Later version of the Sharp Zaurus PDA. In improvement to earlier models, such as the Zaurus MI-P10, this baby features a color display, and is supplied with a backlight, greatly increasing usability and visibility of the displayed contents.

Using ZPDView, a freeware tool, adding additional dictionary files becomes possible, and greastly improves the use as a learning tool. I half filled my 512 MB CF card with additional dictionaries such as Jim Breen's Edict, Ulrich Apel's Wadoku and many more. With new ones being created over time. For more see the link below.

This little thing also has a built in MP3-Player and earphone plug, so I can use it to read e-books and hear music at the same time while on the road. And the use of the dictionary has improved greatly with the keyboard.

Add to that the internal pull-out keyboard and the slots for both Compact Flash and SD Cards, this japanese model is everything I ever wanted in a PDA. There already is a later model, the Zaurus MI-E25 DC, but the only improvement is the inclusion of a digital camera on the back. Neat, if you don't have one already, but other than that...

It is still based on the japanese Zaurus OS, but the european/american Linux version, the Zaurus SL-5500, is based on the same hardware.

One thing that does everything. I love it and recommend it fully... I will therefore probably never switch to the Linux model, especially since I want to keep on using the dictionary software.

For more information check out this node or this link:

  • http://zaurus.biojapan.de/