Interesting Look at the Zaurus SL-C3000

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2005/02/jkotr_review_sh.html' target='_blank'>http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkonthe..._review_sh.html</a><br /><br /></div>From the "Here's what the other guys are up to" department:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/westfall-20050224-zarus.jpg" /> <br /><br />jkOnTheRun has published a very nice write-up on the Zaurus SL-C3000. The Linux based device boasts a 4 GB hard drive, nice software assortment, sharp clear screen, and a swiveling screen you'd expect to find on a tablet PC! Not a bad looking device, although if you want one, expect to pay over $800 for a Japanese-English conversion unit (Or just make a trip to Japan).

[bjornkeizers]

Someone please explain to me why we can't get cool stuff like this here. I'd definitely buy one - but not at that price. Why why why???\

[Jon Westfall]

My usual argument with why we can't get cool tech-savvy cell phones is that in the U.S., cell companies generally target people who want to do cool stuff with their phones such as custom ringtones, cameras, games, cool looking phones, etc.. It seems in other countries "cool stuff" is defined as smart-functions, syncronization, data connections, etc... (Which in my opinion is the real cool stuff...)

So we target to kids, others seem to target to professionals.

As for PDAs, I suppose our market doesn't lend itself to non-mainstream features (i.e. Linux, new form factors, etc...). Manufacturers don't want to take a chance on a flop in the US, so they simply don't release it here. I suppose in other countries, manufacturers simply see the same thing there - not worth the risk.

[Stephen Beesley]

Marry this form factor and spec (and a WM OS, of course!) with a keyboard like the one in the Psion 5/5mx series and you would have pretty much my perfect PDA. I wouldn't even mind if the keyboard made it a bit bigger - I always tend to favour useability over pocketability - I would still want one.

Even with the existing keyboard and linux I woul be tempted if cost and availability wew better.