SL6000 Questions and general Zaurus Q\'s

[jsilve1]

Hi all. I have several general questions about the SL6000.

1) Has anyone had success using USB devices with it? I know the specs say \"USB host compatible with Sharp products\" or something like that.  How about other (non-Sharp) products?

2) Has anyone installed OpenZaurus on the SL6000?

3) What is up with www.myzaurus.com? It appears to have stopped in time.  The latest news/info/updates on that site appear to be fro June, 2003.

4) What battery is the proper spare (model number, please) for the SL6000?

5) Should I just get the 5600 and save myself 300 bucks? (I saw a 5600 listed on Amazon for $289!!!)  Actuall, I will do the analysis on this one myself -- lessee, add in Wireles CF card, compare the screen size, hmmm... compute compute...I think I\'d go with the SL6000. But I just wanted additional impressions and comparisons between the new Zaurus and last year\'s Z.

6) Zaurus SL600 versus full-featured notebook. (e.g Dell Inspiron 1100, which I found refurbished for only around $800)  Pros/Cons?

Thanks, all.  I\'m sure I\'ll have plenty more questions.

[nevarrie]

Let me start by saying I still have not got my SL-6000($150 and I will)...I have been looking at getting a Zaurus for almost a year now and have really done alot of thinking of what I would uses my Z for.  When it comes down to it the 6000 seems to be the best match for me when looking at a getting a laptop, pocketpc, linux handheld, or palm os device.  

5) Should I just get the 5600 and save myself 300 bucks? (I saw a 5600 listed on Amazon for $289!!!)  Actuall, I will do the analysis on this one myself -- lessee, add in Wireles CF card, compare the screen size, hmmm... compute compute...I think I\'d go with the SL6000. But I just wanted additional impressions and comparisons between the new Zaurus and last year\'s Z.

My decision that the SL-6000 is right for me has to do with the fact I want wifi and I like the idea of the larger screen.  Having used both a 5600 and a SL-C700, the screen makes a big difference if you want to uses your Z as a portable computer.  Also having the CF slot open for a microdrive or 2gb cf card is nice since I want to have storage and wifi at the same time.  and with the expansion sled I am hoping to turn my Z into a portable computer that I can dock and uses a full size keyboard, mouse, usb harddrive, usb DVD/CD-RW, and have a 1024x768 xga cf card for video.  Being a unix admin I can uses the network as my computer when I am docked making a Z an X display.  From what I understand it is possable though I may have to do some development to make it work.

6) Zaurus SL600 versus full-featured notebook. (e.g Dell Inspiron 1100, which I found refurbished for only around $800)  Pros/Cons?

A 4\" is not as large as a laptop but then again the only time I have really like the fact of having a 14\" display on my laptop is when I am gaming.  to be able to take my computer and put it in my pocket and take it with me with out having to carry a large computer bag will be nice.  Though I do understand that I will still need to cary a computer bag for my Targus keyboard, extra battery, and sled.  Though I can not see all of that taking up as much space as a laptop does.  I am sure not everyone would agree though after using a palm os device for the past 5 years I can see myself being able to function better with a handheld computer then with a new laptop.

Anyone that knows please correct my misunderstands.

[anonuk]

why not treat yourself to an 860?? (Although i realise not all of ZUG are addicted yet :-))

[lpotter]

Hi all. I have several general questions about the SL6000.

1) Has anyone had success using USB devices with it? I know the specs say \"USB host compatible with Sharp products\" or something like that.  How about other (non-Sharp) products?

Havent tried yet. a 6000 will be available to me soon.

2) Has anyone installed OpenZaurus on the SL6000?

Not yet. But now I get to play with one, I hope there can be.

3) What is up with www.myzaurus.com? It appears to have stopped in time.  The latest news/info/updates on that site appear to be fro June, 2003.

No one knows. Sharp stopped supporting it apparently.

4) What battery is the proper spare (model number, please) for the SL6000?

Not sure, but there should be one available from Sharp somewhere.

5) Should I just get the 5600 and save myself 300 bucks? (I saw a 5600 listed on Amazon for $289!!!)  Actuall, I will do the analysis on this one myself -- lessee, add in Wireles CF card, compare the screen size, hmmm... compute compute...I think I\'d go with the SL6000. But I just wanted additional impressions and comparisons between the new Zaurus and last year\'s Z.

The 5600 has the CPU with a Linux workaround that slows it down. Although the 5600 is a nicer device than the 5500, as it has more memory.

6) Zaurus SL600 versus full-featured notebook. (e.g Dell Inspiron 1100, which I found refurbished for only around $800)  Pros/Cons?

Thanks, all.  I\'m sure I\'ll have plenty more questions.

cant stick a notebook into your shirt pocket.

[Ethereal]

The 5600 has the CPU with a Linux workaround that slows it down.

Many 5600\'s have the PXA 255, with the cache bug fixed.  Also, many owners of 5600\'s with PXA 250\'s have installed the \"special\" kernel which does away with the cache workaround without apparent ill effect. :?:

[Ethereal]

why not treat yourself to an 860??

Garghhh!  I am so fscking sick and tired of listening to the self-appointed \"Clamshell Aristocracy\" around here.  I\'m glad you love your little Barbie-doll-sized laptops; really, I am.  But this poster asked several questions, each and every one pertaining to the SL-6000.

Maybe he doesn\'t want a device that isn\'t supported by Sharp outside Japan.  

Maybe he doesn\'t want a device that is only about 35% screen.

Maybe he wants a device that is at least minimally usable without tying up both hands.

Maybe he wants 802.11b without sacrificing the CF slot.

Maybe he wants a Z he can safely drop from waist height onto a concrete floor...?

