A Sharp Zaurus Mini Notebook?

[speculatrix]

google for "sharp muramasa cv50". it's slightly smaller than the flybook - about the size of an oversize paperback.

it has a beautiful display, but lacks wifi and bluetooth - so the very slightly larger flybook is more useful.

so, why isn't this forum full of people talking about the CV50 or flybook? My theory is that they're just too big to be pocketable - you can carry round the Z in your pocket very easily - even the heavier 3200 is not a burden.

both are x86 based so run linux very easily, and have enough processing power to run full motion video.

if you're willing to go even bigger, there's the Fujitsu Lifebook P7010 aka Loox T70/S

at the end of the day, performance, size, weight, screen size and keyboard utility make for a set of compromises. If you make something modular to give portability - like a mini laptop which requires docking station and external optical devices (no internal floppy or dvd etc), people complain because of all the extra dangly bits to be carried - but build them in and the thing's bloated and heavy.

[adf]

I wonder if it isn't price as well. a Zaurus @ 500-6x0 usd new is a hefty enough price.  2000 usd for a flybook is a bit much.  At that price pont it becomes neither fish nor fowl... too big to be ultraportable, too small and too 1g crusoe powered to be comparable to a similarly priced notebook from apple or dell or gateway....

For the same 2k usd one could have a zarus, a nice laptop, a good sized usb external hd and a few hundred change.

edit: on the other hand, a slightly larger zaurus with pretty much nothin but a little more screen (maybe a 4.5-5" 800x600 max?", more battery, more ram, bigger (8+?)microdrive, video accel/video out, wifi and bt for a hundred or 2 more might be pretty decent.

[cmonex]

This comes to mind:
http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeLandi...1056,74,00.html?

Not very successful, though fairly cool series. You can even put Linux or *BSD on them if you can find an archive that has the files still.

I don't see how an improved & modernised version would fair any better than that iteration, even running Linux. Especially now that you can get a full-power PC in a size not much larger.  Anything like a H/PC would now have to be priced very cheaply to even be considered versus a UMPC, particularly when sub-$600 UMPCs are expected. "Why run a Word substitute when you can just run Word?" will be the question most people will ask if something like what you desire comes out.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125473\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

erm... the HVGA version of sharp mobilon wasn't actually such a great line.. hm well the keyboard rocked but nothing else did...
the VGA versions were nice but too big for me.

i would still buy a hpc today..  but there aren't any new ones..

[cmonex]

I wonder if it isn't price as well. a Zaurus @ 500-6x0 usd new is a hefty enough price.  2000 usd for a flybook is a bit much.  At that price pont it becomes neither fish nor fowl... too big to be ultraportable, too small and too 1g crusoe powered to be comparable to a similarly priced notebook from apple or dell or gateway....

For the same 2k usd one could have a zarus, a nice laptop, a good sized usb external hd and a few hundred change.

edit: on the other hand, a slightly larger zaurus with pretty much nothin but a little more screen (maybe a 4.5-5" 800x600 max?", more battery, more ram, bigger (8+?)microdrive, video accel/video out, wifi and bt for a hundred or 2 more might be pretty decent.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125489\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

exactly my thoughts!!!

[Tom61]

edit: on the other hand, a slightly larger zaurus with pretty much nothin but a little more screen (maybe a 4.5-5" 800x600 max?", more battery, more ram, bigger (8+?)microdrive, video accel/video out, wifi and bt for a hundred or 2 more might be pretty decent.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125489\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

You would pay $700-800 for that? If you could get a UMPC for the same price, with better than everything you listed, would you still go with the 'Super Zaurus"? Could you explain your reasoning (either way)?

For myself, that only thing I need instantly would be my contact list, which has been absorbed into my always-on cell phone. Every other use I can think of myself using a mini-computer, whether work or play, the much higher processing power and storage capacity of the UMPC is worth the compromises, (battery life, boot up/resume from suspend time, etc.) if they get the prices down to a more competitive level.

[adf]

I'm betting the price will be much higher than that.

Also these things seem to be a child of Microsft and Intel...possibly cool, but to me it just sounds ominous.  I guess seeing debian or ubuntu on one of 'em might change my mind about that, though.

If they ran linux, and the price were as mentioned, and  they had keybboards... they might, as you suggest, be the better choice. they are a good bit larger than I had in mind, though and the battery life issue would bother me.  A smaller superzaurus with a 2700g(?) media processor and a bigger batterry...and a 1.8"  hd would be a better travelling companion..longer life, easier to carry good media playback, etc.

