So it seems that Sharp has their very own PocketPC version of the Zaurus SL-6000.

http://www.sharp-ssp.co.jp/products/kigyou...s/PocketPC2003/

I've been researching the Hitachi Flora-ie MX1 for some time now, and I'm surprised at how difficult it is to find someone who actually owns one.

http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Prod/vims/solutio...ile/pda/hw.html

If anyone fluent in Japanese could search for Japanese user forums for either of these products, I would like to confirm wheather or not the special menus are available like on the SL-6000. The goal of course is to see if system dumps are compatible between all three machines. Beyond that, maybe dual-boot.

I originally sold my iPaq 4350 to get the SL-6000, but I'm finding it very hard to live without Skype.

I find this topic really intresting. It would be kind of neat to have opition of dual boot though nothing but fun trick.

It's kind of funny that the page for HC-6000N extension shows the Zaurus running Qtopia .

There has got to be a way to get a copy of this OS for tinkering!

Ya!
Lots of amazing games for Windows Mobile/PPC. That's about all I would use it for.

I wondered whether a year or so on whether it'd be possible to find a flash update for the 6000cn/flora, and in doing various googles I found a gizmodo page with links to Jp and En-translated articles.

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets//hitachi-fl...uuge-033102.php

Sadly, googling for variation on "hitachi flora flash upgrade" didn't yield any results.

I've actually posted to one Japanese site, hoping to find someone who (1) Owns either a Flora-ie MX1 or 6000cn, and (2) Speaks english so I can ask for a copy of a NAND DBK.

No takers... yet!

I own a Flora - imho its faster than my previous Z's 760 - if I could find a way to nand dump - reset d + P doesn't work- I love to try - any suggestions?

Honestly I'd be more interested in seeing the hitachi running one of the 3rd party Z systems. It'd be interesting to see how the 128 meg mem compares in real world stuff to the 64 in the sharp versions.

can they be flashed to OZ or pdaX? (and restored...I guess not or we'd have a backup, huh).

Guys, this is warez talk... like it or not it is. You haven't paid for the license (and legitimately the only way to do so is buy the device) so please don't follow this track.

-Andy

.....not to mention that much of the point here is running open source stuff, anyway.

I presume the other combos, reset D+M, reset OK don't have any effect.

If you can get into this mode, it'd be interesting to see if the menus are the same as a Z 6000... also the boot code would be useful just in case anyone DOES manage to take a stock 6000 and add rom/ram! We do, in theory, have the boot image from a 6000D which had extra rom/ram.

Can you tell us how big the flash memory is, is it partitioned up?
- I am wondering if there was space so it could be dual-booted?

Can you tell us what the bluetooth module is inside it? Is there any diagnostics information available you can post? I suppose it's too much to ask to open it and take some photos?

Does the wireless do WPA, or are you stuck with WEP like the regular linux sharp rom?

I would suggest very strongly you make multiple backups, each time copying one off the flash card to your PC, and do a full byte comparison, just to be sure, before you flash to Sharp QT/Linux. We do have a ROM image for a 6000D which should work.

intriguing.

sorry to bombard you with questions, but these florae are a very rare beast - how did you get hold of one?

Paul

If anyone out there has access to the FLORA or the HC-6000, it seems that the Maintenance menu is in fact available.

1. Remove Batery
2. Backup batery Off, then On.
3. Replace batery.
4. Hold OK button, and press Power.

I think I've only ever "encountered" two flora owners on this forum; it might have been the same Flora owned by two different people though!