OESF Portables Forum
General Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: gr8ful on August 09, 2011, 11:06:12 pm
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I haven't used my Z for over 2 years and I'd like to put it to use again. Are there any distributions out there that will breathe some life into my Z and make it useful again?
At one time, OpenZaurus and Ångström were up and coming and very promising. Is there anything happening with these distros?
Is there any possibility of Android on the Z? I thought I heard someone was working on it but don't know what progress has been made.
I am interested in anything that will make it useful and let me tinker again. I bought an iPhone about 2 years ago and as you know, there isn't much you can tweak. Even if you jailbreak, you are still limited.
Glad the site is still around.
gr8ful
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I guess the real question is, what would *you* like to use it for?
I always found my C860 to be great for music and movies (and I think movies for the C1000) would be easier to make, there's a very good post about using handbrake to encode easily for it.
https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...mp;hl=handbrake (https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=27858&hl=handbrake)
I think Android would be tough, even if there is a distro for that since I would imagine it would be too slow (but that is just a guess). Not sure what the state of Ångström is, but OZ development appears to have stopped a while ago:
http://www.openzaurus.org/wordpress/2007/0...-live-angstrom/ (http://www.openzaurus.org/wordpress/2007/04/26/openzaurus-time-is-over-long-live-angstrom/)
Obviously, things that require a keyboard would be a great fit for the Zaurus as well, or something where you want to use USB devices (since the C1000 and all after that, have USB host)
And of course, there is always....Games: https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...amp;hl=nintendo (https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=14102&hl=nintendo)
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My typical use would be as an e-book reader (PDFs mostly), movies, and web browsing. However, something I would really like to use it for is to manage a home control, monitoring, and security systems. Would be a nice device to control lighting, temp, and access security cameras. Really would like to get back into tinkering around again.
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My typical use would be as an e-book reader (PDFs mostly), movies, and web browsing. However, something I would really like to use it for is to manage a home control, monitoring, and security systems. Would be a nice device to control lighting, temp, and access security cameras. Really would like to get back into tinkering around again.
My suggestion is that you would install some broader distro, Debian or Zubuntu for example. I have Debian on my 3100,
more than 29 000 programs to choose from. Then just do some googling, linux home automation.
I use my Z as a gps device, calculator(!), take notes, music player and when travelling, as web surfing platform, and whatever
possible with tiny display and keyboard. That is a lot
Openbox makes X quite responsive, other light dm:s are available too. Many pdf readers also, xpdf lightweight.
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My typical use would be as an e-book reader (PDFs mostly), movies, and web browsing. However, something I would really like to use it for is to manage a home control, monitoring, and security systems. Would be a nice device to control lighting, temp, and access security cameras. Really would like to get back into tinkering around again.
My suggestion is that you would install some broader distro, Debian or Zubuntu for example. I have Debian on my 3100,
more than 29 000 programs to choose from. Then just do some googling, linux home automation.
I use my Z as a gps device, calculator(!), take notes, music player and when travelling, as web surfing platform, and whatever
possible with tiny display and keyboard. That is a lot :rolleyes:
Openbox makes X quite responsive, other light dm:s are available too. Many pdf readers also, xpdf lightweight.
Hi- How do you use your z as a Gps device?
keef
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Hi- How do you use your z as a Gps device?
keef
Billionton cf-gps receiver, foxtrotgps. Used gpsdrive before, but did get any gps signal after debian install.
Maps from openstreetmap.
Cradle from www.pulster.de
And that's it
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My typical use would be as an e-book reader (PDFs mostly).
I used OPIE Reader for EBooks.... I even read Z4CK using that program back in the day...
Weird thing is that the arrow up/down on mine are backwards IMHO (ie:down arrow makes text go Up and vice versa)...
But that's not a big deal when you get used to it. (confusing at first though).
Anyway, the feature that I loved about OPIE Reader was the auto scroll was editable, so you could set it a adjust the pace to match your comfortable reading speed and easily pause resume by tapping button at the top of the screen. The button is even big enough to tap with you finger (so you don't need to hold the stylus... Sharp was amazingly "Before it's time"! ).
Anyway, I recommend OPIE Reader... and hey, some of the problems many have even been fixed in latest version as I am sure mine is extremely old version.