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Old 10-12-2005, 10:09 PM   #3
StuBear
Member
StuBear began at the beginning.
 
Posts: 23
Karma: 25
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Osaka, JAPAN
Device: Zaurus SL-C1000
Damm, I thought this was a new Zaurus, but it's the SL-C3100 that came out in July.

For more info on the Zaurus line and what people are doing with this wonderful device head on over to www.oesf.org/forums (previously known as ZaurusUserGroup). There are a bunch of posts/threads bemoaning the fact the Sharp hasn't seen fit to bring these out anywhere but Japan.

The pdaX group have made a ROM image that converts your Zaurus into a full linux install running X11 so almost anything you can run on a linux desktop you can run on the Zaurus.

The main rason that the Zaurus doesn't have wifi or BlueTooth is that wifi is just really starting to get its feet in Japan, while BlueTooth is almost no existant. There is just no market for it yet.

The number of hotspots (both free and commercial) is really low, basically if you aren't in downtown Tokyo or Osaka, then you aint getting connected. Currently in Japan the main internet on the run connection is the old phs standard(an early mobile phone protocol), but you are only looking at around 64Kbps.

Fortunately, however, it looks like the wifi bug has finally bitten in Japan, and consumers are starting to take this into consideration. The number of home wifi networks around my home and office have jumped 10 fold over the last 3 months. But you still can't get connected in most Starbucks here yet.

Stu
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