Sharp Zaurus SL C3200

The Sharp
Zaurus SL-C3200 is the sixth generation of the groundbreaking SL-C line of LINUX-based PDAs. The internal 6gb drive offers unparalleled storage (for a PDA) and opens up myriad new options–including using the Zaurus as a portable media player. The C3200 has has both compact flash and SD slots. And, since the Zaurus’s HDD is plug-n-play recognized by Windows, moving data is by USB 2.0 connection is fast and easy.

Sharp is a display technology leader, and the Zaurus uses a 3.7″ VGA (640×480) screen that is truly awesome: bright and razor sharp. And there’s a built-in zoom function that allows you to zoom the screen in five increments. Each step is larger than the previous, but none suffers any loss of quality. The screen’s orientation automatically adjusts when swiveled. It’s a very impressive design. (There’s even an optional VGA-out connection, intended for people who want to use the Zaurus to give presentations.)

The swiveling screen transforms the shape of the Zaurus from PDA-style to laptop-style. (The  fully-functional either way.) Once in laptop-style, you can utilize the QWERTY keyboard, with its great tactile feedback.Other technical specs include an Intel XScale PXA270 processor (416mhz), 64mb RAM, and 128mb flash
ROM. The two slots (1 CF, 1 SD) are I/O, so they support wireless connectivity (such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi). There is a stereo-out for MP3 playback. The Zaurus SL-C3200 measures 4.9×3.4×1.0 inches (124x87x25mm), and weighs 0.65 pounds (298g).

Included Software:
The Zaurus SL-Series is a LINUX-based PDA. The Zaurus comes with the following pre-installed software: HancomWord (for .doc), HancomSheet (for .xls), Email, Calculator, World Time, terminal window, Image viewer (for .jpg, .bmp, .gif), Media player (for .MP3), NetFront browser, Text editor (for .txt), ToDo list, telnet, English handwriting recognition and keyboard input methods. The Zaurus OS has been approximately 97% converted from Japanese to English, so some incidental pull-down menus are not readable. 

Backward compatibility:
All Zaurus SL-C7xx and 8xx programs are compatible with the SL-C3xxx. Most of the Zaurus SL-5500 programs that have been tested on the SL-Series series work. The Zaurus will step down to 240×320 for older programs. 

Synchronization:
The Zaurus uses Samba connection via USB, so the machine will show up as a network device under Windows XP. MS Outlook synchronization is not included with the Zaurus. However, Outlook sync can be set up by the user.

 Other info:
The GUI (graphic user interface) shown in the photos is one of a several GUI options. 

Warranty and Support:
The Zaurus includes unlimited technical support from Dynamism. This Zaurus model is sold only by Sharp Japan (in Japan), and is not supported by Sharp USA in any way. The product includes a 1-year Fedex-rescue service warranty. If you have a hardware failure within the one-year period, Dynamism will pay for Fedex return of your PDA to Japan for repair, and Fedex return shipping to you. (User-inflicted damage is not included.)

 

Dell axes Axim

Dell has stopped selling its Axim line of handhelds and is not planning a new product in the category.“The Axim X51 family is no longer being offered, and we have no plans for a follow-on product at this time,” Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden said in an e-mail. Camden noted that the company does sell handhelds from other makers on its Web site, including GPS devices and smart phones.Dell introduced its first Axim Pocket PC in 2002, helping to bring lower prices to a market in which customers had grown used to spending several hundred dollars. Over time, Dell expanded its lineup, adding features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technologies. The company debuted its most recent model, the X51, in the fall of 2005. However, the market for personal organizers has stagnated as many users have opted for smart phones that combine such calendar and contact functions with telephony. The demise of the Axim was earlier noted by handheld enthusiast Web site MobilitySite.

Don’t call it a UMPC: HTC Advantage is coming to the States

Frankly, I’m not even sure what to call the HTC Advantage. I mean, this gadget is really in a league of its own. It’s not an ultramobile PC per se (and HTC doesn’t want to identify the Advantage as a UMPC anyway), and categorizing it as a smart phone would do it injustice. Maybe a smart phone on some serious steroids? While the nomenclature is up for debate, we do know a couple of things: it’s tricked out with some sick features and it’s actually coming to the States. Yes, we’re actually going to get one of those Crave-worthy gadgets that are typically reserved for our tech-forward European and Asian counterparts.

Today, at CTIA 2007, HTC announced it will start shipping the HTC Advantage this summer through Amazon.com and other U.S. retailers, and though they didn’t release details on pricing or the exact release date, the company did reveal a number of specs to keep us preoccupied for the time being. Check out the stats on this bad boy:

• An 8GB hard drive with 256MB ROM/128MB RAM and a miniSD card slot
• Runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition
• All the wireless options you could want: quadband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE); 3G (UMTS/HSDPA), Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, and GPS
• A 5-inch VGA touch screen
• A magnetically connected full QWERTY keyboard
• A 3.5mm headphones jack and …
• Essentially small enough to put in a jacket pocket (albeit a larger jacket pocket) or purse

HTC’s idea for the Advantage is that it frees the mobile professional from always having to carry his or her laptop. It’s not meant to be a laptop replacement–although the company is hoping to break into that market too with its brand-new HTC Shift; check out Dan Ackerman’s blog on that announcement–but rather, something they can use on one- to two-day business trips or when they’re simply out of the office. Now, I asked you guys a question several months ago when the European version of the Advantage (aka HTC Athena) was unveiled: will this type of device fly in the States? And now that it is coming, I’d like to get your opinion again. Will you buy the HTC Advantage when it’s released later this summer?

Top 5 Palm OS Handheld Computers

1) Palm Treo 650

Looking for a cellphone with PDA features? How about a PDA with cellphone features? Then you’ll definitely want to take a peek at the Treo 650. The Treo 650 from Palm is the follow-up to highly popular Treo 600 with some important feature upgrades

Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager

The LifeDrive is the first PDA from Palm with a built-in 4GB hard drive. Also includes both 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless. This PDA is great for multimedia and will fit the needs of most PDA users.

Palm T|X

The Palm T|X is a pretty loaded PDA. The Palm T|X is powered by a 312 MHz Intel XScale processor, 128MB RAM, and both 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless.

Palm Tungsten E2

Looking for a reasonably priced, color PDA? The Tungsten E2 is a good starter PDA with Palm OS , a 200MHz processor, and 32MB of RAM.

 palmOne Tungsten T5

Next in the line of Tungsten Ts, the T5 has a 320×480 screen, Palm OS v5.4, a 416MHz processor, 256MB RAM, and built-in Bluetooth. Overall a nice PDA, but not as many features as we expected from the follow-up of the Tungsten T3