OESF Portables Forum

General Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: seed on March 05, 2005, 11:09:03 pm

Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: seed on March 05, 2005, 11:09:03 pm
did u see the specification of the sony psp 333 mhz,irda,wifi, 166 graphic processor ...  ? amazing hein
i know those two device are not make for the same pupose but in harware point of view is there something in zaurus specification that justifie that the z is such more expasive than the  psp
if there were a psp version with  keyboard and linux on it  could it be better than actual zaurus...
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: Merardon on March 06, 2005, 02:37:00 am
They're designed for two different things, as you said, but that means more then just what the box says. The PSP itself, running Linux, would not necessarily run Linux as well as the Zaurus, because the processor is designed specifically for gaming. Hardware wise, the Zaurus is much more expandable, as it has the CF and SD slots, whereas all the PSP has is a memory stick slot, which, to my knowledge, has no/few accessories. The Zaurus is much more expensive because of the software, not the hardware. It has an officially supported OS, with multiple accessories, and is designed for a wide variety of tasks. The PSP is much cheaper because it's designed for a single purpose. (relatively speaking)

Lastly, do some more reading on the PSP, and you'll discover that the PSP is actually worth a lot more then what it's sold for. Analysts say that Sony loses $150 US with each PSP sold, they make money on the games. [That's $150 US in profit, not $150 US in losses, they still make money on them, albeit only a bit] Both the Zaurus and the DS are sold at roughly what they are worth. Add in the $150 US, and the price difference evens out a touch.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: pgas on March 06, 2005, 04:21:00 am
Less ram, no touch screen, almost no flash.

Sony expects to sells millions of units, plus they makes money on the games as Merardon says.

You maybe right to expect pure PDAs to disappear though.

Sony has stopped to produce pdas, Nintendo apparently want to sells the DS  also as a pda, mobile phones can do more things every day.........
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: padishah_emperor on March 06, 2005, 07:37:11 am
Quote
You maybe right to expect pure PDAs to disappear though.

Sony has stopped to produce pdas, Nintendo apparently want to sells the DS  also as a pda, mobile phones can do more things every day.........
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You're right.

Here's my take on the situation, and I've had many a furious arguement with other ZUG member's in the past about it. The PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) was a limited concept, basically the next step from the digital organisers and databanks from the 80's. It's primary functions are phonebook/contacts, calendar/appointments/schedule, to-do lists/memos etc. what we call PIMs. These applications are becoming better on mobile phones and so it makes sense for people to use those devices and sync them with their desktops. But throughout the databank->organiser->PDA evolution, there has been another type of device for the more geek-o-centric: pocket computers.  Machines like the HP 200LX I think were the best of that kind of machine.  As PDAs became popular, the line between them has blurred. Resulting in some flaming battles I can remember with one or two on ZUG.

As things move on, we are seeing the emergence of dedicated music/video devices like the Archos (Apple will not bring out a "PDA" but you can bet an A/V device will be the next step from the iPod) and gaming platforms like the PSP, the console will fit in the pocket and family TVs will cry a sigh of relief as mother can watch Eastenders again without being hijacked by Doom3.  It's obvious that PIM users will get their fix from their phones and will be happily syncing away. So I think we will see what *was* the PDA separating into phones, av devices, gaming mini-consoles and all-in-one devices.  But even so, there will always be a small market for those who want true pocket computers, not having to convert a device over for use or having to have a SIM card and contract to use Bash.  The way I use my Yopy for example, is not as a PIM device - I'd buy a palm for that.  I use it's webserver, native compiler and X forwarding, I also use it recreationally for reading books, music-on-the-go and watching movies on long trips.  Basically, what I once would have used a laptop for.

I see the death of the PDA as being close, but it's not a bad thing at all. It will mean better devices for the specific tasks people have and may even provide better mini/micro-laptop devices for those of us who want them.  It means phones will just be the logical choice for PIM users and I dare say a new phrase will be churned out by the marketeers to tempt us into buying the machines we once called PDAs.  I've always been buying pocket computers for almost 20 years and I'll continue, regardless of what they call it. I just won't be buying one with a contract. Thats my view at least :-)

The PSP is interesting though, I'm going to keep an eye on it, but personally I prefer the DS.  Making hardware comparisons with the Z isn't worth it, they are designed for different things and also with the PSP you are paying for the name to a degree.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: Merardon on March 07, 2005, 12:02:05 am
I wouldn't think that PDAs are going to die out at all. The classic PDA is, as it's unlikely that they'll be used for addresses, schedules, and the like, but as laptops get smaller and smaller, we'll see more and more OQO products, and even smaller. There will likely still be the big screen laptops, but most people, in my experience, prefer smaller. Now, these machines would technically be sub-notebooks (or notebooks, depends on it's abilities), but what are people likely to call them? Certainly not sub-notebooks.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: adf on March 07, 2005, 12:48:07 am
er... I think maybe they will be called "handhelds?"
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: Merardon on March 07, 2005, 01:09:56 am
Same difference.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: padishah_emperor on March 07, 2005, 04:17:02 am
Handhelds, palmtops, pocket computers, micro-laptop is something I've heard here but I don't like.  

I'm sure some saps in a marketing department will invent something, probably a three letter abbreviation.  I shall defy their evil! I shall resist!        

I shall just call 'em "Handheld Computers!"    
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: entius on March 07, 2005, 07:21:16 am
UPC
Ultra Personal Computer
Ultra Portable Computer

It is still not clear which of two is the best, but the "official" name is UPC.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: padishah_emperor on March 07, 2005, 10:34:16 am
Quote
UPC
Ultra Personal Computer
Ultra Portable Computer

It is still not clear which of two is the best, but the "official" name is UPC.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69604\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Yep, that's the kind of spinechilling thing I was expecting    I'll boycott that term too. RESIST! - It's "handheld computer" !!!  

