"Rachael Sandefer" <sandefer@sonic.net> wrote in message 
news:op.szn2tdadbu9pt4@rsandefer-lt-xp.objectswitch.com...
> Okay, from searching history (this group and sci.lang.japan), this topic 
> is pretty common, but I can't specifically find the information I am 
> looking for (either from googling or searching usenet). There is a lot of 
> information out there (like greggman's excellent page) but much of it 
> seems out of date. Hopefully no one will scream at me for posting to this 
> group on this topic. I imagine those of you who don't care about PDAs hate 
> these posts and those of you who do may be bored by it by now.
>
> I want a PDA for the same reason other students of Japanese want them --  
> kanji lookup, portable dictionaries and flashcard/drilling programs (and 
> also to write things I see/hear during the day down). My original plan was 
> to buy a WinCE based device (or whatever they are calling that OS now) 
> after having a look at it in operation. I could then load JFC (and maybe 
> JWPce).
>
> However, after walking around Akihabara and going to every pasokon shop 
> (besides the 中古店), it seems like the stores only sell the Sharp Zaurus 
> models, except one place sold some HP models (and might have been able to 
> order many others, but I want to play with it before I buy). Unfortunately 
> I fell in love (immediately) with the kanji input. The zaurus even 
> recognized my really bad semi-cursive (seems all I had to do was scribble 
> in the right order and in approximately the right directions and it 
> figured it out). So I have to have one now. :)
>
> I am tempted to just get the Zaurus (SL-C1000 or equivalent higher end 
> models with hard drive). They are gorgeous little machines. But I'm not 
> sure about flashcard programs (everything that talks about Zaurus online & 
> flashcard programs are for older models -- often before the change to 
> Linux). Has anyone hear used one of the newer Zaurus? Specifically, how 
> was it for english speaker learning japanese?
>
> Related questions:
> - why do there not seem to be a lot of PDAs on display at the stores? It 
> seems like only the new Zaurus are being sold at all. :)
> - Is the PDA market dead in Japan? Everyone using cellphones instead?
> - Are there other stores I should be looking at? (I am thinking of going 
> to Shinjuku sometime too for comparison and would go anywhere in Tokyo to 
> look...).
> - Of the newer models of WinCE based devices, are there any that stand 
> out? The only one I've looked at is the HP iPAQ rx3715 which is heavily 
> based towards multimedia stuff.
>

Yes, the PDA market in Japan has shriveled up and basically died. 
Everything that the locals wanted to do with PDAs can be accomplished on 
their mobile telephones now.

I recently updated my English Toshiba e740 PDA to a Japanese model Ipaq 
H2210 which I picked up for about 22000 yen off Yahoo Auctions Japan.  It's 
ideal for me because all I really want to do is keep track of my auction and 
other computer sales e-mails when not in front of my PC.  It's also a 
convenient way to get my mobile telephone photos off the telephone and onto 
a computer without mailing them.  Though I wouldn't have wanted to start off 
on Japanese Pocket PC 2003 without first knowing English Pocket PC 2002 
inside-out.

I can't testify as to the dictionary capabilities because I don't use them. 
Still, the IME recognized my scrawling kanji on the input pad and correctly 
identified the desired character.  I might install a dictionary if I spot a 
decent one - but my Wordtank is more than adequate for that.

Of course if one of the major mobile telephone manufacturers decides to 
bring out a smartphone then we could see an about turn in the PDA market. 
Still, it's amazing to think that three years ago waiting for my highway bus 
at Shinjuku I was amazed by the variety of Pocket PC and Sony Clie devices 
and accessories available at that store across from the bus station 
(forgotten the name sorry).  But just this summer coming home after the most 
recent FJLIJ gathering I had to search long and hard to find a small PDA 
counter on the third floor in the far corner of the same store.

--
jonathan