Product Requirements:
Device:
Sharp Official Support: Windows PC 98, 2000, ME, XP or later
Unofficial Support: Mac OSX file transfers thru free 3rd party OSX
USB Driver or storage cards, possible sync support in future thru 3rd party
 

OVERVIEW
The recently released in Japan Sharp Zaurus SL-C760 is the current top of the line in the Zaurus line. Sharp also released a Zaurus SL-C750 that is the same basic design with less memory, smaller battery, and black color casing around the display (instead of white as on the C760).

The SL-C760 has several things going for it that make this the best PDA I�ve ever had and I�ve had lots! This includes several Newtons, some WinCE HPC�s, several PPC�s, Palms, Handsprings, and in the past 2 years, several Sony Clies.

The SL-C760 has much more going for it than yet another PDA hitting the already crowded PDA market. Rather, you should think of it as more of a mini-computer than a regular PDA. It has the usual PDA functions; calendar, contacts, ToDo List, text editor, and calculator apps. So, if all you want is to use it as a PDA, you can do that and be fairly happy with it. Although, if all you want is a device to store calendar and contact info, you�re probably better off buying a PDA made for the USA market.

If you just use the C760 for basic PDA stuff, you�ll be missing out on some of the more advanced, powerful, and unique features of the SL-C760.

What makes the SL-C760 (and its siblings the SL-C750, SL-C700, SL-5600 and SL-5500) unique from other PDA�s on the market is the use of Linux, the open source based OS, called Linux OpenPDA. This is basically the same Linux that is used to run desktop and laptop computers with some modifications to allow for the smaller display and memory sizes.

You can access or use Linux commands on the C760 by running the Terminal app. Running Terminal you can type in Linux commands at a command line prompt. This allows you to run your C760 from the Terminal, modify or install new custom ROM�s, or other geeky stuff like Telneting into another computer, and even write software code and compile it on the C760!

Also, the use of Linux means that the Zaurus has become an attractive platform for the Linux development community. So I soon became aware there is a lot of third party software out there for the Zaurus. Since the C7xx series is relatively new there isn�t as much software that is specifically written with it in mind. However, I�ve found that most of the 5500/5600 series software will run on the C7xx series.

One of the largest third party Zaurus software developers, theKompany.com has already released C7xx versions of most of their apps.

Unlike previous models (5500/5600) you need to install the Terminal program from the supplied CD. This is a must if you�re going to convert the C760 to English yourself. See the section titled �Warning!� later on in this review for more about that�.

Hardware Specifications

OS Linux OpenPDA
CPU Intel Xscale PXA255, 400 Mhz
Memory 128 MB flash memory (64 MB on C750)
�65 MB available due to included Japanese Dictionary*
64 MB SDRAM (work area)
Display VGA 640 x 480 pixels, 3.75 inch, 65536 colors, transmissive LCD with backlight and touchscreen
Connectors I/O port
Stereo headphone jack (3.5 mm)
IrDA, 115 kbps
AC power adapter jack
Card Slots (1) SD slot (memory card only) (1) CF Type II slot (memory cards and IO cards)
Input Keyboard (individual keys), handwriting recognition, on-screen keyboard, Japanese character input
Battery Removable, Lithium-ion rechargeable 3.7 V DC, 1700 mA (950 mA on C750)
AC Power 100V, 50/60 Hz, plug w/folding prongs for travel
Size Approx. 4.7� x 3.3� x 0.9� (C750 is 0.7� thick due to smaller battery)
Weight Approx. 8.8 oz. (C750 approx. 7.9 oz.)

