I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I promise that this one comes with a twist or two.

For some background: I'm a college student. For those of you who have been there, you know the kind of budget we go on.

That being said, I'd like to get into the land of Linux Handheld PCs. Ideally, I'd like to find one with 802.11b support, but I realize that pushes the price up quite a bit. Perhaps I'll start simple and step up later.

I do want something whose Linux support can be considered production-ready (sorry, I do need to USE this device) but I don't mind it taking a bit of work. So suggestions on models and sources are quite welcomed.

I'm even open to hearing suggestions of PocketPC-based devices where they will interoperate with my Linux desktop effectively. This would include email address book sync, file transfers, etc. I'd like it to be able to provide some rudimentary video/audio playback, though I know it has very little memory in comparsion to something like a video iPod.

Thanks for your time in reading and thinking about this!

i am in the same boat and ill i can say is, palm os. i know it doesnt exist anymore but plam os plays nice with linux, and palmos is still fairly well liked. there are allot older units still shipping with it. windows mobile or whatever is jsut to bloated, its fast and pokcet pcs are usualy hardware NICE but there overly MS......

thats my 2 cents

I've looked at PalmOS before, but I don't like what I see. There seems to be a lack of various software and support for it, as well as development kits (not that PocketPC is that much more open).

i cant disaggree with you, jsut that the syncing and such are still so hard to get right with linux. i have treid both the palmos (many time) and a pocket pc about 6 months ago (freind of mines) and found both were a pain.....

goota say a nice open sourced PDA would rock

I agree. Surely there's something out there. I can just imagine the fun tricks I could do with such a device, not to mention the normal uses.

I remember Nokia released something like that. check out their site.

Are you referring to the Nokia 770? (Featured in the Feb Linux Journal) It runs about $350. A bit much for my tastes, and a bit large. If it's something else, I'm missing it completely.

Even I am a college student facing similar problem as you. I would be glad if you keep me updated on the issue. I m shortly posting my thread on this forum

I will do my best. As of yet, I have not found a suitable device. Feel free to let me know of your thread.

The Zaurus from Sharp is a very nice linux pda, and can run a complete debian system, with your favorite apps. Models start at about 100 dollars, and go up to 600 or so.. Google it. Also try zaurus user group. Google that as well.

Zaurus from Sharp, hum sound interesting, can run debian.


you have my interest

Ok, here's some links

http://users.telenet.be/zaurususer/Chero/
http://www.eleves.ens.fr/home/leurent/zaurus.html
http://www.users.on.net/~hluc/myZaurus/

I successfully did this myself, and now I run debian on my pda and desktop... Life is good :-)