Pre-Purchase Zaurus Notes

pre-purchase notes re Sharp Zaurus

old notes starting in 2002

the Sharp Zaurus looks cool, but is expensive and bleeding-edge. It might be my next PDA.

Walter Mossberg panned it. Eventually they'll have an integrated phone.

Simson Garfinkel liked it mostly (but battery life sucks, and it's actually heavier than the iPaq.

I read something about it being "not compatible" with LinuxOS, which doesn't really make sense to me.

Connects to DeskTop for synch via USB, but uses TCP-IP, which seems promising for custom communications.

• They have WiFi drivers included; I wonder how long before they build in the hardware so you don't have to buy a card?

• If I could run a Python-based Object Browser/PIM on it, then potentially I could make the Zaurus the primary location for that data, and access it from the desktop to take advantage of the bigger screen and keyboard! (But size constraint would become an issue if Object Browser includes all personal and private current-WiKi content, plus maybe emails, Personal Web Archive, etc.)

<http://www.sharp-usa.com/products/Type Landing/0,1056,112,00.html>

New 5600 version coming out early 2003?

Dan Gillmor points to Japan-only ClamShell version.

http://developer.sharpsec.com/

http://more.sbc.co.jp/slj/index.asp

http://www.myzaurus.com/

http://notebook.zaurii.net/

Ongoing info:

• http://www.zaurus.blogspot.com/ and http://www.wigglit.com/pda.html

Python support:

• http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/zaurus/index.php (leaves out some server extensions, does that mean Medusa?)

• PyQt for GUI Rich Client development http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/pyqt/

  • Unfortunately Qt has licensing issues, which keep it from being used in projects such as OSAF.

  • how about using Jython with Java AWT? (Zaurus apparently will run AWT but not Swing)

• some little utils by RonStephens http://www.awaretek.com/pythonforzaurus.html

Convergence add-ons

• Digital Camera card $200 http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=CE-AG06

Key questions for consideration:

• have its own desktop PIM application? I want to drop Palm Desktop

When I took a look at this at Staples it felt really cheap in my hand. I wonder whether that has improved. Also, need to try the keyboard again to find out whether it's really usable (when standing on the subway).

There are also clamshell versions sold in Japan, available through dynamism, though I'd probably want to try the keyboard before buying. Also it's too big to go in your pocket. http://www.dynamism.com/zaurus/

Zaurus Web Ring --2003/09/05 06:55 GMT
The Zaurus Web Ring: http://www.unixfool.com/webring.html

Zaurus Webring Hub --2003/09/05 06:59 GMT
http://w.webring.com/hub?ring=zaurussl5x00webr&id=1&hub

Nov2003 announcement of new models. SL-6000L will have built-in WiFi.

• yuck way too huge 6"x3"x1"!

• even the Japanese clamshells don't have WiFi built in. For $850 I don't want to have to buy a separate card!

  • though they do make me drool...

  • and the SL-C750 is $700, identical to the newest one except that the newest mounts just like a disk drive on your PC DeskTop, which is pretty cool.