screens and 5Gb hard drives? I'm looking forward to the diversity that PPC2003SE and beyond enables, but the future seems rather slow arriving....

That "future" isn't coming at all. Not from Microsoft, at least no until they are forced to it. Step the PPC "up" to the level you're talking about and it'll canaballize XP notebook sales. Microsoft is not interested in Bluetooth HID or USB Host or large storage or .mdb support, etc. They won't "oppose" OEM's trying to do it, but they won't "enable" this either. Microsoft already got what they wanted from PPC: something to beat Palm.

So personally I'm rooting for linux. We need a deus ex machina for PDA's to get to the next level. Linux is our best hope because Palm has no vision beyond "it's a dayrunner with batteries" and Apple won't even show up to play ball. Sony went home (and even when they were here, they really added almost zero to the "real features" of the PDA concept, just one more Palm knockoff, so who cares if they're in or out anyway?)

Just my $0.02...

[ipaq_wannabe]

however, this particular model of sharp has one of the worst battery life out there... yes, you have about 4GB of storage to store all that music - but do you have the juice to even listen to a fraction of it?