[Gllug] PDAs

[Tethys]

Richard Cottrill writes:

>The old Sharp Zaurus is a contender, but I'd like built-in blue
>tooth. iPAQs seem the most common target for a Linux implant, but I'm
>only interested if I can get all the features to work (particularly
>blue tooth).

Oddly enough, I've just got both an iPAQ and a Zaurus to evaluate.
My criteria were to have something that could support an ssh client,
and connect to the Internet via a bluetooth mobile phone. Impressions
so far:

Zaurus:
- Being able to open up a terminal and be presented with a bash prompt
  is a thing of beauty.
- I miss having a pipe on the keyboard. It's on the screen keyboard,
  but I use it enough that I'd like it on the foldout "real" keyboard.
  I might look into finding a key remapper for it.
- No bluetooth. This is the biggie. I got a Compact Flash bluetooth
  card, but 1) it sticks out of the top, which makes the form factor
  of the machine less appealing to stick in a pocket for example,
  and 2) it doesn't work :-) Looks like the shop sold me one that's
  not yet supported by the Bluez bluetooth stack.

iPAQ:
- Ye Gods, does PocketPC suck compared the Zaurus' QTopia. Whereas the
  Zaurus is simple intuitive, and everything is right where you expect
  it to be, the iPAQ is a nightmare of twisty little passage, all the
  same. Even though the supposed familiarity of Windows should help
  here, I just found it obscure and hard to follow. Setting up a
  modem connect, for example, was like pulling teeth.
- No native ssh client that I can find. Rumour has it that there's a
  Java one available. But failing that, the only option is to replace
  Windows with Linux. As you might imagine, I'm mortified at the
  thought :-)
- You'll struggle to buy an iPAQ with decent Linux support. The only
  ones available (at least on TCR) are the newer models (3800 and up).
  Linux support is reasonable (including Bluetooth, apparently) on the
  3800, but it's sketchy at best on the 3900 and 5400 models. I'm not
  sure if X works on anything but the 3600/3700 yet. Since I have a
  3800, I'll be trying a Linux install in due course...

Summary: if the Zaurus had native Bluetooth support, it'd be a a hands
down winner. As it stands, neither will yet let me remotely support my
machines (which is the purpose of getting the PDA). Once one (or both)
of them are in a state to do that, I'll be able to make a decision on
which is more appropriate.

Tet

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