Sharp Netwalker Pc-t1 $300 Options

[TheWalt]

Geek Stuff 4 U has the Sharp Netwalker PC-T1 on sale for $300 til the end of the month. Happened across this deal while looking for a PC-Z1.

http://www.geekstuff4u.com/sharp-netwalker-pc-t1.html

[dougeeebear]

I have a couple questions about the PC-T1... everything on the forum is pretty much to do with the PC-Z1.

1. Is it possible to do a NAND backup and restore?
2. Is it possible to boot from a micro sd card or usb stick?

I've been looking at various reviews on it, and I'm really up in the air as to whether I would be satisfied with it or not.
It has an outdated version of Ubuntu installed (Sharp customized) and can't be upgraded.
The OS can't be changed on it.
It reportedly has an extremely slow SSD.

The price is right, but I'm not sure it's worth a lot of aggravation.

Decisions, decisions.

[RX Shorty]

I have a couple questions about the PC-T1... everything on the forum is pretty much to do with the PC-Z1.

1. Is it possible to do a NAND backup and restore?
There is a restore scipt on the Sharp website, and if you manually download the packages yopu can create a restore microsd

2. Is it possible to boot from a micro sd card or usb stick?
Yes you can boot from micro-sd by default, from usb you should change the boorloader.

I've been looking at various reviews on it, and I'm really up in the air as to whether I would be satisfied with it or not.
It has an outdated version of Ubuntu installed (Sharp customized) and can't be upgraded.
Sharp gives updates until May 2012, releasing a new update May this year, not sure what it brings...

The OS can't be changed on it.
It can, though you need to create a zimage by yourself, debian for example

It reportedly has an extremely slow SSD.
Extreme slow? No, though image you have a 800 mhz device, with few storage, you don't eally need a fast SSD.

The price is right, but I'm not sure it's worth a lot of aggravation.

Decisions, decisions.

Hope this helps...

[dougeeebear]

<snip>
Hope this helps...

Thanks for all that information.

I've had a look around the Sharp support website, and it looks as if they only have recovery files for the PC-Z1 (clamshell), but not the PC-T1 (tablet) at the present time.
I believe there are some needed features in the T1 that are lacking in the Z1.
Recovery files for the T1 will supposedly come later, but that doesn't do me much good if I need to restore now.

So far, I haven't been able to find out if there is a way to do a NAND backup/restore like I used to do on my Zaurus C-1000.
Without a way to restore, it could become a $300 brick.
I guess I'm not ready to take the risk, even for the good price.