Help me decide: SL-6000 or SL-C860?

[el_borak]

I'm about ready to upgrade my trusty SL-5500 and am torn between these two models.  My investigation seems to show the following:

Advantages of the SL-6000L

• Better screen (larger, brighter)
• Price ($400 vs. $560)
• Builtin WiFi

Advantages of the SL-C860

• Software support (OZ, custom ROMs, etc.)
• Better battery life (and more easily found extras)
• 128MB flash
• Smaller and lighter
• Better keyboard

Differences with no absolute winner (i.e. personal taste)

• Clamshell vs. portrait

Does that seem to about cover it?  Any other major differences I'm missing?

Before the recent price change I was not even considering the SL-6000L, but it has now become a serious contender.  In fact, probably the only thing that's kept me from jumping on the SL-6000L is the software support.  How far away is OZ 3.5.2 with "out of the box" tosa support?

Thanks for any assistance.  $400-$550 is too much money for me to spend without serious consideration.

[amrein]

Replying to Help me decide: SL-6000 or SL-C860?

SL-C3000.

[Mahoro]

If you don't mind bring an *Oversize*  PDA, 6000 is your choice.
Otherwise, 860.

5500 is already large enough for me.  like a quater larger then IPAQ 2210
6000 is consider as a *mini-laptop* then a PDA.....

[el_borak]

SL-C3000.

Nah.  I looked over the info available and it I'd rather have the SL-C860.  The C3000 costs more and interests me less.

[sriley]

For me, the clamshell will always win over the tablet.  I have a 5500 and a 760, there's just no comparison between thumbboards and I find the landscape orientation the most useful.

Yes, the C3000 costs more, but having 4 gigs of storage while leaving the CF slot open is a big, big plus.  Also, the 3000 is smaller than the 860 lengthwise and the 860 is smaller than the 6000 lengthwise.  My 5500 is actually more difficult to carry than my 760 due to its length, and I'm less worried for the screen on a closed clamshell as I transport it.

My $.02 says that the best choice would be the 3000 or the 860.  In fact, I'll be getting a 3000 as soon as I can.

[akpoff]

I've owned both the C860 and now the 6000 (on which I'm posting this).  I really like the look and feel of the 860.  Far and away it's the best looking and best feeling electronic device I've put my hands on -- even better than an ipod.  However, several factors pushed me to the 6000:

1) I found the screen harder to read than the 6000.  I think a combination of the lighting and the slightly smaller screen just made it harder to read than the 6000.
2) The keyboard was great but having to wrap my right hand around the wifi card was a PIA.  I tried several of the IR keyboards but missed the benefit of a normal sized keyboard so it was not a suitable replacement.  (I'm typing right now on my Microsoft wireless ergonomic keyboard yeah baby!).  I also found that for quick notes or calendar entries I'd rather slide down the keyboard cover on a portrait-mode PDA and tap it out than use HWR or an onscreen keyboard when the C860 was in portrait mode.  Sure you can twist the screen around to access the keyboard but I found that for those quick notes it was not as easy as with a portrait mode PDA.
3) USB host -- absolutely necessary to connect my external keyboard.  I hunted in vain for an IR adapter to turn a normal keyboard into an IR transmitting keyboard.  Now that I have the 6000 I've found uses for the USB host I hadn't anticipated -- I can use it on the road to transfer images from my camera CF card to an external hard disk.  I'm going to Mexico this coming week and plan to bring along a laptop HD I put into an external enclosure.  I can copy the images at the end of each day to the HD and reuse the same card the next day.  Sweet!
4) Portrait mode on the 860 proved less useful to me.  When I carry my PDA I make a lot of quick notes.  When I had the screen twisted around to be in portrait mode for quick access I couldn't tap out a quick note since the keyboard was under the screen.  Believe it or not I don't find landscape mode on the 6000 hard to use.  Typically I'm either using it in landscape to browse the web or I've attached an external keyboard.  In the Control Panel I swithced the rotation mode to go the opposite direction for landscape so the keyboard and navigation buttons are off to the right.  I can then hold the Z in my right hand, push the center button and it automatiicaly scrolls one page at a time.  Works great for me.
5) Inability to work around most of the above.  Had the C860 USB host mode, built-in wifi or better, both, I'd probably still have one.

A couple of things I really miss from the C860 -- Cacko.  Wow!  What a ROM.  The extra memory is also a real bonus.  Size -- the 6000 is bid.  If I hadn't found a case I really liked I'd be a bit more upset.  (Which case you ask?  I'll post a review and some picures online.).  On the whole, though, I think the 6000 is the better choice right now.  The newly announced 3000 looks sweet!  I like the inclusion of the navigation ring and button on the keyboard and the hard drive.  I agree with the several complaints about lack of wifi but understand Sharp's reasoning (in so much as we think we understand it).

Honestly I think you'll be able to like whichever you get.  They're both GREAT little systems.

--Aaron

[mussi]

Actually, I'd go for an 860.

Reasons behind this:

- size
- clamshell factor, but I can keep it 'inside out' like a real PDA

Although, if Sharp brought me a SL5500 sized unit with 256 MB of RAM, 64 MB of flash, and 640x480 as well as sound, I'd be a taker, given I can install OZ on it. I don't want wlan in it, and neither do I want a freakin HD, else I'll just use an OQO so I can have Linux, but from what I've seen so far, the OQO seems to suck profusely as it's not a clamshell, but a 'slider'.

[derekp]

Quesition for those who prefer the 860 over the 6000 due to the landscape keyboard...
If someone made a wallet-style case for the 6000 (similar to the piel frama cases for the 5500, but with the hinge on the side instead of the top), and if the flap had a built-in membrane keyboard, would that then make the 6000 more acceptable?
Second question, does anyone know where I can get a small membrane keyboard that I could integrate into a hand-made case?  Finally, anyone around here good at leather working that can make me such a case :-)

[nevarrie]

How far away is OZ 3.5.2 with "out of the box" tosa support?

This depnds on if you are talking OPIE or GPE...

I have found the curreent OPIE image for the SL-6000L for me is usable for almost everything I need...I find Konqurer is not as good as the Opera web browser but other then that I find OPIE to be as good or better then the default sharp rom...The few things that stop it from being "out of the box" right now as I see it are:

• Brightenss control
• GUI to uses builtin WiFi
• Suspend Issues
• Keyboard and Button mapping

for me the wifi is not a problem since I run it from the command line, I run my Z at full brightness most of the time, and I have the onscreen keyboard for the few things I have not mapped ont he keyboard...The suspend is the one both inthat my Z does nto always come out of suspend correctly, it turns on and then turns back off after 5  seconds...still trying to figure out that one...

As for GPE it is still a ways from being "out of the box", but I have found it can be usable for a portable but not great as a pda...

As you can tell for me the sl-6000 made the most since...I like the idea of built-in wifi and the larger screen...I uses a Targus IR keyboard most of the time when i really want to type or code, making the 6000 a true laptop replacement for me...The size really has not been a problem for me...I keep my z in my jeans pocket most of the time...I hope to add a 2gb+ cf microdrive at some point in the future, then I will have space and my wifi at the same time...

I recommend asking yourself what do you plan to uses you Z for.  The clans are great if you want clam that can be usable to type on a lot with out having to bring an extra keyboard, they look great too and they are small and portable...The 6000 has a great screen and builtin wifi leaving both slots open...