Re: Anyone got a Sharp Zaurus PDA ??

["patricklidstone" <patrick@xxxxxxx>]

>   Looking for a low cost WiFi Web access machine for my Slimp.
>=20
>   The Sharp PDA comes in around =A3200 + the WiFi card, so works
out=20
at a good
>   price.

The Zaurus absolutely is terrific - and fantastic value following the=20
recent price drop. It includes a "real" web browser (Opera)
which=20
copes with the Slim server admirably - *much* better than Pocket IE=20
explorer. A third party app does screen rotation from portrait to=20
landscape. I have a linksys compact flash 802.11b card which works=20
fine. It is smaller and lighter than most iPaqs (with the exception=20
of the latest just-released HP model). The screen is front-lit like=20
most PocketPc devices - but suffers from a slight shadow in=20
comparison with the world-beating iPaq displays. I haven't seen a=20
Dell display yet, so I can't comment on that.

PIM apps are not (IMO) as bad as reviews would have you believe, and=20
if you're looking for e-mail on the move, it's fantastic - the e-mail=20
client knocks the PocketPC into a cocked hat - especially with the=20
slide down thumb-board. Syncing with Outlook works fine, whilst=20
syncing with the sharp supplied desktop app is a bit hit and miss.=20
Both hardware & software is rock steady - no reboots/resets required.

Battery life - about 1.5hrs on full pelt continuous use - ie. about a=20
week of casual PDA use between charges. You can use it whilst it is=20
charging, it charges in 2 hrs.

Good remote connectivity support via IrDA. Bluetooth (via a CF card)=20
is a bit hit and miss and very card-vendor specific. Not for the=20
faint hearted.

Has both SD and CF slots so you can listen to MP3s and use the CF=20
card for real world connectivity concurrently.

Those with geeky inclinations can also get a kick out of running=20
mysql, apache and php on the local device! There is a vast array of=20
third party apps and there is an active developer community.

Summary: highly recommended, even in the subjective PDA world. I=20
can't understand why the Z. hasn't taken the world by storm, it is=20
that good.

PS. Getting WiFi working is not as straightforward as it should be. I=20
strongly recommend getting a known-brand, known-to-work card such as=20
the Linksys.

Patrick