*Should be able to reclaim that memory by modifying ROM file to delete the Japanese Dictionary

What�s In The Box

Sharp Zaurus SL-C760 Personal Mobile Tool
AC Power Cord (no power brick!) with folding prongs
USB Sync Cable
Plastic Stylus
Manual (Japanese)
Sharp Zaurus CD
Small Battery Cover

Zaurus SL-C760 & USB Cable not shown in photo


Portrait (PDA) Mode Landscape (Laptop) Mode


FORM & DESIGN
The form and design of the C760 is unique and has obviously inspired the recently announced Sony Clie UX40/50 line. However, in my opinion, the C760 takes better advantage of its form than the new Sony�s. The C760 has a clamshell design with a flip and twist design similar to some of the recent Tablet PC�s. This allows you the flexibility to use the C760 in several ways.

First, you can open it up and use it like a little laptop with landscape display and keyboard. Or you can use it like a typical Palm or Pocket PC by opening up the C760 and doing the �flip and twist� motion and then folding it back against the keyboard half. The C760 automatically senses the change and shows a portrait display. In this mode, the silk-screened buttons (Calendar app, Contacts app, Email app, Home window) at the bottom of the display are useful for tapping on with your stylus.

If you twist and flip the screen back to �laptop mode� the C760 senses the change and automatically rotates the display back to landscape mode.

In portrait mode, you can input text either using handwriting mode or by tapping on letters on an on-screen keyboard. There�s a jog wheel and a chrome rocker switch next to it that you can use for one-handed operation. For example, use the jog wheel to scroll through text in an ebook or items in a list and then click on the rocker switch to open the selected item. You can also use the rocker switch to exit an open file or exit an app.

SL-C760 Closed and Backside view with large battery cover, battery cover release switch, CF card slot at top

In comparison, from what I�ve read online, the new Clie UX40/50 you can flip the screen back to use a table style PDA but unlike the C760 the screen stays in landscape mode.

One of the nice things with this type of design is that when the C760 is closed the display and keyboard are protected.

The size, shape, and weight is very good and the C760 feels just right in my hands (not real big). Also, it fits in most of my shirt pockets if you want to carry it without a case.

The C760 has a simple elegant look about it due the use of the crisp white color with silver hinge and band around the keyboard.

Left Side, Right Side

The right side of the C760 has the stylus slot, the CF card slot (with plastic removable plug), and the headphone/mic jack. The left side has the connector slot with plastic removable plug) for the USB cable.

Backside

The back side (where the hinge is) has the chrome On/Off button, the black plastic jog wheel, the OK/Cancel rocker switch above the jog wheel, Irda port, SD card slot, and the AC power jack.

The stylus that comes with the C760 is a typical plastic stylus. Nothing to write home about.

So instead I�m using a metal barrelled Pilot Pentopia collapsing stylus with ballpoint pen hidden under the top cap. It fits perfectly in the stylus slot. Much better!

One of the great features of the C760 is that it has both CF and SD card slots. This allows you the flexibility to use either CF or SD storage cards or a CF WiFi card and a SD storage card at the same time.

One interesting aspect to the C760 design is that since its form is like a laptop that sits on your desk there is no need for a cradle. The USB cable just plugs into the C760 and the other end into your computer. So one less thing to take or lose on a trip!


SL-C760 with Sync cable-WiFi Card � CF Card Slot Plug � Optional CF Card Camera

Some other good things about the design is that the AC power cord has no bulky �power brick� on it and the end that plugs into the power outlet has folding metal prongs. Both of these design features make the C760 that much better in traveling.

Another plus is the use of a removable battery. The C760 comes with a fairly beefy (power-wise) 1700 mA battery while the C50 comes with a slightly smaller 950 mA battery. Either battery may be used on each of the C760/750.

If you use the smaller battery on the C760 then you remove the white plastic bottom cover and just use the included smaller battery cover. This reduces the thickness of the C760 a bit.

While I haven�t done any specific tests on the battery, I can say that the large battery feels like it has adequate power to last through a day or two of fairly heavy use before needing recharging.

Recharging goes pretty quickly, maybe an hour or two to top off the battery.

