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Author Topic: Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?  (Read 4037 times)

Hydraulix

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« on: October 28, 2005, 06:27:58 am »
Hello,


I really want to buy the SL-C3100 model but there's a couple things holding me back...

1) I would be using wifi 98% of the time. I have many hotspots at work and would love to have Gaim and ssh on my Zaurus. The lack of built-in wifi is a disappointment. I know you can put a external wifi card in the Zaurus but having the card sticking out all of the time would get on my nerves. I also heard that the battery life sucks when wifi is active.

2) No bluetooth. I'm going to be buying a new notebook in the near future and bluetooth is going to be my main sync for my cellphone and whatever else. It's not that big of deal but I would still like to have it.

3) I heard that the 4G harddrive is just for photos,videos and music and you can't install apps on it. All applications are installed on the 128 card. I don't know how bad this would affect me because I don't think I'll have a ton of apps running. Really just gaim,ssh,kismet,opera,maybe a game or two and a media player for streaming internet radio.

4) Only 98% converted to English. What's the two percent? Is that really going to be an inconvenience?

5) No 2.6 kernel. I know a little about Open Zaurus but don't really know if I would use it a lot. And I heard the screen sucks when it's out in daylight.


I would use my Zaurus for wifi internet, syncing addresses and phone numbers, having a planner, wardriving, ssh into my home network, watching movies, playing games and listening to streaming internet radio.


So what do you think? Should I just wait until Sharp decides to create a new Zaurus? I'm not in any hurry but every time I see the SL-C3100 I just want to buy it.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2005, 06:29:40 am by Hydraulix »
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GadgetGuy

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2005, 08:29:50 am »
Quote
Hello,


I really want to buy the SL-C3100 model but there's a couple things holding me back...

1) I would be using wifi 98% of the time. I have many hotspots at work and would love to have Gaim and ssh on my Zaurus. The lack of built-in wifi is a disappointment. I know you can put a external wifi card in the Zaurus but having the card sticking out all of the time would get on my nerves. I also heard that the battery life sucks when wifi is active.

2) No bluetooth. I'm going to be buying a new notebook in the near future and bluetooth is going to be my main sync for my cellphone and whatever else. It's not that big of deal but I would still like to have it.

3) I heard that the 4G harddrive is just for photos,videos and music and you can't install apps on it. All applications are installed on the 128 card. I don't know how bad this would affect me because I don't think I'll have a ton of apps running. Really just gaim,ssh,kismet,opera,maybe a game or two and a media player for streaming internet radio.

4) Only 98% converted to English. What's the two percent? Is that really going to be an inconvenience?

5) No 2.6 kernel. I know a little about Open Zaurus but don't really know if I would use it a lot. And I heard the screen sucks when it's out in daylight.


I would use my Zaurus for wifi internet, syncing addresses and phone numbers, having a planner, wardriving, ssh into my home network, watching movies, playing games and listening to streaming internet radio.


So what do you think? Should I just wait until Sharp decides to create a new Zaurus? I'm not in any hurry but every time I see the SL-C3100 I just want to buy it.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=101097\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

1. A wifi card is not that big - and battery life is not that bad. I get nearly 3 hours with my Symbol Wifi card.

2. There is bluetooth ( via CF card). The upcoming Cacko rom supports the (cheap) Belkin wifi card

3. You can install apps on HDD. There are many ways. Meanie has created a loop ext3 filesystem. I am thinking about partitioning it into a DOS / EXT2 system.

4. It depends what ROM you use. All the "non sharp" roms are (I think ) 100% English

5. Screen is great

I would suggest: go for the C3100. It is a truly fun unit!
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Zaurus C-3100 from PriceJapan with OZ 3.5.4.1. Opie and GPE
Ambicom CF WL1100C Wifi Card and Symbol Wireless Networker CF Wifi Card
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lardman

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2005, 08:35:28 am »
Quote
1. A wifi card is not that big - and battery life is not that bad. I get nearly 3 hours with my Symbol Wifi card.

Hmm, my linksys sticks out a fair distance (it's 60mm long which means it sticks out about 23.5mm (see my thread here https://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=15622).

It's useable, but it would be better if it were shorter. I'd be interested to know what the shortest available card is.


Si
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bluedevils

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2005, 01:09:35 pm »
1) the builtin wifi on my 6000 does not seem to save me any battery life.  The big wifi cards can be a small annoyance (my ol' netgear), but the smaller ones (socket) are more tolerable.

4) the soon to be released cacko rom should take care of the 2%.