Sorry for the rant, but I really am weary of the snide arrogance of some of ZUG\'s clamshell owners who seem to think a tablet model is just something to keep one\'s hand from shriveling up and falling off while waiting for a C860 to arrive from Japan hidden inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.

My SL-5600\'s not perfect, but I wouldn\'t trade it for a boatload of smuggled CXX0\'s.

[lwong]

1) So far I succesfully connected a USB SD card reader and a portable hard drive to the USB. However, it didn\'t work with another mobile hard drive. The one that worked was assigned sda1. The other one was assigned scsi1 and I can;t mount it.

5) After you see the screen, you probably will go straight to 6000. The screen is definitely the biggest factor for me to keep it. It makes simple things like looking up calendar and contacts a joy.

A lot of group members rave about how great the C series are. But after seeing the screen of 6000, I will have to see the C series in person to be impressed.

FW

[DrWowe]

A lot of group members rave about how great the C series are. But after seeing the screen of 6000, I will have to see the C series in person to be impressed.
FW

I\'ve seen a C750 in person, at a ZUG meeting (thanks, Jerry)  It is definately a nice machine.  But I got my 6000 today, and I\'m very impressed.  The screen is by far the most gorgeous PDA screen I\'ve ever seen, and that includes the C750.  Built-in wireless clinches the deal for me.

When the wireless successor to the C860 comes out, maybe I\'ll think about importing.  We\'ll see.  In the meantime, I have a 6000 to keep me entertained.

[jsilve1]

why not treat yourself to an 860??

Garghhh!  I am so fscking sick and tired of listening to the self-appointed \"Clamshell Aristocracy\" around here.  I\'m glad you love your little Barbie-doll-sized laptops; really, I am.  But this poster asked several questions, each and every one pertaining to the SL-6000.

Maybe he doesn\'t want a device that isn\'t supported by Sharp outside Japan.  

Quite true!

Maybe he doesn\'t want a device that is only about 35% screen.

well, the clamshell\'s screen looks pretty nice from the pix i\'ve seen

Maybe he wants a device that is at least minimally usable without tying up both hands.

good point

Maybe he wants 802.11b without sacrificing the CF slot.

definitely true

Maybe he wants a Z he can safely drop from waist height onto a concrete floor...?

nice! has anyone \"tried\" this?

Sorry for the rant, but I really am weary of the snide arrogance of some of ZUG\'s clamshell owners who seem to think a tablet model is just something to keep one\'s hand from shriveling up and falling off while waiting for a C860 to arrive from Japan hidden inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.

LOL.

My SL-5600\'s not perfect, but I wouldn\'t trade it for a boatload of smuggled CXX0\'s.

Thanks for all the helpful and insightful answers, everyone. I\'m definitely getting the SL6000 now.

[piggity]

Just to add to this a bit, and it doesn\'t sound like you need anymore convincing.  I went from the SL6000 to the 860 and now back to the SL6000.  The screen, built in wireless, and the usability did it for me (its not real conveniant to have to hold a pda with two hands)!  Now if we could just get the socket bluetooth 2.5G card working for the 6000

[pierro78]

1) So far I succesfully connected a USB SD card reader and a portable hard drive to the USB.

that is really interesting !!   was this hard drive powered via the 6000 USB port or did you have to supply a separate power for it ? and what kind of drive was it ? Thx !

[lwong]

Pierro78,

The ones that worked is a laptop hard drive(40G) in an external casing. I use a desktop USB port to power the casing and Z assigned it to be sda1 once I plugged it in. I mounted it and it showed up in the document folder.

The one that did not work was a 20G portal HD. Since I don;t have the USB-to-power cable of this one, I plugged it into a powered 4-port USB hub. I tried before w/o using the hub and it caused the Z to hang immediately. Now i realized the Z may not have enough power to drive it by itself.

Anyway, when I connect it through the powered hub, Z recognize both the hub and the HD. It even stated it as a Fujitsu hard drive w/ 20G volume. This time the Z assigned it as scsi1. I tried the same trick by adding a line in a particular file (have to look for the file name) and mount scsi1, it failed to do so. The HD is from work so I don;t have it w/ me right now. If anyone is interested, I can try it again on Monday and post exactly what the message was.

FW





lwong wrote:
1) So far I succesfully connected a USB SD card reader and a portable hard drive to the USB.
that is really interesting !!  was this hard drive powered via the 6000 USB port or did you have to supply a separate power for it ? and what kind of drive was it ? Thx !

[pierro78]

Thanks Lwong for your answer.
I suppose your 20GB portable hard drive was a 1.8\" hard drive ?
For your information here is a thread with pictures where they tried to power a 40GB freecom 1.8\" hard drive through the toshiba e800 USB host port and it failed : http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthrea...e=&pagenumber=3

[lwong]

Actually, it\'s  co-worker\'s HD. He told me it\'s a laptop harddrive in a slim casing. If Z cannot drive an external HD byits own power, I might have to re-tink getting one. It\'s no fun carring so much cable and power adaptor when you go out.

FW

[cradlinski]

I\'m going to get an SL-6000 eventually, but I have a few questions for current SL-6000 owners (if you don\'t mind):

1) What is the width and height of the screen in mm?  I\'ve been in touch with the folks at NuShield about screen protectors for the SL-6000.  Currently, they don\'t offer any but if I can get them the screen dimensions they might have something that would work.

2) Has anybody connected a USB keyboard to an SL-6000?  Does it work?  How about an IR keyboard (specifically: the Pocketop)?

3) Has anybody used any non-WiFi networking devices on the 6000L, like a modem or cabled ethernet card?

4) When will the 6000W and 6000N be released in the U.S.?

Thanks for your time.

Chris Radlinski