Quantcast
Subscribe to magazine

Royal Unveils Low-Cost Linux PDA

Handheld will feature plenty of applications and an affordable price when it goes on sale next quarter.

Douglas F. Gray, IDG News Service

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

While Sharp's Zaurus got most of the attention in the field of Linux personal digital assistants at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Royal Consumer Information Products quietly unveiled at the show its Royal Lin@x PDA, which is expected to hit the streets next quarter.

The Royal Lin@x is based on the same Intel 206-MHz StrongArm processor that powers devices such as Compaq Computer's iPaq and Hewlett-Packard's Jornada, as well as Sharp's Zaurus. The Lin@x features a color display, 16MB of flash ROM and 32MB of RAM, Royal says in a statement.

Packed With Apps

When Royal's Lin@x launches next quarter, priced at $299, it will feature applications including an Internet browser, address book, calendar, and schedule applications, as well as handwriting recognition, a virtual keyboard, and an MP3 player, Royal says.

The Lin@x includes a serial port, a USB port, and a CompactFlash Type II slot for peripherals such as a dial-up modem and a wireless LAN card, the company says. The Lin@x uses embedded hardware from Applied Data Systems and the Microwindows user interface from Century Embedded Technologies, Royal says.

Sharp's Zaurus, which is expected to launch early this year, features a color display, 16MB of flash ROM, and 64MB of RAM. The device is currently available to developers for $399, but the consumer version is expected to sell for between $500 and $650, according to Sharp.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

Print 65% more pages than with refilled inks. Trust Original HP Inks. Hit Print Reliably.

Featured APC Accessories For Your System
10% Off Entire Cart at Online Store

  • APC Back-UPS ES Safeguards your equipment from damaging surges and spikes that travel along your utility & data lines.
  • APC SurgeArrest Performance Highest level of protection for your professional computers, electronics and connected devices, as well as provides surge protection.

People who read this also read:

  • 2007 Microsoft Office Suites Comparison This paper compares and contrasts four suites of the 2007 Microsoft Office system: Microsoft Office Standard 2007, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007, Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 and Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007. This paper is intended to help organizations understand the applications and capabilities offered, and to identify the suite that best fits their needs.
  • Windows Vista Migration: The Business Proposition It's not so much a matter of "if" but "when" for most organizations regarding migration to Windows Vista. Laying the groundwork now for this migration can yield higher ROI than waiting until later. This Computerworld Technology Briefing explains it all.

PC World's Marketplace