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Sharp spins Ubuntu-based palmtop
2009-08-27 Article Rating:   / 11
Sharp announced an heir to its Zaurus line of Linux-based PDAs: an Ubuntu Linux-based palmtop with claimed three-second boot-ups and ten-hour battery life. The "NetWalker PC-Z1 Mobile Internet Tool" is equipped with an ARM Cortex-A8 based Freescale i.MX515 SoC, a five-inch WSVGA touchscreen, and a QWERTY keyboard, says Sharp.
Sharp doesn't use the term "smartbook" to describe its tiny UMPC clamshell netbook, but the device's operating system is said to be a Sharp-customized version of Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Smartbook Remix. Meanwhile, the PC-Z1's i.MX515 system-on-chip (SoC), clocked at 800MHz, is being targeted by Freescale at netbooks and "smartbooks." The smartbook moniker was coined by Qualcomm, then adopted by Freescale, to denote low-end, small-screen ARM netbooks that blur the lines with MIDs (mobile Internet devices), tablets, and UMPCs (ultra-mobile PCs). The PC-Z1, then, could be considered one of the first formally announced smartbooks, though Sharp refers to the device only as a "mobile tool" and a "palmtop-size unit." (Nokia was similarly vague about the format designation of its N900 device announced today, leaving journalists to call it everything from a smartphone, to a MID, to a tablet.)  Sharp PC-Z1 in red According to Sharp, the PC-Z1, set to ship in Japan on Sept. 25, has performance similar to that of a PC, and is designed for "cloud computing." According to a Reuters story, the PC-Z1 will sell for 45,000 yen (about $480 US), and Sharp is expected to sell 100,000 units by March. The company would not comment on possible overseas releases of the clamshell device, says the story.  Sharp PC-Z1 in three color choices According to Sharp, its PC-Z1 offers 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and a microSDHC slot that can support memory cards of up to 16GB. The 5-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) touchscreen is accompanied by an optical pointer and a 68-key QWERTY keyboard, says Sharp. For communications, the device appears to be dependent entirely on WiFi 802.11b/g, although other wireless technologies might possibly be used via the USB port. The PC-Z1 measures 6.4 x 4.3 x 1.0 inches, tapering down to 0.8 inches (161.4 x 108.7 x 19.7/24.8mm) and weighs 14.4 oz (409 grams), says the company. Sharp supplies the PC-Z1 with Firefox, Thunderbird, and Adobe Flash Lite, as well as other open source apps (see list below). The company also announced it would provide specialized-field dictionaries, novels, and comics in multiple languages. Specifications listed by Sharp for its PC-Z1 include the following:
The Reuters story quotes Sharp EVP Masafumi Matsumoto, as saying, "We are introducing a mobile device that you can take with you wherever you go and comes with all major notebook PC functions." Availability The Sharp PC-Z1 will ship in Japan on Sept. 25, says Sharp. More information may be found here. The Reuters story may be found here. Related Stories:
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