New Low-end "tux Pda"

[ev1l]

someone correct me if I'm mistaken but I have still not seen anyone else releasing or even announcing anything similar - a lot of other manufacturers are releasing interesting stuff but always either keyboard and/or linux are missing[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Yeah, the HTC Universal is what you want, but good luck booting Linux on that thing.
Motorola has a Linux smartphone, but its GUI is dumb as a brick, it's not thumb-drivable, and has no keyboard.

Also, it is critical that some type of open rom is available early so we can for once get started properly out of the gate and not end up having to reverse engineer semi-functional proprietary drivers.

Also 100% behind you there.

Yikes that is asking a lot!

You expect to sell a device that offers no functionality?

Although if anyone were in a position to do something like that it would be a company like handheld-linux.com.

Nokia just did it. I doubt hh-linux could come up with 5% of Nokia's project budget. But they don't need to either (see next answer)

The niche in this market is not substantial enough really to support the proposed unit with competition from Nokia.

Nonwithstanding the fact the Nokia platform is clearly better ($350, better screen, and an integrated DSP). Like I've said before, you should be talking to companies who are making the devices into publishing their hardware specifications, not trying to develop your own doomed hardware project.
All the money spent on development can be spent getting a couple of Linux kernel hackers to port the kernel to a decent mobile platform, then plumping [a href=\"http://www.maemo.org/]Maemo[/url] or Qtopia on top of that.

Wo ho... be careful there ... there really arent that many Linux PDA's (consumer oriented) up there, so let them keep coming. At least for Linux to be viable on PDA's there has to be a minimum critical amount of PDA / Handheld releases and the obvious discontinuations of some models before people see it as a viable alternative.

They're getting discontinued because they're a bad alternative to PPC devices (which tends to murder your sales prospect), not out of old age.

[handheld-linux]

Now, as a dealer I would probably rather think about spending some money in furthering development of this Linux port and convincing Acer to either give me all of their remaining stock (IIRC the n10 is no longer manufactured) or possibly ask them for a good deal on a small production run of this existing design.

Dear all,

thanks to chrget's proposal, I have looked a little more at these opportunities and I can get some final stock of HP Jornada 565 devices and resell them at EUR 279,- (incl. German VAT of 16%, 24 months warranty, shipment within Europe only).

Here are some features:
* Windows Mobile 2002
* SA-1110 206 MHz
* RAM: 32 MB (the 568 would have 64MB but is not available)
* ROM: 32 MB
* 3.5" TFT

and a review: http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/hp565-review.html

This device is fully supported by the Familiar distribution (Linux 2.6 kernel):
http://handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/SupportedHandheldSummary
http://www.handhelds.org/projects/jornada56x.html

If you are interested, please contact us.

Nikolaus Schaller
The Handheld Linux Shop

[mars]

I don't know, but the Jornada 565 just doesn't excite me.

I have an ipaq 3600 collecting dust in a drawer -- which is of the same general era as the Jornada. I stood in line to get the 3600 when they first came out and eventually flashed familiar on it. When the time came for me to want to upgrade, I considered an ipaq 3800 and a Zaurus 5500. I got the Zaurus and haven't looked back since -- the built-in keyboard makes a huge difference.

To me, the Zaurus 5500 should be more like what you should be looking for in a budget priced linux PDA -- 64 MB ram (with root on SD card) and with built-in keyboard -- maybe you should buy up and refurbish and warrantee SL5500s?

The one utility that the PocketPC got reasonably right was the handwriting recognition -- being able to write in cursive anywhere on the screen and to have it recoginzed was killer. I could input text pretty quick that way.

[nequiem]

To me, the Zaurus 5500 should be more like what you should be looking for in a budget priced linux PDA -- 64 MB ram (with root on SD card) and with built-in keyboard -- maybe you should buy up and refurbish and warrantee SL5500s?

Handheld Linux already sells the 5500G. Geeks.com is also selling refurbished 5500's for $164.50 USD.

I wish more choices were available for Linux friendly stores to carry. Why not approach Unication about their new Magpie PDA? It has quite a few nice features for a low-end PDA. Price would need to be less than a C1000.  According to BargainPDA they are looking for resellers. http://www.uni.com.tw/magpie_pda.html

The Magpie seems to have gotten a lot of media attention for its VOIP capabilities, so it might be worthwhile to inquire.

[benplaut]

To me, the Zaurus 5500 should be more like what you should be looking for in a budget priced linux PDA -- 64 MB ram (with root on SD card) and with built-in keyboard -- maybe you should buy up and refurbish and warrantee SL5500s?

Handheld Linux already sells the 5500G. Geeks.com is also selling refurbished 5500's for $164.50 USD.

I wish more choices were available for Linux friendly stores to carry. Why not approach Unication about their new Magpie PDA? It has quite a few nice features for a low-end PDA. Price would need to be less than a C1000.  According to BargainPDA they are looking for resellers. http://www.uni.com.tw/magpie_pda.html

The Magpie seems to have gotten a lot of media attention for its VOIP capabilities, so it might be worthwhile to inquire.
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their site isn't working for me... any one else having problems?