02-10-2003, 04:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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The Gadgeteer Reviews the Sharp Zaurus C700
The C700 has been making headlines due to its 640x480 screen, as well as a swivel screen which allows it to go into landscape mode to reveal a decent-sized keyboard... a la Tablet PC, but much smaller.
Unfortunately, it was only available in Japan as a Japanese-language device, but thanks to the efforts of Dynamism and their partners, you can now import a English-ified version, which is what this reviewer elected to do. In short, he likes the unit, although the translation is incomplete. One can only hope more devices like this, such as the HP prototype that we talked about a few months back, make it to the rest of the world -- they seem like natural and compelling successors to the HPCs of days past.
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02-10-2003, 04:05 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 541
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I think there is a market for a PDA for Sys Admins, and the new Zaurus fits this perfectly, especially with it's 640x480 screen. I've installed Opie onto my 3900, and it STILL is a nice OS for consumers. It's a shame there isn't a way to dual boot without losing your data, or a way to run PPC apps under Linux, otherwise I'd be in Linux 100% of my usage.
The review seemed to be a bit harsh, considering it's not yet complete, but he seemed to like it still.
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02-10-2003, 04:14 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 157
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Cool!
Cool! I want one! Although I'd want some sort of full-sized keyboard as well. Does it have a USB port? Or is USB Windows-only? (Sorry to betray my ignorance.)
Of course, I wanted the OQO when I heard about it, but that's still not available either (and looking less and less likely to be). I'd really love to have a PDA-sized device, into which you could plug a full-sized keyboard, on which one could run desktop software!
Or even something like that HP prototype that was discussed earlier, with an integrated keyboard. After all, Pocket PC software is becoming more and more powerful!
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02-10-2003, 04:26 AM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 524
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It reminds me of my old HP OmniGo 120. It was a great device for it's time though I think I was the only one who bought it. It game with loads of great software including text/pen ink capible text editor, spreadsheet, database, graphing calculator and other calculators and much more.
It was similar in that you could flip the keyboard behind the screen and use it as a pen input only device or open it up, rotate the screen and use the keyboard.
I hope this Zarus does better than the OmniGo.
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02-10-2003, 04:43 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 116
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I saw this unit at Comdex, it is very cool. The screen is so nice it feels relaxing to look at, I know that sounds odd but its true. 
It sort of reminded me like the BSqaure device, but with Linux.
--Bill
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02-10-2003, 05:07 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 433
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hmm, when do we get that kind of resolution in iPAQ.....
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02-10-2003, 05:21 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 103
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by vector
It reminds me of my old HP OmniGo 120. It was a great device for it's time though I think I was the only one who bought it. It game with loads of great software including text/pen ink capible text editor, spreadsheet, database, graphing calculator and other calculators and much more.
It was similar in that you could flip the keyboard behind the screen and use it as a pen input only device or open it up, rotate the screen and use the keyboard.
I hope this Zarus does better than the OmniGo.
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I loved that feature of my OmniGo also (I only had the 100) I loved the keyboard on it, while the screen left lots of wasted space, it was better than the Palm screens at the time. Now why did none of the HP HPC's never have the flipable screens, bugs me. I would of saved up a 928 if I could fold the screen back and use it like a normal PDA.
I do have to say that the C700 is a slick device. But, it is too expensive for my blood. There is a major problem with PDA's right now, they have mostly become too expensive at the consumer level. Dell, HP, and Viewsonic are doing the right thing and releasing PDA's back at reasonable prices. If the C700 was a US device and was out now, I would have to pass it up due to the $700 price tag. At 700 bucks, that would make a nice payment on one of the ultra-thin/lite portables Dynanism sells. However, if this was released in the US (nativly) at $500-450, I would of bought it over my Axim.
If devices like this are in such demand, why did the HPC's just fade away?
-Dan
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02-10-2003, 05:23 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,479
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Screen on these things is really nice
and wont be too long till Win PDAs are available with screens and res like that, in fact there are a few already
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02-10-2003, 05:41 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 437
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by PapaSmurfDan
If devices like this are in such demand, why did the HPC's just fade away?
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I'm afraid you answered your own question.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by PapaSmurfDan
I do have to say that the C700 is a slick device. But, it is too expensive for my blood. There is a major problem with PDA's right now, they have mostly become too expensive at the consumer level. Dell, HP, and Viewsonic are doing the right thing and releasing PDA's back at reasonable prices. If the C700 was a US device and was out now, I would have to pass it up due to the $700 price tag. At 700 bucks, that would make a nice payment on one of the ultra-thin/lite portables Dynanism sells. However, if this was released in the US (nativly) at $500-450, I would of bought it over my Axim.
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I've never seen an HPC retail for a price any lower than $800.
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02-10-2003, 06:43 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 426
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My prediction is that HPC's aren't quite dead yet. I hope a low price HPC will surface in 2003. That would have to be $350 or less and have similar capabilities of the Axim in order to make a dent in the market.
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Linear Mode
