Created: 20 October 2026 · Last edited: 22 October 2026

The MI-E21, announced in August 2001 and released in early September, is the third keyboard-equipped colour Zaurus and an enhanced successor to the consumer-oriented MI-E1. Its redesigned enclosure is 7.5 mm narrower than that of the earlier model, measuring approximately 74 × 138 × 17 mm and weighing 188 g without the protective cover. The 3.5-inch front-lit reflective TFT colour touchscreen has the now traditional 240 × 320-pixel resolution and support for 65,536 colours, while improvements to the keyboard layout make text entry more comfortable.

The MI-E21 comes with internal memory doubled to 32 MB, comprising 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of flash memory, with approximately 15 MB available for user data. The device provides both a CompactFlash Type II slot and an SD card slot, also compatible with MultiMediaCards (MMC).

Sharp have placed particular emphasis on entertainment, especially portable video recording. The optional CE-VRC1 video-recording card fitted into the CompactFlash slot and connected to a television, VCR or other audiovisual equipment through composite video and stereo audio inputs. Unlike a conventional video recorder, it has no built-in TV tuner; instead, it captures an external source and saves the recording to an SD memory card or MMC. Video is encoded in Nancy format, using software compression performed by the Zaurus itself, while audio is recorded in an MP3-compatible format. Recording requires an AC adapter, and a 64 MB SD card can hold up to approximately 90 minutes of video.

The MI-E21 also supports MP3 music playback, with a nine-band graphic equaliser and X-BASS enhancement for stronger bass. The optional CE-AG06 digital camera card enables photography, and additional software allows it to capture short video clips; these recordings can be sent as e-mail attachments using a compatible data-communication card. CompactFlash-based PHS terminals, including NTT DoCoMo's P-in m@ster and P-in Comp@ct and DDI Pocket's C@rdH"64 petit, provided mobile connectivity. The P-in m@ster can also be used to make outgoing calls with a connected headset.

Despite its entertainment focus, the MI-E21 retains the familiar Zaurus personal information management tools, Web browsing and e-mail, combining them with a slide-out keyboard for more practical text entry. Its combination of a colour touchscreen, keyboard, dual card slots and expandable multimedia functions make it one of the most capable models in Sharp's final generation of traditional Zaurus PDAs. The subsequent MI-E25DC builds on this platform by adding an integrated digital camera.