Sharp brings notebook looks to the PDA world.

LAS VEGAS -- The Zaurus SL-C700 from Sharp has the look of a notebook, but the 3.7-inch display rotates and closes to become a more traditional PDA. It has full touch-screen capability and a large Qwerty keyboard.

Even more impressive is the 640x480 16-bit display. This is the highest resolution display we've seen in a PDA. You'll also find 64MB of ROM and 32MB of RAM.

Unlike most PDAs, Sharp utilizes the ROM to store user data and applications so your information remains safe even if the battery completely drains. Thirty megabytes are available to the user, while the remaining is reserved for the Linux operating system and core.

The SL-C700 also supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), and Type II CompactFlash (CF) for additional storage.

The SL-C700 is currently available in Japan, with plans for a North American debut in the second half of the year. Pricing is estimated between $600 and $700, though that may change at the time of release.

Company: Sharp, Inc.
Available: Q3 or Q4 2003
Price: $600-$700
Specs: Weight: 7.4 ounces; dimensions: 4.7 inches x 3.3 inches x 0.7 inches; processor: Intel xScale 400 MHz; memory: 64MB ROM (30MB available); 32MB RAM; expansion: SD, CF; display resolution: 640x480x16-bit (65,536 colors); display size: 3.7 inches