Sharp's Zaurus SL-C3000 appears in the East with 4GB hard drive

The newest Zaurus from Sharp has risen with some nice new features, including a built-in 1-inch 4GB drive and the standard 128MB of RAM.  It also features some new interface tweaks like a control pad that replaces the previous arrow keys.  With all this new stuff and the new moving parts, Sharp is claiming a decent 7 hours of battery time for the SL-C3000, down from about 8 hours for the SL-C860.  Other niceties include the ability to operate as a USB drive, SD and CF slots, irDA, and media playback of MP3, WMA, and MPEG-4 video files.  Expect the new Zaurus to go on sale November 15 in Japan.  You should be able get your sweaty mitts on these in the West shortly thereafter. Click to see some more pics.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[PixelBrat @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Finally, a PDA with a hard drive! Why did it take them so long? Hopefully this is the way future PDA's and cellphones will go. It's only logical!

[Justin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

... but... I assume it'll have built-in WiFi like the previous units. With that WiFi running, it'll knock the battery down to 3 hours max more than likely.

I'd kill for a WiFi handheld that ran for 5+ hours with WiFi just turned ON... =)

[tke918 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

As I remember, zaurus series never had built-in wifi. But anyway, this one looks good.

[jamesm @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

No wifi built in I'm afraid.

According to some, this is because the market in Japan just doesn't call for it.

Wifi/BT/etc to be provided by card expansion.

[Kapila Wimalaratne @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Unless Apple announces a vPod (or palmOne announces a Treo with a hard drive) before this Zaurus is released it'll probably be the last mobile device I get for a long while.

Kap

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

It's nice to know that by the time that my UX-50 dies there'll be some highly evolved replacement. Maybe the fourth generation of this machine will actually get an english-language release and an OS makeover.

One thing I don't understand though: what's the big deal with the hard-drive? The Zaurus's always had a CF slot -- couldn't one always put in a microdrive if they wanted too? I guess if this HD is internal then it opens the CF slot for the wifi...

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

No wireless options on board mean EL-JUNK-O!

What were they thinking?

[Kapila Wimalaratne @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

>One thing I don't understand though: what's
>the big deal with the hard-drive? The
>Zaurus's always had a CF slot -- couldn't
>one always put in a microdrive if they
>wanted too? I guess if this HD is internal >then it opens the CF slot for the wifi...
>
I hadn't realised that microdrives had come out in 4Gb sizes. Even better - 8 Gb total. :-)

Actually, there are three reasons why I'm enthusiastic about this device:

1) Unlike mobile phones (like the Treo), this device actually has just enough storage to usefully carry around video clips

2) Unlike the OQO and Archos, the Zaurus looks like it has a *decent* thumb keyboard (never known Sharp to make a bad thumb keyboard)

3) It has a proper operating system (Linux) which *isn't* Windows based

Kap

[C. Galtenberg @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Adding a hard drive takes away one aspect of the Zaurus that I like greatly... it's silent. It's why I prefer the Z over my laptop.

Or are the new mini hard drives virtually silent anyway?

[Kapila Wimalaratne @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Well, it comes with 128Mb of RAM as well, so unless you're doing things with big files it'd probably be quiet most of the time anyway.

Kap

[christopher wanko @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

The microDrives are pretty quiet; I own a Creative muvo2 and I can't hear it spinning up or anything... and no, not while using the headphones either.

So a PDA with a 4Gb hard drive *is* a big deal because the CF-micros are all available... for the price of the entire PDA itself. I don't understand the market at all, and I don't think the vendors do, either. People were buying muvo2's and tearing out the microDrives just to plug them into their digital cameras.

Hi, there's clearly a market for them and no, people are not willing to pay $400 for the drive if they can buy a muvo2 for $200 and remove the same drive... and then try to sell the shell on eBay or Amazon with a 64Mb CF card in it ("Like New!")

Just sell them $20 lower than the actual device. People will buy them, and maybe the margin isn't as high but so what? You'll have market share, which equals investment in the form of your stock price.

-C

[Kimi @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Actually, this new zaurus is bigger than OQO.
Zaurus: 124x87x25mm
OQO: 124x86x23mm

But Zaurus has a smaller screen.
Zaurus: 3.7" 640x480 LCD
OQO: 5" 800x480 LCD

But OQO is 100g heavier and 3x more expensive. Hmm... which one I should buy...

