Manufacturer: Sharp Model#: SL-55 Weight: 0..4lbs Height: 5..4"     Width: 2..9" Length: " Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars	Retail Price: $399.99 Online Sale Price:
Features: Linux/Java-powered handheld computer with 64 MB RAM, 206 Mhz Intel processor, and organization and productivity software High-resolution color reflective TFT screen with support for over 65,000 colors Integrated QWERTY keyboard that slides out from bottom of handheld Listen to MP3 or watch MPEG video; includes stereo headphone jack What's in the box: Zaurus SL-5500, EA-70 AC Adaptor, Docking Station (USB), AC Adapter and Power Cord, Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery, Stylus, Display Protection Cover, CF Slot Protection Card

User Submitted Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 PDA Reviews (cont...)

The problem, for me, lies with the software. The PIM software is cumbersome to enter data into, and it doesn't display things very nice. When you have things on the Palm, it gets more data on the screen by removing things like the gridlines on tables and the pretty borders -- after all, if you wanted that you'd use Windows, right? -- but the Zaurus has these and in my opinion clutters the screen with them.

The Zaurus is a bit frightening to use at first, as you really don't know what to do with it. The first thing I wanted to do was customise it -- change its colours and appearance. Problem being, you only have a few select colour themes to choose from.

The MP3 software is great, but the MPEG player always, without fail, locked the device up, resulting in it needing a reboot.

After a few weeks of use, the device seemed to have a memory leak or something, as switching on or off took longer than usual, and sometimes the device would not switch off at all.

Oh, and the top off my stylus has snapped. Do you think I can find a place easily that sells replacements?

On the other hand, Opera, the web browser, is amazing. Second to none. It's great being able to see fully-fledged sites on such a little device. And yes, it *is* possible...

This baby is just that -- a baby. It has a lot of growing up to do before it will become my companion. The only reason why I ditched my Palm IIIe for the Zaurus was because the Zaurus had more memory and expansion slots -- if my IIIe had these, I'd stick with it.

Date: 2003-04-15
To My Zaurus...
Dear Sharp Zaurus SL-5500:

I just wanted to take a minute to let you know how important you are to me. I probably don't tell you this enough, but you make a big difference to me in my life.

It is strange to think that it was only a few short months ago that I first started thinking about buying you. You seemed so aloof at first, so distant. I didn't know what to expect. I mean, I was pretty sure that I wanted to be with you. But I wasn't sure we would click as well as we do now.

I really enjoy being with you. Inputing data is so easy with you. And you came with so many great applications. True, at first, your battery didn't seem to last as long. But now that I have charged you a few times, it seems as though your battery is lasting longer and longer.

You were fairly easy to sync with my Windows 2000 O.S. And I was easily able to transfer address book information from my old Palm IIIxe to you just by beaming.

How bright your colors are! How fantastic the stereo sound performs! How fast your processor runs! How expandable you are!

I have easily been able to find stuff to install on you, everything from games to mortgage calculators to task managers, etc. Many useful informational websites about you exist, and they all help me grow closer to you.

Anyway, I just hope that we can continue our great relationship together for a long time to come.

All my love,
Your owner

Date: 2003-03-25
Pathetic software implementation
Unfortunately I've had to revise my opinion of the Zaurus way, way down as I started to learn its quirks more.

The software is pathetic. It looks like the PIM and Sync software were hacked together by a bunch of college students over a weekend. They really did not have to do much... all that they had to do was copy feature-for-feature the Palms which have been around for close to a decade now.

Backlighting is uneven. There is a dark area on the screen in the top right hand corner. Compare this to a screen from either the Palm Tungsten or any PocketPC and you will see what is missing.

The battery indicator is useless; and so is the battery. It lasts about an hour with the backlight. And spare batteries cost a fortune.

The fonts are poor. A lot of the screen is taken up by assorted 3-D buttons and scroll bars. The end result is that the effective resolution is more or less the same as a Palm 160x160 screen.

The image viewer cannot open large files.

Handwriting recognition is poor... on a PocketPC it recognizes all of my cursive handwriting without an issue. And Graffiti has worked for me since it first came out.

Sharp better get its act together pretty darn soon. Does not look like they are going to sell much unless they _way_ improve the GUI and reduce the price point to a more affordable level.

Date: 2003-03-24
I love my Zaurus
I'd just like to say that this PDA is working out like a champ. I have had a very pleasant experience with it. It synchronizes flawlessly with Outlook 2000. It plays music. I bought a Netgear MA701 CF wireless card for it, configured TCP/IP networking using the easy to use internet connection wizard, plugged it in, and within 3 minutes I was browsing the web at my local coffee shop.

I tried a Toshiba e335, and returned it after a week. This PDA is great.

Date: 2003-03-22
Amazing! Ultimate PDA!
I am absolutly amazed what this little and cheap thing
can do. It can do all standard PDA can (
calendar/office/e-mail/internet) but then there is a lot
of things that leave other PDAs in the dust:

0. Little keyboard rocks - VERY convenient
1. It is Linux/Java - powerful combination with a lot
of free, easy to install software. (It is Linux but
installation is as simple as PlamOS/Windows based PDAs -
no difference - download file and click on it!)
2. It has both commercial and free movie(divx including)
and mp3 players - my favorite is free mplayer you can get from
the web, you can encode DVD on Linux/Mac with mencoder
and fit 3 hours of VHS quality movies on a single 256MB
CF card !!!
3. Just snap a CF wireless card and you get network!
4. It has VoIP application (need to pay extra) tkcPhone
5. Both openssh and vnc are avalaible so you can use it
as remote terminal to your desktop in text and graphical
mode. Imagine using PDA on the couch in the living
room to control your PC in the office!
6. Uses SD and CF. CF is cheap and large - great for storing
movies. You can also connect network card/modem with it.
SD can be used for more permanent storage.

I can't imagine what more I would want from a PDA ...
I can think only about TV-out and TV-in so I can play
moveis from it on TV and watch movies on it from DVD player..
But I think this is something that even most notebooks
do not have and not a single PDA ...