You want to use your Sharp
NetWalker, Zaurus PDA or Handheld PC together
with a Linux based computer?
Here are links to compatibility and configuration guides about Linux and PDAs manufactured by
Sharp.
The general resource section at the bottom, contains links
to useful Linux utilities (mostly available under GPL), community efforts, HOWTOs and FAQs.
Have you written a report yourself? Then please feel free to
submit a new entry.
Codenames/Hardware Survey
These are Sharp's colloquial codenames for the different Zaurus Linux PDA models
(you may verify that by the output of cat /proc/cpuinfo,
though currently this seems to work reliably with the original ROMs only).
All codenames are derived from dog races:
| model | codename | WLAN | BlueTooth | flash | RAM | CPU | display | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SL-5000D | Collie | 16MB | 32MB | StrongARM: SA-1110, 206MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | developer edition | ||
| SL-5500 | Collie | 16MB | 64MB | StrongARM: SA-1110, 206MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-5500G | Collie | 16MB | 64MB | StrongARM: SA-1110, 206MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | German edition | ||
| SL-5500S | Collie | 16MB | 64MB | StrongARM: SA-1110, 206MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | Spanish edition | ||
| SL-5600 | Poodle | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA250, 400MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-B500 | ??? | 64MB | 32MB | XScale: PXA250, 400MHz | 3.5" 240x320(P) 65,536 colours | Japanese edition | ||
| SL-C700 | Corgi | 32MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA250, 400MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-C750 | Shepherd | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-7500C | Shepherd | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) 65,536 colours | Chinese edition | ||
| SL-C760 | Husky | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-C860 | Boxer | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) 65,536 colours | |||
| SL-C1000 | Akita | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA270, 416MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) | |||
| SL-C3000 | Spitz | 16MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA270, 416MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) | 4GB HDD | ||
| SL-C3100 | Borzoi | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA270, 416MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) | 4GB HDD | ||
| SL-C3200 | Terrier | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA270, 416MHz | 3.7" VGA 640x480(L) | 6GB HDD | ||
| SL-6000N | Tosa | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 4.0" VGA 480x640(P) | |||
| SL-6000D | Tosa | 128MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 4.0" VGA 480x640(P) | |||
| SL-6000L | Tosa | 802.11b | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 4.0" VGA 480x640(P) | ||
| SL-6000W | Tosa | 802.11b | X | 64MB | 64MB | XScale: PXA255, 400MHz | 4.0" VGA 480x640(P) |
*) P = portrait, L = landscape
Resources
- back to Linux PDA Survey
- manufacturer site: Sharp
- Linux Mobile Guide - Installing, Maintaining and Tuning of Linux on Mobile Computers
- How to do-it-yourself SHARP PDA and HandHeld PC upgrading, repairing and modding(http://repair4pda.org/disassembly_sharp.html).
- Linux InfraRed-HOWTO
- JAVA Applications for (Linux) PDAs
- Debian Packages for PDAs
- Other Equipment - barcode readers, braille terminals, keyboards, ..
- vendors which sell pre-installed Linux laptops, notebooks, PDAs or mobile phones
- Data migration and conversion for PDAs and HandHeld PCs (addresses, calendars, ..)(http://dataconv.org/apps_pda.html).
- FCC ID: APY (SHARP)
Linux and BSD Distributions for the Zaurus PDAs
- Open Palm Integrated Environment - OPIE(http://opie.handhelds.org/)
- OpenZaurus(http://openzaurus.org/)
- Familiar Linux PDA distribution(http://familiar.handhelds.org/)
- PocketWorkstation(http://pocketworkstation.org/) - based on Debian
- PocketWorkstation(http://wiki.debian.org/PocketWorkstation) runs in a chroot environment on a storage card, using the vendor's preinstalled native Linux system for most hardware access. GUI is based on Xf4vnc and the fbvnc framebuffer viewer. Check out the PocketWorkstationXQT variant for a native X11 GUI.
- Gentoo For Zaurus(http://gentooforzaurus.opensistemas.com/)
- OPIE for the original SHARP ROM(http://opie.handhelds.org/feed/sharprom/1.0.3)
- PokyLinux
- Ångström(http://angstrom-distribution.org/) a combined OpenEmbedded, OpenZaurus and OpenSimpad project to unify their effort to make a stable and userfriendly distribution for embedded devices like handhelds, set top boxes and network-attached storage devices and more. Maybe it's sort of a successor to OPIE.
- Titchy(http://wiki.neilandtheresa.co.uk/Titchy_Linux) is a complete, fully-native Debian GNU/Linux distribution for the Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000, SL-C3100 and SL-C3200. It boots directly from the internal microdrive, and completely replaces the existing operating system.
- NetBSD/zaurus(http://www.netbsd.org/ports/zaurus/) is a port of NetBSD to the ARM processor based PDAs by Sharp.
- OpenBSD/zaurus(http://www.openbsd.org/zaurus.html) is an effort to make OpenBSD run on several PDAs of the Sharp Zaurus family.
- The Handhelds Mojo(http://mojo.handhelds.org/) projects objective is to provide complete, standard desktop distributions for mobile and embedded devices.
MAC OS and Zaurus
There are different approaches for MAC OS and Zaurus.