5)  I have an HP PPC and a 6000.  Both are a bit better in sunlight, but I wouldn't hinge my performance too much on it.  In the summer, they all suck.
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I'm now an iphone user and use my zaurii as serial terminals, perl and shell scripting and when I need 640x480 screens

sl-c3100/pda cacko 1.23 | sl-6000l/needs battery | sl-c760/server pdaxrom rc12 | Former sl-5500/tkcrom owner (sister's birthday gift)

Hydraulix

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2005, 05:01:18 am »
Sweet. Thanks for the feedback! What type of wifi card should I get? You said there's a smaller card that isn't that noticeable? Also having 802.11g would be nice but I don't know if they make such a thing. Also what type of bluetooth card does everyone recommend?



I'm thinking of buying it from pricejapan.com since it seems like everyone here has had a good recommendation of them. Also how do I convert everything to english?
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GadgetGuy

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2005, 11:05:45 am »
Quote
Sweet. Thanks for the feedback! What type of wifi card should I get? You said there's a smaller card that isn't that noticeable? Also having 802.11g would be nice but I don't know if they make such a thing. Also what type of bluetooth card does everyone recommend?



I'm thinking of buying it from pricejapan.com since it seems like everyone here has had a good recommendation of them. Also how do I convert everything to english?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=101233\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I have two wifi cards and prefer the Symbol one. It is smaller than the Ambicom, and needs less power. As far as I know,  no 802.11g cards are supported.

The new cacko rom ( should be out Monday) does work with the Belkin Bluetooth card (that card can be found cheaply on ebay).

As far as conversion is concerned, there are many options:
See www.trisoft.de for the simplest conversion ( just restore the save file and you are done)
Using the cacko rom will automatically convert it into English ( and will also do many other good things...)
You can do it yourself step by step by installing a console and using that. See details for example on Meanie's site...
« Last Edit: October 30, 2005, 11:06:39 am by GadgetGuy »
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Zaurus C-3100 from PriceJapan with OZ 3.5.4.1. Opie and GPE
Ambicom CF WL1100C Wifi Card and Symbol Wireless Networker CF Wifi Card
1 GB Sandisk Ultra II SD
PdAir leather case - Nintendo DS metal case
various smaller CF and SD cards
all kinds of USB cables and accessories
-------------------------------------------------------------
Previous computers: TI 99/4A, ZX81, C64, Amiga 500, Apple Powerbook 100
Previous PDA's: Palm 1000, Palm III, Palm V, Palm Vx, Audiovox Maestro Pocket PC, Psion 5mx
Current PDA: Palm Tungsten E2
Current favourite: Zaurus C3100 - my "micro laptop"

xfaethorx

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2005, 12:17:46 pm »
i have a 3100 , i use bluetooth with bluez over the USB host cable (with a usb bluetooth dongle) and I have an Amicom wifi card. If you don't mind the bluetooth dongle dangling down then you'll be fine with it. Its a shame both of these aren't built in but it works good enough for me as is .
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chiark

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2005, 02:43:17 am »
I was in the same boat as you: I found a cheap 1000 on ebay and went for that - best still, it included a linksys CF wifi card.  I am still hopeful that there'll be a few improvements to the 3100 and that they'll be announced soon, but in the meantime I have my 1000, 2gb CF, 1gb sd...
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ryukun

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2005, 08:39:10 pm »
I only fear a new zaurus coming out right after I shell the extra cash for the c3100
 

This comes from going through the nightmare of sony's clie, a pda line they no longer admit exists apparently o_o
Two seconds after I bought the 760c they released an uber model that had lots of cool, clamshell, keyboard, camera crazyness.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2005, 08:45:03 pm by ryukun »
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Hydraulix

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2006, 10:38:16 pm »
Ok I plan on buying my new zaurus in the next month (hooray new job!) My only question is what's the smallest wifi CF card (that doesn't stick out like crazy)and doesn't consume the most power? I also plan on trying out the Cacko rom.

Thanks.
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ArchiMark

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2006, 10:50:26 pm »
Check out the Ambicom WiFi card, I think it's pretty small and doesn't stick out much and works well too!

 

HTH,

Mark
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Antikx

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2006, 01:44:26 am »
Quote
I only fear a new zaurus coming out right after I shell the extra cash for the c3100
 

This comes from going through the nightmare of sony's clie, a pda line they no longer admit exists apparently o_o
Two seconds after I bought the 760c they released an uber model that had lots of cool, clamshell, keyboard, camera crazyness.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=108287\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Nothing wagered...

In all seriousness if you have a 760, you may want to wait till the next gen if you don't NEED the HDD and better keyboard. This is not from experience, but from reading many posts over the last year and a half.

My mystic ball says that we will see a new Zaurus in spring or early summer at the latest. My mystic ball says you will gain more CPU, RAM, HDD, and something else that it is hiding from me.
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coreilly

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Should I Keep Waiting For A New Zaurus?
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2006, 07:40:55 pm »
is there any word on a new C3x00 model coming out this year??? any info anywhere?
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