[cmonex]

Every other use I can think of myself using a mini-computer, whether work or play, the much higher processing power and storage capacity of the UMPC is worth the compromises, (battery life, boot up/resume from suspend time, etc.) if they get the prices down to a more competitive level.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125615\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

um, well, wrong thinking  (IMHO)
you can't exactly state battery life is the same as processing power. the user may need one of these more badly than the other.  

so, if the UMPC (and not just a UMPC but one that is this small. not all are small enough  ) is 1000$ and this zaurus is 600$ i would probably choose the zaurus

[BluePanther]

Last note on why Windows or not, it won't matter. The most popular MP3 player on Earth does not run Windows or a variant of Windows. And its not even from Microsoft. Apple proved that if it does what users want, at the right price, users will lap it up.  ... and you do not even need to have the Windows Start Button!
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

The iPod isn't a computer, though -- it doesn't do anything but play media. Well, it does a few other things, but it doesn't run programs or create documents, browse the web or send emails. It is fundamentally a viewer -- even its PDA-like functions are strictly read-only.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=124422\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

But there is a linux port in the works  [a href=\"http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page]http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page[/url]

[icruise]

Last note on why Windows or not, it won't matter. The most popular MP3 player on Earth does not run Windows or a variant of Windows. And its not even from Microsoft. Apple proved that if it does what users want, at the right price, users will lap it up.  ... and you do not even need to have the Windows Start Button!
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

The iPod isn't a computer, though -- it doesn't do anything but play media. Well, it does a few other things, but it doesn't run programs or create documents, browse the web or send emails. It is fundamentally a viewer -- even its PDA-like functions are strictly read-only.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=124422\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

But there is a linux port in the works  [a href=\"http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page]http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page[/url]
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I'm well aware of that, but running Linux on something doesn't make it a PDA. iPodLinux is still very music-focused and while there are some very simple programs that can be run on it, the lack of any kind of reasonable input device kind of makes it hard to do much with them. (And no, [a href=\"http://www.artm-friends.at/rm/ipodlinuxguidedtour/ipodlinuxguidedtour-Seiten/Bild5.html]using the scroll wheel to individually select each letter[/url] is not reasonable.)

[Tom61]

I'm betting the price will be much higher than that.

For the Super Z or the UMPC? There is already an announcement of a $600 UMPC due out in the fall. Most UMPCs to be in the $1500-1800 range for the ones you can get now.

Also these things seem to be a child of Microsft and Intel...possibly cool, but to me it just sounds ominous.  I guess seeing debian or ubuntu on one of 'em might change my mind about that, though.

It's more or less an OQO with an enhanced UI for small tablet use, not really a 'child' of either Intel or Microsoft. Many future UMPCs are Via C7 based. There are pics of at least one running Linux, though it was installed before the company had access to 'Origami'.

If they ran linux, and the price were as mentioned, and  they had keybboards... they might, as you suggest, be the better choice.

A split-onscreen keyboard (like 'dialkeys') would seem to me to be as good as a thumbkeyboard, though I haven't tried it in person. You can't touch-type on either, but you can get a decent speed with your thumbs.

they are a good bit larger than I had in mind, though and the battery life issue would bother me.  A smaller superzaurus with a 2700g(?) media processor and a bigger batterry...and a 1.8"  hd would be a better travelling companion..longer life, easier to carry good media playback, etc.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125618\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Understandable.

um, well, wrong thinking  (IMHO)

Could you explain your reason for your opinion.

you can't exactly state battery life is the same as processing power. the user may need one of these more badly than the other.

Battery life is typically inversly related to processing power. Could you explain why you would choose one over the other?

I choose processing power. I sometimes need to open large PDF files in not much time. I also like gaming. Unwinding with a quick game of Unreal Tournament 2004 sounds heavenly.

so, if the UMPC (and not just a UMPC but one that is this small. not all are small enough  ) is 1000$ and this zaurus is 600$ i would probably choose the zaurus
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125628\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

And if the prices were the same, or even reversed?


I guess I should explain my viewpoint a bit more. I just finished a year of University, so many of my thoughts are formed based on that kind of environment. I can just imagine throwing a UMPC in the volume of space above the books in my backpack. Downloading and opening up a PDF of the lecture notes over the union's WiFi before class, either for notetation during class, or to study for a quiz would be quite handy. Access to nearly any game, whether native x86 Linux, through Cedega, or even booting into Origami, for a quick game during longer breaks between classes. A quick internet surf during breaks, or even lounging at a friend's, apartment without having to carry around a laptop.