Subj : Re: Linux PDA reccomendations, Yopy, Zaurus or other
To   : comp.os.linux
From : Jeffrey Silverman
Date : Fri Jul 02 2004 09:29 am

On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:16:28 -0700, Mr Galorin wrote:

> I'm looking to replace my Palm IIIx with a newer PDA that would run me
> less than £300 On the list so far is the Sharp Zaurus 5500 (the 5600
> is a bit over-budget)And the Yopy 3700.
> 
> I don't want to have to flash a ROM or do a lot of hacking, which is
> why an ipaq isn't on the list.  If flashing another PDA has major
> benefits over a stock Zaurus or Yopy, then let me know which PDA, and
> what to replace the OS with.
> 
> So which should I get, Zaurus, Yopy, or some other I haven't
> considered?  Reasons for choosing one over the other?
> Thanks Yall
> 
> -Mr. Galorin

A Zaurus is not a replacement for a PalmOS device.

I owned a Zaurus SL6000 for a couple of weeks but returned it when I
realized that it was not quite the machine I wanted. I was looking for a
laptop, not an in-between-not-quite-a-laptop-too-big-to-be-a-pda zaurus.

Not that the Z wasn't nice -- it was. It is just that it is not a PalmOS
device replacement. It acts differently, has a different design
philosophy, is bigger, has less battery life.  These are not pros or cons,
they are just differences. So before you buy, ask yourself what you want
the new device for.

Do you want it to be a fast-response PDA which will let you get, say, a
phone number or appointment in two seconds? Get a Palm OS device.

Do you want it to be able to install all of the thousands of bits of FOSS
Linux software available and yet still be highly portable? Get a laptop
and install some Linux distro.

Do you want it to be a cutting-edge, Linux based super-micro laptop that
really can browse the internet or ssh into your server and do admin tasks
remotely all while being in a formfactor that will fit in your pocket
(provided you wear baggy pants)?  Get the Z.

Mind you, the SL6000 is not the same as the 5[56]00. It is better
technically -- bigger, more featureful, faster, and yet worse in
practical use (at least in the US**) it will not run the 5[56]00
software library quite as well and is poorly supported by Sharp.

The Zaurus is quite a device, but, IMO, not much more usable than as a
novelty. Emphasis on IMO!  Z owners love the things and you may as well.

See my review at Amazon.con for the SL6000.  More of the same sentiments.

-- 
Jeffrey Silverman
jeffrey@pantsjhu.edu
Drop "pants" to reply by email


** I say at least in the US because (a) that is where I am and where my
experiences occur and (b) all US-oriented Sharp web support for the Z
SL6000 suck monkey butts.

.