Reliability of C7xx Options

My 4th Psion is now in the process of dying and I am looking for a new PDA. The Zaurus C7xx look great but I am worried about how long they will last given the interesting hinge mechanism.

How long have people here had them, and how long do you think they will last?

I have searched the forums and have so far found no negative comments about the physical aspects of the hardware.
I was thinking of a used C700 or C760 from conics so this would be really useful to know. (I will be looking for a hard case to try to minimise any mishandling)

Thanks for your help,

John

[sefthuko]

Only had mine for a week so far. The hinge is about a centimeter in diameter, and very sturdy and stable. I don't see it dying off any time soon. First to go, though, is going to be the usb rubber bung on the left side.

Thanks for the info - I'm not too worried about the rubber bung but it's worth knowing about.
Cheers, John

got mine for a few month now and even the screen seems to be quite robust ... felt down one or two times without any problem ... a friend of mine which have his slc-700 for more than a year now still didn't have any h/w problem with it (well ... he lost 2 pixels on the screen by dropping his Z on the floor too) but it's seem robust enought for me

[ThC]

that was me just before ... forgot to login ^^

[omega]

There is no rubber bung on the c860. I think it is really durable and should last a long time with a little care. I suggest a pdair case, i was really impressed with my one.

[sefthuko]

aw man, I should've gone for the bungless :-P

A good topic
I was also interested in the reliability of the SL-C7/8xxx series, it seems a few people have had problems but the majority seem quite contented.
I have a particular interest as my C860 was purchased in Russia and the supplier whilst seeming reliable I think would have problems handling my warranty - things are sometimes not that efficient here.
Also I travel a lot so being away presents me with problems as I can't just go into a local Sharp dealership.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that no problems occur

[Stubear]

There is no rubber bung on the c860. I think it is really durable and should last a long time with a little care. I suggest a pdair case, i was really impressed with my one.

If you ain't got a rubber bung over your usb port then you got ripped off

Also you are probably at risk of putting your Z into your pocket and having a coin or paperclip short out the usb connector.

Stu

[omega]

Stubear, really? I got mine secondhand... it seems in perfect condition. Anyhow, i'm not too worried i always keep it in my pdair case and not among the crap in my pocket! ;-)

[datajerk]

Rubber bung--I rarely remove it. I sync with Bluetooth and Network with WiFi. I only use it with my Serial I/O cable to program switches from time to time. It seems snug enough to last with light use.

A PDA case is a must have. I picked up a neoprene Zaurus logo'd case that fits snug enough that I can still pocket it. The case sports a gap so that CF cards and the audio jack are accessable. <$10US. I have dropped it twice, once on concrete (in case) and it survived without a scratch.

A colleague with the a c700 drops it frequently, once so hard it broke the stylus while in its slot. That was the only damage.

[ScottYelich]

I have a 700 since april 2003 and a 760 since like august of 2003 ?
both have light usage -- have been dropped... and there are no issues.

I do not have screen protectors on either. I use a papermater pencil *with*
the led out a little... as my stylus.

Scott

[Stubear]

Stubear, really? I got mine secondhand... it seems in perfect condition. Anyhow,  i'm not too worried i always keep it in my pdair case and not among the crap in my pocket! ;-)

Not 100% sure if it can actually short anything out, but say a coment on a Japanese site about someone getting a 1 yen coin stuck in the usb slot. He had lost his bung and kept his Z in his coat pocket along with his change and what not.

Some people got no respect for their Z.

Stu

[whit]

There is no rubber bung on the c860.

Hmm. There is on this one 8)

The mechanical engineering all seems substantial. I'd assume that holds true for earlier models -- but haven't had the pleasure of fondling any.

Thanks for all the comments. The fact that I haven't found anyone complaining about build quality on any forums seems to be a real testament to the design. Seems like a really nice user community which is another big plus for me. Now I've got to try to work out all the tax and import stuff to try to get one of these into Australia (and count my pennies ).
Cheers, John