The C760 comes with plenty of memory, 128 MB flash memory, with about 65 MB available due to Japanese dictionary, and another 64MB of user accessible RAM. On top of all this you can have more memory with CF and SD cards, You can even run apps from the cards if you format the cards properly.

The 400 Mhz Xscale processor is quite peppy in normal use. It takes about a second or two for apps to open up after tapping on their icon.

One great feature is the ability to have multiple programs open at the same time. This can be a real productivity booster.

DISPLAY
One of the most pleasing things about the C760 is the wonderful, bright, clear, sharp, and colorful display. The resolution is extremely good and looking at photos on the C760 is a real joy.

The only downside to the display is that is dim if you are out in the sun. Other than this, it is about the best PDA display I�ve had.

The touchscreen works very well and easy to write on. The display is smooth like clear glass. You do feel the screen depress just a tiny bit when you tap on it.

KEYBOARD
The keyboard is surprisingly good for such a little device. The individual keys are nicely spaced apart and have a good tactile feel to them with a little click sound when pressed.

There is a row along the top for number keys and a backspace key. In the lower right area there is an inverted �T� grouping of arrow keys. In the lower left area there 4 keys; one for the Calendar, Address, Mail apps, and the Home window. In the middle under the spacebar key are �Cancel� and �OK� keys.

Since the keyboard is small there is a function �Fn� key that when pressed in combination with other keys gives you other symbols, characters, and functions like �cut�, �copy�, and �paste�.

The keyboard is too small for real touch-typing unless you really have tiny fingers, I�ve found that you can either do the old �hunt & peck� approach with your 2 index fingers or if you hold the C760 in your hands you can use the keyboard as a thumb-board, typing with your 2 thumbs.

As the C760 was designed for the Japanese market there are a few keys that have Japanese characters on them. But all in all, it looks like a English keyboard.

SHELL
The exterior of the C760 is nicely finished and looks and feels like a quality unit. The casing around the display half appears to be a painted metal (white) and the other half with the keyboard/battery/slots appears to be a combination of silver (painted?) plastic with a white plastic on the bottom that covers the battery. The white plastic cover has a sliding lock/unlock switch on the bottom that allows you remove the cover to get to the battery or used as part of the soft or hard reset process if needed.

The display half of the unit feels very sturdy and I�ve not noticed any creaking noises in opening or doing the �flip & twist� motion.

The screen hinge is very good, smooth acting and feels very solid. Unlike most full-size laptops that latch shut, the C760 has a spring-loaded hinge and closes securely that way.

There are 2 LED indicator lights near one end of the hinge. One LED lights when the AC power cord is plugged in to show that the battery is charging. Not 100% sure about the other light, but it has an envelope icon next to it, so it might relate to email?

WiFi
One very pleasant surprise compared to some other PDA platforms I�ve had is the ease of setting up for WiFi use. According to some of the Zaurus websites that are tracking compatibility of WiFi and storage cards, a lot of the commonly available WiFi cards will work out of the box with the C760.

I found that the D-Link Air DCF-660W CF WiFi card was automatically recognized by my C760. I did not need to install any software drivers!

In the Network app there is a network connection �setup wizard� button, but unfortunately, that opened up a window in Japanese. So, instead I used the setup a �New� connection button and filled in the needed info and soon I was connected to my Apple AirPort wireless network and surfing away!

Well, enough about hardware, onto software�..

Software Included In ROM
The included software is organized into several groupings using tabs. I think most of you PDA users reading this will be able to figure out what most of the apps listed below do. So I�ll only add some notes to those you might not know.

One interesting thing is that when I�ve added new programs they put themselves in the right tab automatically.

