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TurboLinux's Wizpy bootable Linux PMP reviewed
We witnessed the birth of TurboLinux's Wizpy, watched it strike out in earnest and eventually earn a living on the mean, PMP streets. So how has the wee, bootable Linux distro cum PMP fared? Well, according to a review over at LinuxLookup, it's a nice piece of kit and all although a bit finicky. 1GB of the 4GB is reserved for the OS and fully functional desktop (Firefox, OpenOffice, Skype, etc.) with the remaining 2.8GB allocated to OGG/WMA/AAC/MP3 audio and DivX video. However, as the reviewer points out (and we agree) the $290 price tag will limit its appeal to early adopters and Linux fanboys. Actually, strike the latter, any fanboy worth his salt will build his own bootable DAP (without the tiny 1.7-inch screen) for less than $40. Poor poor Wizpy, why'd you have to become such a snob?
TurboLinux Wizpy on sale 'worldwide' this month
Good news for folks waiting patiently for a DAP that allows them to carry a complete Linux desktop in their pocket, as TurboLinux has announced that its Wizpy device will go on sale to most of the world sometime this month. Users in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, India, and Singapore can expect the final unit to include a 1.7-inch color OLED display, text viewer, FM radio, and play nice with Ogg, MP3, WMA, XviD, MPEG4, and JPEG formats. Although the aforementioned countries should receive shipments sometime this month, a non-English language version should ship to other countries in late 2007 or early 2008. Interestingly, it sounds like the 2GB flavor will only be available to Japanese customers, while the other locales will have to be happy with a 4GB iteration that will cost around $278.
TurboLinux's Wizpy in the wild
No matter how legit a device might look to begin with, it's always encouraging to see a few pics of it in the real world, just to ease our anxious souls. Well, it looks like TurboLinux's Wizpy can official join the ranks of living, breathing devices, now that Impress Watch has gotten a hold of the little Linux number. Not much more real info about this guy, just the usual PMP / Linux-booting fare, but if that 33,800 yen pricetag for the 4GB version is a bit steep, you might be glad to hear TurboLinux has a 2GB version on the way as well, which should cost 29,800 and drop at the same time on February the 23rd. Peep a few less glossy pics after the break.
TurboLinux's Wizpy: bootable Linux on a PMP
We've all seen plenty of Linux computers on a stick before, right? But check the TurboLinux Wizpy which brings all that portable Linux PC and USB mass storage goodness wrapped inside a DivX capable MP3 player. The Wizpy features a 1.7-inch OLED display, 4GB of flash memory, an FM radio, and additional support for OGG/WMA/AAC formats. It comes pre-loaded with Turbolinux Fuji and a smattering of apps such as Firefox, Thunderbird, Skype and ATOK input for Japan -- chewing up about 1.5GB of the total capacity -- turning just about any host into your personal Linux PC complete with cookies and customizations. The device measures in at 60-grams / 84×42×12.2mm which is about the length and width of the iPod nano but nearly twice as thick. Another model with an SD card slot is in the chute but won't be ready in time for initial launch this February when the Wizpy hits Japan for an expected ¥30,000 or right around $254. [Via Impress]
