Buy Monochrome Zaurus

Sharp LCD Pencom PI-6000 / 6000FX / 7000 Price Survey
’96 / 5 / 16,17

-Significance of Monochrome Zaurus As
　reported on PC Watch , Sharp announced the higher specification color Zaurus of Zaurus and plans to release it on June 25th.
　Color Zaurus has greatly enhanced functions as an information gathering device such as a digital camera card and access to the Internet, and is said to be different from the conventional Zaurus (hereinafter referred to as “monochrome Zaurus” for easy distinction). It is a good product. The price starts from 120,000 yen, which is close to the cheapest model of Toshiba’s Windows 95 laptop “Libretto 20” , which is 178,000 yen.
　However, if you look only at the personal information management tool, there is no shortage of monochrome Zaurus. Sharp himself has announced that Monochrome Zaurus will continue to develop.
● What kind of models are available?
　Currently, only two models, PI-6000 (released in ’95 / 8) and PI-7000 (released in ’96 / 2), are listed in the Monochrome Zaurus catalog. Models before this are only in stock, and there are few opportunities to see them at stores except for some disc count shops. However, there is a model called PI-6000FX that was bundled with a fax modem when the PI-6000 was released, and since it was sold until recently, it is still sold in stores as an active machine.
　To briefly summarize the difference between PI-6000 and PI-7000

• Display is 30 digits (6000 is 20 digits, the same applies below)
• Built-in fax modem (sold separately, CD-FM5 (16,000 yen))
• Auto login to NIFTY-Serve and PC-VAN is possible (NIFTY-Serve only)
• Angel line (directory assistance service) with search function (without)
• With (without) pager message function
• Add-in software can be directly downloaded and saved (only possible via PC, not saveable)
• IC card cannot be used (possible)

　Therefore, it can be seen that the focus is on strengthening the communication function.
　In addition, the necessity of add-in software, which has been enhanced in practicality by PI-7000, is judged differently depending on the user, so please refer to the list on NIFTY-Serve’s GO FZAURUS before purchasing. It should also be added that the color Zaurus and Monochrome Zaurus add-in software are not compatible.
● Survey of both Shinjuku and Akihabara
　Therefore, this report investigated the current situation of Monochrome Zaurus. There was information that this kind of personal information device was cheaper in Shinjuku, so we investigated both Akihabara and Shinjuku. However, the survey was conducted on the 16th in Akihabara and the 17th in Shinjuku. We also checked whether pre-order sales of Color Zaurus have started.
● Color Zaurus cannot
　be reserved yet Color Zaurus has not started pre-order sales at any shop yet. I would like to re-examine when the release date approaches.
● Conclusion: PI-6000 is a bargain, if you buy PI-7000, wait or wait
　 　. PI-6000 with basic functions is a bargain because there are shops that cost less than 40,000 yen. If you want to focus on personal information management, this model will suffice.
　The PI-6000FX with a modem was already out of the catalog, so many shops were out of stock. Modems for the PI-6000 are in stock, so you shouldn’t have to buy this model.
　PI-7000 is around 70,000 yen. If the frequency of communication such as NIFTY-Serve is high, the 30-digit display digit number of PI-7000 is attractive. PI-7000 is recommended over PI-6000FX (or PI-6000 + modem). However, since the selling price of Color Zaurus is expected to be around 100,000 yen, the difference from that is only around 30,000 yen, which is a problem. I’d like to wait until Color Zaurus comes out.

　This price is an independent survey of the retail prices of each shop on the afternoon of May 16th and 17th by the PC Watch editorial department. We do not guarantee that it will be sold at this price. The actual selling price will change, so please check at each shop when purchasing. Please ask each shop about the location of each shop.
　The editorial department cannot answer individual telephone inquiries.

See the news release of PI-6000
See the news release of PI-7000

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