OESF Portables Forum
Everything Else => Model Specific Forums => Distros, Development, and Model Specific Forums => Archived Forums => Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker => Topic started by: TheWalt on January 19, 2011, 07:56:29 am
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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 (http://www.geekstuff4u.com/sharp-netwalker-pc-t1.html)
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That's a heck of a deal, compared to Conics wanting $583 for them.
How reputable is Geek Stuff 4 U, has anyone had any experience with them?
You shouldn't show me this stuff, now at that price I want one.
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Pretty cheap thanks.
Though I prefer the one the one with the keyboard.
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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It has an outdated version of Ubuntu installed (Sharp customized) and can't be upgraded.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.
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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It has an outdated version of Ubuntu installed (Sharp customized) and can't be upgraded.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...
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<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.
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I found a backup and restore option here on the Ubuntu Forum (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=35087) and I wondered if it would be useful for backing up/restoring the NetWalker.
If so, I may just have to break down and order one.
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Well, after all the hemming and hawing around, I finally got courageous and ordered the NetWalker PC-T1 tablet.
Hopefully all goes well with it.
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Hey dougeeebear...
That restore function shouldn't work, because it doesn't use GRUB.
But if you check: http://www.pulster.de/info/pdas/netwalker/netwalker-faq.htm (http://www.pulster.de/info/pdas/netwalker/netwalker-faq.htm)
You will see the only difference between the T1 and the Z1 is the keyboard.
Then again it won't brick if you keep everything default and don't add new repos for the latest software.
It will be updated this May, is that update to buggy or whatever then you always decide to try a recovery.
Congrats on your Netwalker T1!
Hope you will receive it soon and give us a little review
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But if you check: http://www.pulster.de/info/pdas/netwalker/netwalker-faq.htm (http://www.pulster.de/info/pdas/netwalker/netwalker-faq.htm)
You will see the only difference between the T1 and the Z1 is the keyboard.
Yeah, I saw that, but I think there may be a few software differences, such as the tabbed netbook remix interface, the automatic popup on-screen keyboard when entering a text field and bluetooth support.
It's possible the Z1 may have all that software support, and it's just not used, but I don't know.
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Ahh yes, forgot about that sorry. We should compare repro's then
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I just received an email from GeekStuff4U stating "We’re very sorry to tell that the Sharp NetWalker PC-T1 is now out of stock and that we had to cancel your order and refund your Paypal account."
It makes me think maybe they realized they were selling them too cheap, because when I ordered it the site showed availability was in stock.
Oh well, it might be for the best, given all the negative reviews and lack of interest and inactivity here on the forum.
But I'd probably still get one if the price was right.
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Well, the price wasn't too bad at PriceJapan (way better than Conics), so I just ordered one there.
Hopefully it'll be here in a few days.