In the Applications tab there are the following apps:
Calendar
Contacts
ToDo List
Text Editor
EMail
NetFront v3.0 (web browser)
Music Player
Video Player
HancomSheet (spreadsheet/MS Excel )
HancomWord (word processing/MS Word)
Presentation (MS PowerPoint files)
ImagePad (photo viewer)
Voice
Calculator
CityTime
Clock
Help Browser
Camera

In the Settings tab there are the following apps:
Light & Power
Sound Settings
Tab Setting
Appearance
Network
Add/Remove Software
Security
Recalibrate
Applications Key
Date/Time
UserDic
Backup Restore
System Info
Migration
Receive Data
PC Link
Beam Receive

3rd Party AddressBook by theKompany.com replaces Contacts program

The photo above shows the Contacts replacement app by theKompany.com. Since it replaces the Contacts app I can�t show you a photo of that app.

Likewise, I use the theKompany.com�s Calendar program so the photo below is of that instead of Sharp�s Calendar app.

Week view shown � Other views available

Another way to access programs is similar to the Start pop-up menu in Windows

Hancom MobileSheet � Excel compatible spreadsheet program included

Terminal app for the Linux geeks out there

Optional Programs Installed by User from CD
Terminal
Qtopia Desktop (Windows PC sync app - Japanese � sync w/ Outlook or Palm Desktop)
BackupRestore (Windows PC backup & restore app- English version available*)
FileManager (Windows Pc file transfer app - English version available*)

*English version available by downloading apps for US market Zaurus models SL5500-5600 from Sharp.

WARNING!
This is not your typical PDA!

The SL-C760 (& C750) are NOT manufactured for sale outside of Japan. This a JAPANESE MARKET unit! Therefore, one needs to understand and accept what this means if you�re going to be a happy camper with the C760.

Since this is a JAPANESE MARKET model, it operates out of the box in JAPANESE!
So unless you want a Japanese language PDA, you need to either convert it to run in English or buy one already converted for you.

Fortunately, it is possible to buy a SL-C760 already converted to English through Dynamism.com.

The other non-recommended option for most users is to buy it directly from Japan (Conics.net is where I got mine) and convert it your self. However, unless you have advanced computer skills, preferably knowledge of Unix/Linux, config files, and using a terminal app, I�d strongly recommend that you pay the extra dollars and buy it already converted from Dynamism.

While it is tempting to try and save some money, I can tell you from personal experience it isn�t worth the hassle or potential of creating a very expensive doorstop if you screw it up badly!

Also, you if you buy one from overseas, you need to verify the warranty situation. For example, if I need warranty service, I�ll need to send my C760 back to Conics.net in Japan. While with Dynamism, they will try to service at their US facility first, if needed they will ship to Japan for you and send it back to you.


CONCLUSION
All in all, this is great PDA or mini computer depending on how you want to look at it or use it!

The C760 does pretty much everything you�d want to do with a PDA. There is also a surprising amount of good 3rd party apps if you want more features than what comes with the Zaurus. Although as noted, it comes with a pretty extensive set of apps.

Also, there is a fairly large Zaurus user community out there (due to the US market models SL5500/5600), once you start looking around for it. While they�re different designs, there�s still a lot of similarity so I�ve gotten a lot of good input from various Zaurus users. Check out zaurususergroup.com if you are interested for starters.

For me the ability to use it like a little laptop or a traditional �palm-like� PDA is great and I�ve really enjoyed using my C760 for the past month and a half. Like any PDA there�s a few issues with it but nothing that critical for me.

There has been talk that Sharp may release models like this in the US but nothing definite has ever been announced. One can only hope that Sharp will realize that there is a market in the US for a powerful device like this and release an English version soon!

In the meantime, if you want a powerful little mini-computer that will fit in most shirt pockets this is the one!
 

Price:
$799.00 C760 (Dynamism, converted to English)
$699.00 C750 (Dynamism, converted to English)
$599.00 C700 (Dynamism, converted to English)

Pros: 
Very good performance
Lots of internal memory
SD and CF slots
Great vivid color screen indoors
Usable keyboard
Lots of included programs
User replaceable battery
Linux based, so can be used like laptop computer
Multiple apps can be open at one time