genjava / articles / Zaurus c760

Zaurus c760

Good

• Scroll-device on the side of the PDA makes reading web pages easier.
• On-board speaker is nice to have, even if it's not a deal-maker.
• Arrow keys rotate when you're in rotated-clam-shell mode.
• Expanded battery makes the Z usable at last. Finally a netBook competitor.
• Rotating screen. It improves the speed if you make the 'Transformers' noise while it's changing. Honest.

Bad

• The new acronym. A PMT, Personal Mobile Tool, will amuse the UK where PMT is akin to PMS.
• The software. The included software is not much improved in quantity over previous releases and most available software does not run.
• Japanese instructions mean I've no idea how to switch to root. [Apparantly you just 'su', there's no password.]
• Lack of arrow keys when in 'palm' mode.
• Movie player no longer plays Mpeg 2(?). Whatever the old Z played.
• Expanded battery takes ages to charge :)

Tips

• Fn-Shift-D is Ctrl-D in Terminal. Fn-Shift-C appears to be Ctrl-C. Closing the terminal with these seems to confuse it sometimes and you have a 10 second wait.
• When clicking on a program, hold the icon down and you'll get a few options for executing as root and with a magnified screen. Some of the apps I've had trouble with maybe just needed executing as root.
• After installing an SL-C5x00 Java app, it may go into the Jeode tab, which is not shown. Use the Tab Setting application in the Settings section to move it. If you uninstall it later you will need to delete the icon in Tab Settings.
• Vi on the Zaurus. Escape is the cancel key. Open brace is shift-function-/ and closed brace is shift-function-?. The backtick is function-@.
• Fixing Java. For me Java did not work, so I did:
  • cp `which evm` /usr/local/bin/evm2
  • chmod +x /usr/local/bin/evm2
  • vi `which evm2`
  • Change || to -o
  • vi `which kjc`
  • Change evm to evm2

Good software

• TimeSleuth
• Tron - though it needs arrow keys

Usable software

• Kismet/Kismet-QT - However the root issue needs to be solved to use it.

Sketchy software

• PDF Viewer - Didn't do a good job of opening small PDFs.
• Atomic - Ugly red blotch left on screen after movement.
• Javanoid - A lot harder to play. Unsure why.

Bad software

• Missile Command [0.99.8dev]- It hangs the Z.
• Konquerer [snapshot] - It crashes the Z [which is better than hanging].
• Iceblox - non-starter.
• java-othello [0.03] - non-starter
• java-jed - non-starter.
• ztailgunner [0.9] - non-starter.

Links

• NetFront manual
• Chris Double's tip accumulation
• Conics C700 tips
• Lots of info

Cool accessories

• Cases for CF/SD
• NetGear CF 802.11b - works seamlessly with the c760. Also has very very good power usage.
• 1 GB IBM Microdrive [now owned by Hitatchi]. Works well enough, though seems to occasionally get confused about whether it is inserted. Might just be due to low battery power at the time.