Recommendation for new ppc

I am looking to buy a pocket pc that has a keyboard. I have noticed that there are several made, though I think only one is being sold now. They all seem to be able to do the basic tasks. I am hoping to get one of them that has a good enough screen to be able to show video on. Can those of you who have this kind of computer give me some suggestions or recommendations? I am hoping to stay under $150.

Thanks

Tom

How about the Sharp Zaurus SL-5500? On sale for $169.00 it has an open-source Linux/Java-based platform, nice machine.

http://www.usedhandhelds.com/nustore/product.asp?numRecordPosition=3&P_ID=272&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=74

Refurbished with 90 day warranty
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SL5500-R&cat=PDA

Nice price Snappy!

Or you can try ebay too, they're going for like $170

170??? that isn't toomuch!....
oh wait it is qvga only...

Talking of which, I was eyeing up some much more modern clamshell Zarus and I was thinking for the future if it would be possible to get a Zarus and wipe the OS off the Zarus, then repace it with Windows CE. Is it possible? Or am I heading for a dud device if I do? The specs seem simliar, so I cannot see that it isn't theroactically possible.

It would be an interesting development as it would show that the Handheld platform wouldn't be dead, just buy a copy of Windows CE and a completely different handheld.

Your thoughts

Try the geeks link, its $129 + shipping

Now that I cracked my SL10's touchscreen ...



Theoretically, its possible. BUT ... and that's a big but(t)! ... You need platform Builder, and must know the specs for the device (in this case a modern clamshell Z, like SL-760/860/1000/3000/3100 etc) and have drivers for it. Its kinda like installing Windows 9x or XP on a new mobo with the latest greatest hardware and not have the drivers, the result is that you can/may run it and boot up, but have to run it in a semi-safe mode where the 128MB Radeon video card is displaying at VGA-8bit mode! ...

In the case of the PC, its slightly better, because most of the other critical parts are standardized and not really changed for years anyway, like the storage (IDE, ATA interface for drives and CD/DVD ROMs), input devices (like mouse, keyboard, joysticks) etc. In the case of handhelds, most manufacturers may have their special chipset for a variety of peripherals. So its going to be pretty tough there, unless you have a legion of wince-zealots writing drivers for you *AND* access to the device specs (which possibly could be had from the linux boys! )

For modern devices that use slightly standardized components, the driver issue might be lessen, esp with the CPU like Intel XScale becoming ubiquitous! In the case of the linux folks, they have the advantage of an OpenSource OS to start off with. PLUS the whole "if its not there, code it" mentality.

Maybe when enough hobbist developers own HPCs, this "IINTCI" mentality will grow into the community ...

(if IINTCI becomes a catchphrase, you heard it here first! )

Mega cool! Does anyone have one of these? What is typing like on it? I am going to install Linux on my P2 in a couple of weeks and always wanted a baby penguin in the family to keep it company. I have read a few websites about this but am not sure what to expect in the way of performance or utility. It does, though, seem to have a plug for an external microphone!

Aya! It has a dinky keyboard. I have been looking at the compaq aero 8000, a couple of the HP Jornada's, the Mobilpro. They have keyboards on them that, while not full size are something you can probably use 2 hands at the same time. I am hoping to be able to watch VCD's and to type letters, memo's etc with this machine while I travel by train.

T

Well you asked for a PPC and those are limited in keyboard size if they have them at all. The HPCs are better for what you just described. Alot of them have full sized KBs.

I have to say this story again, sorry guys


I started off with Pocket PCs, a Compaq iPAQ 3870 which I still use, much later, I brought a much older NEC mobile pro, after 8 - 12 weeks of the MP, I'd rather much use that than a pocket PC. The real big annoyance was the typing speed, yes, I could get keyboards to clip o the underside, but that was added inconvience and it also meant that I couldn't really use my iPAQ in my hands (and type one handed) or on my lap, plus the price was unattractive. Thumb keyboards were considered and my friend (who has 2 3660s) had one, I didn't like the look of them. The other down side is that I have PCMCIA storage cards as well as PCMCIA I/O cards and CF cards with PCMCIA adapters. I could go over to straight CF, but compatailbity is one issue, second issue is price. The keyboards would have to accept me using the PC card jacket ALL THE TIME.

Thats where the MP was a winner, it had PC card and CF built into the unit, no jackets, no more fiddley add-ons (although I wish I had a "Presenter-to-go" jacket for the iPAQ!), the MP keyboard was a delight to use, it felt just like my laptops keyboard, in fact, for the first couple of days, I thought it was a laptop and ended up looking for a track pad! (err track pad? Don't you mean the screen?). The keyboard makes things easier to type on, because my handwriting is appauling and to some "un-intelligiable". The mobile pro is soo light, it can stay in my hands and I can still touch type, I can use it virtually anywhere. Someone on the internet had to say that tehy laughed when bussiness executives with a handheld PC had to sit down and find a table, whereas he could use his PDA in his hands anywhere, I have to laugh at him, since a skill can be mastered. Laptops are extremely difficault to actully hold and type in one hand, I found on numeous occasions,espeically by bus, just managable, but god!! It does my arms in.

So, as my story tells, I think intergrated keyboards are better, rather than a seperate keyboard. PPCs maybe cheaper (mine was £420 when new), but they are well worth the investment.

huh, you're actually able to hold an MP with one hand ? hmmm .. you should see it is even easier to do with a jornada i can't do it comfortably with the MP.. jornada so-so.. but in any case i don't use my pda's this way.

yeap, me too! I prefer to use my HPC on a table or lap, like a mini laptop! Then I can make full use of the keyboard with two hands and type at near full speed!

Now I get by with the onscreen keyboard or calligrapher on the SL4. The SL4 is really good on most fronts, except for the keyboard or lack thereof. Guess nothing's perfect!

And now that I heard of the amnesiatic-FLASHROM in the MP900(c)s ...

I guess the only modern HPC left with 4.2 and high end hardware is either a Sigmarion III, Nexio (which is only almost a HPC with the keyboard) or a NetBook Pro! ...

no it isn't the flashrom that is buggy. it is the power system of the device (resulting in rom corruption sometimes), but only on the "plain" 900's. i've never heard of the 900C having this power problem..