Advice on purchase

[henrysviper]

Hello everybody

For the last month I have been doing some painstaking research (incuding reading this forum carefully!) on buying a PDA. After the first few days of research I concluded that it has to be one of either SL-5500 (from ebay) or C700 (from conics.net?). My budget is very tight and the C700 is the limit of what I can afford.

I want the PDA mainly for reading electronic documents (I have lots of them waiting to be read, most of them are papers in PS or PDF) and secondary as a \"tiny laptop\" that would allow me to do some basic work (like write some code in vi, reply to e-mail etc.). (I would like also to use it with a GPS receiver for navigation but that\'s not so important). I do not care at all for \"normal\" PDA functions. (I should note also that I am a quite experienced Linux user).

I know of course that the C700 has a very nice 640x480 screen and a good keyboard, but my question is if these improved features will actually allow me to do something \"more\" with the machine. I mean will it be \"really better\" to read documents on the C700, or will it be really easier to write things on it (considering that the better keyboard may not be needed after all since both have handwriting recognition)? In general would I be able to do things \"better\" on the C700 or not?

My main concerns for the C700 are that it is imported and that it is more expensive :-(.
If the C700 is not offering significantly more functionality than the 5500 then maybe it is more prudent to buy a 5500.

I am very interested in the opinions of people that own zaurii of both designs. I would be very grateful for any advice.

[DrWowe]

For all of the tasks you mentioned, you\'ll appreciate the 640x480 screen.  I know I will never buy another PDA without one.  You may also find coding slightly easier on the C700 keyboard, although even better would be an external wireless keyboard, which will work with any Zaurus.  The Pocketop folding keyboard comes highly recommended and is becoming very cheap.  (I bought one for $30 on the clearance rack at Staples recently).

[Miami_Bob]

henrysviper -

Not sure about the C700, but the C860 runs all 5x00 programs that I\'v tried and the screen can be in landscape or portrait mode for reading.

Whichever way you decided, you will have a good machine, though.


Bob W
Miami FL

[zbones]

If you can afford it, go for the c700 and you will not regret it.

The hwr is poo so don\'t entertain it, if you want to code then you will need a keyboard, and the difference in the 5500 keyboard and the clamshell is like night v day.

The 640x480 screen is also a must for coding shell scripts.  With the 5500 screen vi wraps round and makes a nasty mess of your layout unless you use it in landscape mode which means your keyboad is then sideways.

It\'s a shame you can\'t afford the c760 / c860 but the 700 is still a significant improvement over  the 5500 and would probably hold it\'s value more. Not that you would be selling it unless you upgraded.

Peter

[DrWowe]

If he could afford a C860, I would recommend an SL-6000 + pocketop keyboard instead.

[SharpEnd]

If he could afford a C860, I would recommend an SL-6000 + pocketop keyboard instead.

Why?  I happen to prefer the clamshell series (that\'s what the C stands for, right  ) because of size and having the \"bigger\" keyboard always available.  IMHO.

[padishah_emperor]

I\'ve had a C series machine(860) and a 5500, get the C700 if you can.  The 5500 is a great machine, the C700 is even better plus having a machine which can be a palmtop like a mini-laptop or flipped around tablet/PDA style really improves the usability depending on circumstances. The keyboard is excellent, in \'laptop\' mode on a desk, I can type faster than on any device I\'ve had before, I wordprocess on my Z exclusively now. The screen is great, you can get more on the screen, I use many PDF\'s and eBooks, you will have to scroll all over with a 5500. The C700\'s faster CPU will be helpful when handling large PDFs, I have huge engineering diagrams which are much easier to work with on my new machine.

The 5500 was the greatest \'computer\' I ever owned, my C series (860 in my case) takes that greatness further by making it more like a laptop, plus I can use it as a \'PDA\' IF I want.

The person I gave my 5500 to is now saving for his C series, probably a 2nd user C700 from conics too. (I\'d recommend the audio remote control from Conics too)

You will not regret it. Get the C700 ;-)

[DrWowe]

Why?  I happen to prefer the clamshell series (that\'s what the C stands for, right  ) because of size and having the \"bigger\" keyboard always available.  IMHO.

To save time, I\'ll refer you to Ethereal\'s eloquent post on Apr 30, 2004 - 04:42 PM, right in the middle of the page:

http://zaurususergroup.com/index.php?name=...3774&highlight=

[ScottYelich]

gimp, firefox, dia, gcc ... etc.  This thing is awesome!

get the C!

[henrysviper]

Hello again

I would like to thank all of you for your replies (this is a very nice forum, indeed!).
You persuaded me! I\'m getting the C700 very soon. I am actually quite lucky: just a minute ago my advisor (I am a PhD candidate) told me that he will try to arrange it so that the university will pay some part of it. If this happens, I may be able to go even for the C750...

[ScottYelich]

Isn\'t there a c700 listed forsale in another forun here on ZUG?

Scott