Domain Name Com's Electronics Sharp Zaurus SL-6000L Handheld

Electronics Sharp Zaurus SL-6000L Handheld

Domain Name Com's - Electronics : Sharp Zaurus SL-6000L Handheld

- Bigger and better than the 5xxx, but needs more work.
The device has some very attractive features; the display is strikingly bright, there is a way of changing from portrait to landscape mode, turn on or off the backlight (saves power), the built in WI-FI makes it also a very good hot spot locator and impromptu web browser (in the unlikeliest places!) The battery lasts for ever, unless you use the Wi-Fi.
In the not-so-bright side; according to Sharp, software for the SL 5x00 will not work on the 6000, and there is no compiler (yet) for it, which means that you are stuck with the apps Sharp shipped it with.
Another, more serious, problem is that the stylus often goes out of alignment so that it needs very frequent recalibrations (a couple of times a week).
I am also having problems witrh the alarms feature in the calendar.

Rating:

- Good start, but needs a lot of work
The Linux-based Zaurus series is kind of a weird orphan. It lacks the polished side of a Palm OS device, and contrary to what one would think, lacks a lot of the power that Windows CE devices have. Heresy for a Linux zealot, but what can I say- I use what works, which is often Linux, but it isn't a religion for me. The Zaurus series has been pretty sad for me. Hardware wise, it's great- but without decent software, the loaner SL-6000L I have isn't doing much. It's great for surfing the web- but then again, my Sigmarion III handheld PC, with a real keyboard and 800x480 screen, is even better at it. It does ebooks ok, but then again, I can do that fine on my Sony Clie NX70V- and without having to worry about the battery dying. I might be able to use the Z as my one and only PDA if only it had a good notetaking app, but not one has shown up for any Zaurus SL model in the last 4 years. All I want is something that is similar to capabilities in what PocketPC has with the built-in Notes app, and I'd be willing to pay $100 for such an app. Heck, I'd pay $200 for handwriting recognition- the little keyboard and really crappy character recognition do not cut it. Here's to hoping for the Zaurus's (hazy) future!

Rating:

- Zaurus + Wizzyweb = Yizes
I use wizzyweb.com to make php and perl web applications over the Web on my zaurus... I get an idea at Starbucks and I have a working application 5 minutes later, there is nothing like it!

Rating:

- Zaurus SL-6000
The Zaurus series is super awesome. With it's new portrait view I was able to terminal server, using rdesktop a free alternate to Win ConnectZ, in to my Windows 2000 server at a resolution of 640 x 480. Compaired to older modles and other manafactured products where you get stuck scrolling around to use terminal server or have to adjust the screen resolution to match the PDA. One of the single grestest things about the Zaurus is that it is Linux based and has a comunity of people writing software for it. If you can't find what you want at the Zaurus web page, myzaurus.com, there is a tremendous resource for applications at http://www.killefiz.de/zaurus. I recently found a port of Gaim, an AOL Instant Messanging program, that works with the Zaurus there.

I do want to warn the potential buyer to read the warrenty carefuly to make sure the Zaurus doesn't fall outside of your expectations. I recently found out what the phrase "...with .01% or fewer pixels failing to light or remain lit at all times." means to me.

Even with my runin with Sharp's technical support and warranty policy my Zaurus is a wonderful machine.

Rating:

- Great for what it IS; Don't expect it to be what it is NOT
This machine is really quite nice. However, it was not quite what I wanted and I sent it back and bought an inexpensive laptop instead.

Pros
====

WiFi - 802.11b. Easy to set up and configure.

GREAT screen. Really. Except actually maybe TOO fine resolution for the physical size! Text and images are *small* on this thing although everything is legible and images look great!

Linux OS. Really really really linux. I was able to, for example, mount NFS shares off of my server and play MP3s that were stored on the server as if they were local files. Not for the Linux neophyte, to be sure. But you really don't need to know anything about Linux to use this thing -- its just that you *can* use the Linux-y stuff if you want to.

Cons
====
Comfort. Although the screen is great and the Opera browser is very nice and the screen rotates to portrait mode, I never was able to get very comfortable holding and navigating pages. My hands would cramp, it's awkward to use the pull-out thumb board in portrait mode, you are constantly having to tap the screen with the stylus to browse links, etc. It was basically uncomfortable, ergonomically-speaking, to use.

Slow "Wake Up". Using a Palm m500 for the last three years, I expect my addressbook to be on and instantly usable when I press the addressbook button. But this mini-micro-laptop-wannabe took a couple of seconds -- literally, two or three seconds -- to "wake up" before I could, say search for an entry. That became quite annoying after a while. You have to understand that the Palm Pilot series is designed as an *extension* of the desktop -- the SL6000 is more like a desktop *replacement* (practically). But it does not work well for me as merely a PDA.

Poor support. Almost zero "official" information on Sharp's website(s). All information stops at the SL5600. This became *extremely* frustrating!

Not fully compatible with SL5xxx series software. The older software works, mostly, but sometimes doesn't work quite right. There doesn't appear to be much new software written for the SL6000. Not too many titles that will take advantage of that huge screen, for example.

Strange UI design weirdnesses. I can't fully explain, or give details (mostly because I don't remember specifics and I don't have the thing anymore), but there were some basic user interface things that weren't "polished" or fully realized. Small details that Palm OS has worked out MUCH better.

Will not sync natively (or in an officially supported manner) with my Linux desktop. Looked to be too much trouble to (A) set up syncing and (B) migrate over my Palm databases (addresses, calendar, etc.)

Palm PIM apps are difficult to migrate to the Z.

===

Well, there you have it. I bought the thing for its Linux OS, WiFi, and huge PDA screen. I returned it because it is not really a laptop replacement, or a PDA replacement, but falls somewhere in between. I doubt I would have been happy with a Pocket PC product for many of the same reasons that I returned the Zaurus, although that is speculation. (The issue there is moot as I will *never* buy a pocket PC or anything else that requires MS Windows in any form)

I think I would have been happier with the Palm Tungsten C (which has WiFi) or Tungsten E, or the Sony Clie UX50 or Sony PEG-TJ37, if I was looking for a new PDA. However, it turns out I was looking for a laptop, so a laptop (and WiFi PCMCIA card) is what I got.

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