[luau] Sharp Zaurus sl5000d

[MonMotha]

whenever wrote:
>       I got  my hand on a zaurus from a friend today, it's running Linux with 
> QT, pretty good PDA, too bad the sync software that came with the unit is 
> windows based,  I got to download the linux hot sync program, but too lazy to 
> recompile the kernel for usb-ppp support.  There are some software out there 
> for it, free sdk, gcc cross compiler and some pre-compiled binaries.   He's 
> willing to sell me the unit for $275, what do you guys think?  Oh, it also 
> has 32mb SD memory added on, the unit based on ARM 206Mhz, can do mpeg-1 and 
> mp3, 64k TFT color screen, take CompactFlash and SD.


The Z is a pretty nice machine (love the built in CF and SD slots, 
though you get non secure mode only I believe, and it's a bin only 
driver due to NDAs), but I still give the ipaq better marks on 
"hackability".  Compaq gifted the ipaq with a REALLY FREAKIN' BIG 
exapansion bus, and actively supports the linux "hacker" community on it 
(OPN, #handhelds.org, catch me there!).  I'm not sure how "hacker 
friendly" Sharp is, so you might be more on your own.  On the plus side, 
everything is fully supported in linux (as taht is it's native OS), and 
you get a decent portable office suite with your QPE.  Remember to 
disable the FTP server though (supposedly it allows anyone passwordless 
root access even over wifi).

If you want to chat about this, as I said stop by #handhelds.org on 
irc.openprojects.net (you'll need an IRC client obviously).  There's 
really a lot of people dedicated to these kinds of things.

--MonMotha