Palm has just announced that their next generation of PalmOS will actually be Linux-based. This is certainly a big switch, as Palm is known for keeping their OS proprietary. I’m sure that hackers around the world will rejoice at the change.
No word on what prompted the move, but apparently it will not be using the Access Linux Platform that was developed by PalmSource. They will instead be using software such as Opera and ChatterEmail for browsing and messaging.
Dell Axim users will be disheartened to hear that Dell has decided to stop production of the entire line. Wait, no one is still using a Dell Axim? I guess that would explain why they decided to kill it off.
How many people do you know that carry a dedicated PDA? Personally, I don’t know anyone that does. Everyone seems to have switched over to phones that can do it all for them. I guess there must still be a market for them because Seattle-based design firm Teague has released a concept for a new HP device.
Anyone got an idea where SII might’ve looked to get “design inspiration” for their DB-J990 electronic dictionary? No? Well, I’m sure the Sony VGN-UX50 is blushing right about now. But aside from flattery through imitation, does the J990 hold up? To be fair it’s not just a dictionary; it also has the Mobipocket eBook reader, an mp3 player, supports Word, Powerpoint, PDF and HTML documents.
Thing is, something like this could cause a whole lot of embarrassment. You whip it out while at the local Starbucks, wanting to look up the meaning of “monopoly”, and a curious crowd gathers wanting to see Sony’s minor-miracle. Imagine their surprise – and its rapid descent into disgust – on realising it’s most certainly not a UX50. Expect bruising and jeers.
SII [via Akihabara News]
Is there a market for the cellular-free PDA? I imagine that’s the question the bods at HP’s iPaq department are quietly asking themselves; they’ve gone from being kings of the hill (where the hill is the portable computer market) to marginalised and slightly archaic through the combined assault of purpose-specific DAPs such as the iPod and connectivity-bulging smartphones like the Treo. It’s into these choppy waters that they launch the rx4540, dubbed a “Mobile Media Companion”, which at first glance appears to be a medium-spec PDA with a slightly crappy casing.
Although I’ve got a PDA lying around the house somewhere, I never considered using it as a full desktop-replacement. Thankfully there are people with more imagination than I have out there, for instance Axim Site forum member afarre, who has crafted this insanely clever port-replicator jacket for his handheld. What started off as a $45 in-car PDA holder, sprinkled with around $15 of parts and a little old PC cannibalising, took shape over ten days into the port-sporting beast you see here. Make sure you check out after the jump for gruesome photos of innards and a full setup shot.
I’ve used Sharp Zaurus a few years back, a great Linux based PDA. I absolutely love it as it give me the freedom to tinker with its OS (a lot! and how bad I messed it up sometimes). Now Sharp is releasing Sharp RD-CMP2000R, a Linux based mini PC. It looks like RD-CMP2000R is Zaurus that you can find in Japan. The RD-CMP2000R is equipped with QWERTY keyboard, 1.3MP camera, and swiveling color display. The bad news is, RD-CMP2000R can only be found in Korea. No pricing information available at this time.
Sharp RD-CMP2000R [via I4U]
Right, I was almost happy with my lot in life but now that I’ve seen that Judie over at Gear Diary has got her mitts on a Dopod Hermes I’m miserable and bitter again. She’s posted some photos already; now we’re expecting the full, sexy review, girl!
p.s. New site looking great, Judie – good luck with the move!
Hermes Teasers [Gear Diary] [thanks Tony C. for the correction]
Yawn. Yawn. I didn’t even realize that the iPAQ line of product was still alive. Apparently, it is because HP just announced the rx5915 travel companion. Other than the GPS SiRF star III and 2GB of flash memory, all the specs are pretty standard. Other specs include WiFi, 400 MHz Samsung processor, 3.5-inch QVGA touch screen, 64MB RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, SDIO slot, standard 3.5mm headphone jack, and 9-way direction pad. Shoot me a message if you’re planning on getting this. I’ll send you a gun with ONE bullet in it to shoot yourself in the foot.
HP’s iPAQ rx4000 gets a big brother: the rx5915 [via NAVIGADGET]
The gilted Matthew Miller over at ZDNet has got his hands on a rather swanky HTC TyTN and is kind enough to write us jealous peons a review. Running Windows Mobile Phone Edition (the TyTN, that is, not Matthew) with a slide-out keyboard and 3G network support, it’s a business-oriented powerhouse squeezed into a compact chassis.
Rather than me paraphrasing Matthew’s whole article, you should probably go over there and read it yourself. He has pretty photos and words and everything.
TyTN: Smartphone of your dreams? [The Mobile Gadgeteer]
SlashGear Japan
