Expert: Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen

Unfortunately, it's just been confirmed Sharp entirely drops the Zaurus (tiny, Linux-based, clamshell, REALLY excellent PDA's) line. No comparable successor is known. This is indeed a sad day for all Linux / Unix fans - the Zaurus really rocks.

See this OEF thread for more info.

It’s widely known Apple has started the entire PDA business, long before Palm or Microsoft. My original Newton MessagePad, their first PDA released back in 1993 (and, unfortunately, discontinued in 1998), is still working great.

MessagePads were really revolutionary at the time and their only problem was character recognition: the hardware / input recognition couldn't be sufficient enough back then to flawlessly support this. (No wonder Microsoft was trying hard to avoid any kind of input recognition at first; this is why the first WindowsCE (1.0)-based devices, back in 1997, all had built-in keyboards and it was only in 1998 that, with the introduction of Palm size PC's, they have introduced character recognition and pen-based character input.)

Now, it seems, Apple has something equally revolutionary and unmatched.

The entire Windows Mobile / (mobile) Unix / Symbian scene is eagerly awaiting new info / prototypes of Apple's new device, the iPhone, slated later (June) this year. It looks VERY promising and puts most current smart phones, both Microsoft Windows Mobile/Smartphone, Symbian- and Unix-based, into shame in a lot of respects. For example, it's said to run OS X - that is, a full Unix environment, and not just a dumbed-down one. The latter isn't new for Sharp Zaurus or Nokia Internet Tablet 770 / 800 users; the inclusion of the OS in a phone sold not only in Japan (currently, it's only Japan that Unix-based phones are sold; the Sharp Zaurus devices also available in English and through other channels don't have a built-in phone and neither do Nokia's two Internet Tablet models) is a real breakthrough, though.

Make sure you check out the specifications of iPhone.

The specs are pretty cool, particularly screen resolution, thickness and size-wise. It's probably only the lack of HSDPA or even UMTS that seems to be a bit problematic (the phone only supports the "slow" EDGE).

I'll keep you posted on the new device as soon as new info is published. I'll also keep linking in worthy threads of discussion. Start with the XDA-Developers thread; here's the AximSite one; at HowardForums, there're several of them: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. Make sure you enter the word "iPhone" here to get the list of all threads - it's certainly worth checking them all out!

UPDATE: in the XDA-Dev thread, I'm actively discussing Unix feasibility issues - make sure you read it if you really want to know whether / how a mobile device can be made run full (and not just a dumbed-down) Unix. I particularly recommend my comments to Apple engineers

UPDATE 2: there is so much info & posts that it will take me a lot of time to write a decent, comprehensive overview of the new platform. In the meantime, make sure you also check out this PPCT thread (of which I recommend Marty1781's post (Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:03 pm GMT) here on the disadvantages of the device - it pretty well summarizes the problems) and the comments at Engadget.

UPDATE 3: Unix-wise, this OESF.org thread is definitely worth checking out.

Linux undoubtedly has its place on mobile devices under the sun. Now that I’m planning a new roundup of all “let’s remote control your desktop PC from your Pocket PC” solutions, I’ve also thoroughly tested the well-known Linux-based rdesktop on my Sharp Zaurus C-760 (running under pdaXrom, the native (!) X-Window environment for Sharp Zaurii; its non-pdaXrom-based versions are qtrdesktop (Cacko and the original Sharp ROM) and Opie-rdesktop for OZ/OPIE; also see this for more info) and found it immensely better and more feature-rich than most other (even commercial – see for example Mocha’s Remote Desktop client) Pocket PC- or Palm OS-based remote desktop solutions. And the list doesn’t end in here: you can run for example Kismet on most Linux-based, Wi-Fi enabled devices (like the Zaurii with a Wi-Fi card).

Now, all major “gadget” manufacturers have announced Linux-based mobile devices. They are as follows (I really recommend checking out the links!):

Read more!

Many hi-end gadget freaks know what Sharp Zaurus is – a really decent, Linux-based device with an astonishingly (it can directly compete with the Sony LCD screens used in the, screen quality-wise, best VGA Pocket PC devices like the HP iPAQ hx4700, all Fujitsu-Siemens models and the HTC Universal) good screen. (See for example this post.)

Now, several English language sites reported about a new “Zaurus” yesterday (for example, Engadget some hours ago) for a very low price (around $380; even sold at eBay for that much money as new), which is about half of the price of the current hi-end Zaurus models. I, seeing it's a "Zaurus", of course, jumped at the device right away to find out why it’s so cheap.

Unfortunately, it has turned out to be in no way a Zaurus, simply a pocket-sized Korean dictionary with a similar screen and a somewhat similar keyboard, particularly the “round” D-pad well-known from newer Zaurii. Sharp has long been producing dictionaries for the Korean market, the new CMP2000R is a direct successor to the RD-1500.

Some people on international Zaurii forums are already discussing whether it’s possible to reflash the ROM of the device with Linux. (By default, the device doesn’t have an accessible Linux shell.)

You can find additional information / discussion of the device here, on the best Zaurus forum.

Yeah, I just can’t stop buying toys... I mean PDA’s

Just bought a Linux-based Zaurus SL C-760 (see for example this, this and this reviews).

This doesn’t mean I’ll abandon Windows Mobile, not in the least. Just the contrary – now, I’ll be able to test for example interoperability issues with Windows Mobile and will have an even broader knowledge of what’s available on all PDA platforms (not just Windows Mobile and Palm OS) and what Pocket PC software developers (including Microsoft) could achieve on current Pocket PC hardware, taking the CPU / RAM restrictions into account.

I’ll also post some comparative screenshots of the device and the best VGA Pocket PC’s with the best screen to see how the latter stand against the well-known, often-praised Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co. screens used in the Zaurii . I'll also elaborate on its keyboard: whether it's really as good as for example the above-linked MobileTechReview review states (will compare it to the Universal, the Jornada 680, 720 and some other clamshell models with built-in keyboards).

Stay tuned