Sharp Zaurus SL-5600 PDA

I use this for various thing. this is a really good PDA.

・For Internet
・For mail
・For Dictionary
・For word/Excel
・For PDF
・For game (NES/SNES/GB)
・For Programming (C/C++, Java, Perl/Ruby)
・For Unix (Shell Terminal)

The SL-5600 comes with QTopia, an embedded version of Linux. It looks really good, and the software ROCKS! It can read and write Microsoft Word and Excel files, etc.

Synchronization leaves a bit to be desired. It doesn't work flawlessly, and only works with Windows.

HOWEVER, the Z's true strength is in Open Source softare. You can keep the included QTopia and install Linux apps. Or, you can replace QTopia with one of the OpenSource Linux distributions, and have a Linux workstation that gives you complete control. With the large amount of available RAM and two expansion slots (SD cards at least to 512 MB and CompactFlash cards), you have room to install anything you need. A huge amount of OpenSource Linux software is available for the Z, and most of it has been scaled down so that it takes a lot less space than it would on a full-sized machine. What this equates to, is that a 256 MB SD "hard drive" is equivalent to a 5-10 gigabyte hard drive on a full-sized computer.

OpenEmbedded (www.OpenEmbedded.org) and now Debian Pocket Workstation (http://www.pocketworkstation.org/) are two of the available Linux distributions. What's exciting about Debian Pocket Workstation is that you can run QTopia and a complete Debian distribution on the same machine. Switch back and forth as you need to. You can also build a complete cross-compilation tree on your own Linux computer, and compile and/or modify available open-source software for the Z.

If you want a simple, turn-key organizer, the Z probably isn't for you. But if you want a complete, powerful computer that fits in your pocket, the Z is the best machine you can get. Definitely worth its purchase price.

Pros:
-Hella fast
-Runs anything you throw at it
-Stable
-Nice keyboard design
-I read in a review..."unlike some with Win CE saying that they have something like a pc in the palm of their hand, the Sharp Zaurus SL-5600 IS a PC.
-Bought from Amazon and box is clearly marked PXA255. Thats an intel 400mhz process....the best in the PDA business for under $300..are you kidding me!
-Will take CF I&II (which means you can buy a Creative Muvo2, rip out the microdrive and use it in this PDA...in fact Hitachi has already tested the 4gb MD with this unit).
-Will take SD (yeah, it'll take both).
-Memory it comes with is incredible.
-Software possibilities are enormous.

Cons
-Screen (Poor quality)
-Screen (You will see a dark spot in the top right corner since the technology used for the TFT does not fully and properly illuminate the complete screen)
-Screen (did I say the screen is bad...oh yeah.
-Bulky (its light, but dont plan on putting this in your pants pocket unless you have cargo pants.
-Yeah - try using your stylus to close a program...for some reason it frequently takes more than 1 tap......

I'll try for a couple of weeks...if the cons outweigh the pros then its returnamundo...

Hardware:

This thing is bulkier and has a smaller screen than comparable products. The thumb keyboard is comfortable and surprsingly fast but is of questionable utility as an integrated feature. Mine had a defective battery and frequently needed hard resets, returning it to its factory state and wiping the internal memory (which had everything I downloaded for it). Sharp directed me to the retailer and the retailer directed me to Sharp. Rinse, repeat. Then call your credit card...

Software:

OS
The directory structures are ridiculously deep and don't intuitively correspond to the folders in the windowing system. It doesn't come with any reasonable tool for browsing your directory tree either - you will have to buy or download one.

Hancom suite
This is a pathetic attempt to allow some MS office compatibility. It is useless for any powerpoint presentation over about 1MB, with fonts under about 28 pt, or with any graphics, and it throws away half your screen real estate by not rotating the display for slideshows. The Outlook app will really, really screw up your calendar, meetings, and contacts if you dare import anything back to a PC that you modified on the Zaurus - for example, it will make all recurring appointments into individual ones, meaning you must keep deleting them until infinity if it changes, or it will want to duplicate all of your contacts with new screwed-up, truncated copies.

Linux is one of the only reasons to buy this device. There is a nice base of avid users, and you will be able to find a ton of free applications for this device. I am confident there will be a support base of hackers for the Zaurus for a long time. If you don't tinker with programming enough to appreciate the open OS or aren't a pathological Windows basher, I think you will be dissappointed.

This device is almost perfect for the linux user who wants something smaller than his\her laptop. In order to appreciate this device, you really have to like linux. If you have never used linux, dont bother, get yourself an M$ windows pda.

If you're like me and love linux, you'll love the zaurus. You can get virtually all main stream linux apps for it (gcc, make, apache, mysql...the list goes on and on). I especially like that fact that it has a java runtime, and with the addition of compiler (try ibm's Jikes compiled for zaurus) you have a pocket java development environment.

The fact that it has CF and SD slots means you can have your wifi and your extra storage in at the same time, which is a great plus.

The fold out keyboard is slightly slower than a full size, but still light years ahead of stupid handwriting recognition on other devices (although the z has that too)

There are tons of different roms availible, from sharp and others. One that fixes the pxa250 cache errata is definatly required, as you may have heard this is a bug which affects performance. But if you flash with a special kernel it fixes this bug and allows you to clock the device up to 471 mhz! NICE!

The Only thing I would add to this device is a built in DOWNSTREAM usb port, so that you can plug in usb devices. A Compact flash Usb card is availible from ratoc (for $150). I bought that too and now i can connect external HD's, Gamepads, Keyboards, Extra Wifi's, and maybe even printers or cd burners.

While Pocket PC Users can say things like "my Ipaq is LIKE a pc!" The zaurus user can say "my zaurus IS a PC".
There really isnt anything you cant do on the zaurus since its a full linux OS.

I would whole heartedly reccomend this product to EVERY linux user