As Professor Hubert Farnsworth said "it makes the tapioca rise in my gullet!"  
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: kahm on March 07, 2005, 06:52:12 pm
Quote
Quote
UPC
Ultra Personal Computer
Ultra Portable Computer

It is still not clear which of two is the best, but the "official" name is UPC.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69604\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Yep, that's the kind of spinechilling thing I was expecting    I'll boycott that term too. RESIST! - It's "handheld computer" !!!  

As Professor Hubert Farnsworth said "it makes the tapioca rise in my gullet!"  
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69629\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

This one is easy to resolve. It says it right on the Z itself:

Personal Mobile Tool.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: padishah_emperor on March 08, 2005, 07:47:07 am
Yep, I've fought on that platform before.

Actually claiming to have a PMT in my pocket has caused many strange reactions from female friends.  
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: xjqian on March 25, 2005, 09:36:05 pm
PSP is making a lot of noise recently, almost anywhere, Amazon, Circuitcity, BestBuy... My store seems sold out when I was in CircuitCity tonight. Just curious, any US Zaurus owner got it and played with it today?
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: BarryW on March 26, 2005, 02:31:34 am
Just got one today.  Man I wish the z's screen looked that good!!!  Set it up to my wireless network wasn't really that hard either.  It will go out to Sony's web site to download firmware updates when they are available.  Game play is pretty sweet.  Been playing Twisted Metal.  It's like playing a full sized playstation on a 4" screen in your hand.  It plays movies pretty good too.  Have not tried a mp4 movie yet, it's charging in the kitchen and I left my laptop at my wife's office so I can't get anything on it till it's fully charged. (I'm out of outlets in my computer room)  It uses a mini-B usb cable to attach to pc's and mac's for moving files to the memory stick.  Comes with a 32mb card, they go to 1Gb I believe.  I might stick in a sd card and see what it does, they are identical pinout wise.  


Oops, guess they aren't the same, maby it was the old memory sticks...
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: kahm on March 26, 2005, 02:38:37 pm
Quote
Just got one today.  Man I wish the z's screen looked that good!!!   
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What about the screen looks better than the Z's? The screen in the PSP is made by Sharp so I'd expect the technology to be pretty similar.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: nilch on March 26, 2005, 03:06:34 pm
Without having looked at the  screen...

Its firstly a bigger screen than the Zaurus 6000L
The screen on the PSP is a 4.3 inches big screen - thats impressive.

But again the resolution is only  480 x272 pixels  widescreen format
So that may not be so good as compared to the zaurus - but again - it depeneds on what you are using it for.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: BarryW on March 26, 2005, 10:10:29 pm
It's a little lower res, but not by much.  I guess it's just that the video looks sooo much better.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: boosalis on March 26, 2005, 11:36:35 pm
One thing that strikes me about this is the processor (mips R4400), and graphics engine, twenty years ago this same cpu was state of the art on a SGI graphics workstatiion costing $20K.  Hard to   imagine what the next twenty years will bring.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: B_Lizzard on March 27, 2005, 03:53:03 am
Well, the PSP, besides it's lack of a touch screen might become a really good PDA...People have started a PSP-Linux project down at PSP-Linux.org (http://psp-linux.org/) ... Thing is, most people in there don't know crap about Linux and are constantly bumping the forums with stupid info...


Well, check out one of the Topics I made (http://dan.liquidm3dia.com/gaming/pspboard/index.php?showtopic=6&st=0) and even contribute some of your knowledge....Cause we're lost.
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: tg on March 28, 2005, 07:53:27 am
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Hard to   imagine what the next twenty years will bring.
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Here are few random guesses about what is coming in next 20 years:

1. MS will release it's next os and office suite (it will include an almost finished version of .net and of course highly secure Outlook and IE with revolutionary tabbed browsing).

2. Intel and AMD will have their liquid cooled cpus at about 50Ghz - it will be required to open the latest MS office docs

3. Apple will release G5 powerbook (and it won't burn your lap to use it)

4. Apple will release 2 button wheel mouse

5. Linux will rule the desktop and we may even see Adobe release Linux photoshop in a last ditch effort to have people convert back from GIMP

6. And my boldest prediction:  Sharp will release clamshell Zaurus in US and Europe and will support it - it will have a wifi and also functional PIM in Sharp's strongest push to have it's software suite take market share back for Oz which will rule the blossoming PDA "desktop" market (Sharp may also go as far as to hire an English speaking developer to write their menu screens and help sections).
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: speculatrix on March 28, 2005, 09:47:48 am
Quote
One thing that strikes me about this is the processor (mips R4400), and graphics engine, twenty years ago this same cpu was state of the art on a SGI graphics workstatiion costing $20K.  Hard to   imagine what the next twenty years will bring.
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the MIPS processor has been under a lot of development in the meanwhile, so don't think of the PSP as having a 20 year old design.

the MIPS was also well designed, so it has stood the test of time, a bit like the Sun Sparc... compare to the x86 architecture which was a nasty hack of 8080, and is bloated and nasty in all its forms. The x86 should have never lived past the embedded 188 and 186 variants!!!

Paul
Title: Zaurus Vs Sony Psp
Post by: kahm on March 28, 2005, 06:38:16 pm
Saw a PSP for a brief moment today. Nice device - it's definitely on my wishlist. I'm going to go back and try Wipeout on it tomorrow.

The screen is bigger than the Z's, but my 860 screen is both brighter and has a better FOV, on top of having more than twice as many pixels.

Given that you're going to have to re-encode video anyway (and store it on Memory Sticks), coupled with the PSP's lack of keyboard and touchscreen, I'm not too worried about the PSP ever supplanting my 860 (or 3000 when I get it).