[Speakers] Zaurus talk?

[Bill Kendrick]

On Fri, May 16, 2003 at 12:37:37PM -0700, Joyce Cao wrote:
> Hi Bill,
> 
> Did you get chance to work on the bio/talk description?


Whew!  Ok, let me know if this is way too long-winded.
If you think you can cut it down to the basics, please do so and let me
look over it.

If you've got room to post the whole thing, feel free!  Thanks!
See you in a few weeks!  (Yipes!)


Talk title:
-----------

"Sharp's Zaurus PDAs"


Talk description:
-----------------

In early 2002, Sharp Electronics released the first in a growing line of
powerful Linux-based PDAs.  Originally based on the 206MHz StrongARM CPU,
and now running the 400MHz XScale, Zauruses have 32-64 MB of RAM,
Compact Flash Type-II and Secure Digital expansion slots, 240x320 full-color
front-lit touchscreens, and the ability to use numerous add-on devices
(like modems, wireless cards, flash-memory expansions, etc.).

While this sounds similar to PDAs based on Microsoft's PocketPC
operating system (like HP's iPaq), the Zaurus differs in a number of
important ways.

The most striking physical difference to most PDAs is the built-in
QWERTY keypad which, coupled with the 8-way directional pad and
control buttons, allows fast and accurate text entry and GUI navigation
without resorting to bulky add-on keyboards or even using the touchscreen.
(The Zaurus does have trainable handwriting recognition and an on-screen
'soft' keyboard.)

The biggest, and most important difference, is that the Zaurus runs Linux...
out of the box.  To be precise, a combination of Lineo's "Embeddix"
operating system, Trolltech's "Qtopia" graphical environment and PDA software,
Insignia's "Jeode" Personal Java environment, the "Opera" web browser,
and an embedded version of Hancom's office suite.  ("Qtopia" is also the
environment run on a number of new and upcoming Linux-based PDAs.)

While devices running PocketPC look very similar to the desktop versions
of Windows, they are quite different.  On the other hand, the Linux running
on the Zaurus is much closer to the Linux running on your desktop or server.
(People have been known to run SSH, Apache, PHP, MySQL, VNC and Konqueror
on the Zaurus.)

In the year and a half since the Zaurus SL-5500 came out in the US and Europe,
four additional Linux-based models have been released in Japan, where
previously the Zaurus ran a proprietary Operating System developed by
Sharp Japan.

In that time, over 800 applications have been released for the Zaurus -- over
600 of which are released as Open Source software.



Bio:
----

Bill Kendrick is an Open Source software developer living in Davis, California,
where he's the president, public relations officer and webmaster of the
local 350-member Linux Users Group.

He has written about 20 games for Linux and other platforms -- his most
recent being 'Tux Paint', a drawing program geared towards young children.
Bill created, but hasn't had the time recently to maintain, the
"Unofficial Zaurus FAQ."  He is active in numerous online communities.



-bill!