[Kimi @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

4GB microdrive is no longer that expensive. It costs just $169(AR) at J&R or other store.
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3948722

[Martin Janson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

I have had several PPCs, including the UX 50. Can not wait to put my hands on this one and my PC set up will be complete for couple months > )

Got a Linux server for my emails and webpage blogs. A powerfull pc for heavy duty work on Win32 and Linux, a Tablet pc m200 with Fedora 2 for portable work and soon a cool PDA


Bless tech toys. Any idea when it will be on the market?

[Will @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

It doesn't have mobile phone functionality as well though, does it?

When will someone bring out a PDA/Mobile Phone/Mp3 player with a hard drive?

[Lynda Botez @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

This new Zaurus looks too small next to the c-860. The screen looks smaller too that the 760 and 860.

I love my 860. I would really like the built-in hard drive AND the larger RAM, but in the same size as the current 860.

I also don't understand why they don't have built-in WI-FI. Don't understand it. I don't like using my CF slot for a wi-fi card.

Hopefully they will still continue the 860 line... but maybe not.

[tokyo-dragon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

SHARP announces they will continue the 860 line, and also announces they planned to make "more Mail-Friendly version".

[Conics @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

http://conics.net/shp/pda/zaurus-sl-c700/sl-c3000/wpc2004/index.html
Pictures of the Sharp SL-C3000 tested in English

specs
http://conics.net/shp/pda/zaurus-sl-c700/sl-c3000/index.html

[Charles Hoard @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

1. How is this unit with email (POP)? The new iPaq (carried by T-Mobile) seems to choke up a bit.
2. Are there recommended CF cards for wi-fi, bluetooth? Everyone does not make linux drivers for their gear, you know.
3. Is there third party software to sync it with Outlook, or better yet, Apple Address Book/iCal? I would be using it with my Mac 80% of the time, but need to hook into the Windows Outlook at work.

Finally - a PDA with enough storage to be useful!

Chas

[christopher wanko @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

It has a CF-II slot and with a $169 microDrive, you have a 4Gb handheld with integrated WiFi and Bluetooth. And accelerated graphics. And PocketPC 2003. And immediate availability.

I hate to say it, but Palm is dead. Only Treo keeps that PalmOS afloat in any form of relevance.

[TX @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Actually, the Zaurus SL-6000W had both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built-in.

It's true to say that the clamshell line never had Wi-Fi, but completely false to say the _Zaurus_ never had it.

[jean pierre moreau @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Is it EXACTLY the same screen as in the 860?
In that case it would be a rather old design.
why not have used, at least the second to none device which works perfectly in the SL 6000, so much praised around the world :this display design is newer and far much better.

In case of still using an older and inferior one that would represent a step backward for SHARP most expensive and sofisticated PDA...!

WHEN VGA'S SCREENS APPEAR EVERYWHERE: what a big MISTAKE should it be...!
WHO could help us to understand better the situation.
Which screen comes now with the SL-C 3000?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[Rudy Vitale @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

If it doesn't have WIFI you�re selling a broken machine. Would you buy a car without the tires?
How would you sit at home on your couch and browse the satellite TV guide while watching TV?
Why would I purchase a WIFI card when it should have been installed in the first place?
Hey, was this thing built on a Friday???

[Neodymium @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Getting a WiFi CF card isn't a problem.

I know I'd rather have a smaller unit than a slightly larger one with WiFi onboard. It also means you get a choice, which is good... look at the crappy, poorly supported Intel WiFi chips they're putting in Centrino laptops.

As for me, I just picked up an SL5500 off of eBay to see what all the fuss is about. I want a C-series already!! :D

[Patrick @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

I'm going to wait a few weeks to get the new Archos - 80GB hard drive, Linux powered, no keybaord I'm afraid but touch screen and Graffiti, dedicated processor for divx encoding and decoding, integrated wifi and compact flash reader...

A bit awkward to enter shell commands with the touch screen, tho... ;)

[Troy McGee @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

to quote Dynamism "(Sharp may not integrate any wireless technology because there are so many options in Japan; instead of marrying the Zaurus one of them, they leave the architecture open.)"

www.dynamism.com/sl-c3000

The SL line of Zaurus are not intended for US or Europe markets. Don't wine that it does not fit your need, if it was not intended for your market anyway.