Development
- Software development for a Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 Linux PDA(http://www.linuxgazette.net/issue90/forsberg.html), by Bruce Forsberg, Linux Gazette issue #90, May 2003
- HOWTO: Build your own custom ROM image for the SL-5000D and SL-5500G(http://genealogy.holt.org/~casey/zaurus/Zaurus_Custom_ROM_Instructions.html)
Cross-Compiling
- Cross compile Zaurus apps using Apple developer tools on Mac OS(http://www.dsitri.de/php/projects/project.php?project=Zaurus%20X-gcc)
- HOW-TO: Cross-Compiling for SHARP Zaurus(http://linuxdevices.com/articles/AT6830035793.html)
Alternative ROM Images
Open Source ROMs
- OpenZaurus Enhancements(http://www.hentges.net/)
- GPE(http://handhelds.org/~pb/unstable/)
- Zynergy(https://www.timekiller.org/zynergy/zynergy5600.htm) especially for SL-5600
- Cacko ROMs for different Zaurus models(http://my-zaurus.narod.ru/)
- pdaXrom ROMs for different Zaurus models(http://www.pdaxrom.org/)
Commercial ROMs
- TheKompany.ROM for SL-5x00(http://thekompany.com/embedded/rom/)
HOWTOs/FAQs
- The Unofficial Zaurus FAQ II(http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=FAQ&file=index)
HOWTOs: Applications
- Installing Perl on the Sharp Zaurus PDA(http://perlmonks.thepen.com/286241.html)
- listen to itunes-podcast with your Zaurus (via shell)(http://www.codeomega.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23): this script(s)/xslt converts a podcast to a shell script.
HOWTOs: Installation
- Installing OpenZaurus on a SL-5600 (Poodle)(http://openembedded.org/oe_wiki/index.php/OpenZaurusPoodleInstallGuide)
- Debian-On-Zaurus-Howto
![[archived link]](/pics/archived.png "archived link")
HOWTOs: Connectivity via USB
- Connecting the Sharp Zaurus 5500 G on GNU/Linux-SuSE-9.0 via USB(http://wptl12.physik.uni-wuppertal.de/zaurus/).
- Connecting the Sharp Zaurus 5500 G on RedHat 9.0 via USB(http://julian.coccia.com/article-41.html).
- How to set up an Ethernet over USB connection between the Sharp Zaurus SL-5000D/SL-5500 and a Linux machine(http://www.ruault.com/Zaurus/ethernet-over-usb-howto.html).
- Linux and the Sharp Zaurus 5500SL - USB Connectivitiy (in German).
- Gentoo Linux PDA/PIM Guide(http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_PDA-PIM)
- How to use the Kitchensync(http://www.linux-user.de/ausgabe/2003/06/038-kitchensync/) syncronization tool (in German).
Conversion from Other PDAs (Palm, Psion, ..)
How to migrate your applications and data from any PDA to your SHARP Zaurus Linux PDA:
- p2z - Palm to Zaurus conversion tool
- strip2zsafe - Strip to ZSafe conversion tool
DTM to Opie Converter
dtmconv(http://quux.org/devel/zaurus) is used to convert from Sharp's proprietary Zaurus PIM e.g. addressbook storage format used on its newer ROMs to the XML format used by Opie. It is useful whenever you are migrating from a Sharp ROM to something such as OpenZaurus on your device.
Localisation / Internalisation
- SL-C760 localisation from Japanese to English(http://zaurus.ob5cure.com/)
- SL-860(http://downloads.conics.net/pda/zaurus-sl-c700/1st-start/) English conversion
- How to configure OPIE to a Polish enviroment(http://www.hrw.one.pl/index.php/pl/opie-po-polsku/). (in Polish
- HOWTO: create your custom keyboard(http://opie.handhelds.org/cgi-bin/moin.cgi/CreateYourKeyboard).
Applications
- Zaurus Software Index - ZSI I(http://www.killefiz.de/zaurus/)
- Zaurus Software Index - ZSI II(http://www.handheld-linux.com/swi/)
- Embedded Linux Software Index - ELSI - ZSI III(http://elsix.org/)
- TuxMobil IPK Package Feed
- Cyril Hrubis has written a new screen driver for SL-5500 Collie touchscreen(http://lkml.org/lkml/2007/6/27/171), partly based on ucb1x00-ts.c
- toMOTko(http://tomotko.sourceforge.net/) is a small Zaurus application for learning vocabulary. It's a customizable flashcard program that asks words repetitively to acquire new vocabulary. It is good for learning and memorizing kanji readings/writings and other languages.
Community: Mailing Lists, Forums, FAQs, HOWTOs, Wikis
- Zaurus User Group(http://www.zaurususergroup.com/)
- Z-Portal(http://zaurus.help4free.de/html/modules/news/) (in German
- Open Embedded Software Foundation - OESF(http://www.oesf.org/)
Related Books
Kevin Milne: Z4CK - A Novel Featuring the Zaurus and Openzaurus, 2004
Kevin Milne has written
Z4CK a cyber thriller based around
Duncan Steele, a hacker who creates the 'magic bullet' that lets him
by-pass any network security. Duncan uses Z4CK meaning Zaurus-ACK,
compiled on the OpenZaurus OS to do this.
Unlike Films like 'The Net',
Z4CK gives a realistic insight into hacker tools and techniques. The book
was written with a Zaurus SL-5500 and PocketTop keyboard. Z4CK features
wireless hacking with the Zaurus, and a view of how an Open Source future
might be.
Amazon Order(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1589613120/lilaclinuxwithla)
Kevin Milne: Digital Force - A New Novel featuring the Zaurus and Real-Life Hacker Tools, 2006
Duncan Steele has a simple choice to make. Work as a hacker for the British Governments' elite digital insurgency unit Cyber-Secure, or go to prison for his previous exploits against that very government.
Digital Force picks up where Z4CK left off. Follow Duncan Steele during his time at Cyber-Secure, from hunting the Fourth Reich hacker group to meeting his most skilled adversary, to the creation of the Sec-Net network following the destruction of the Internet.
Amazon Order(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0955292905/lilaclinuxwithla)