Topics

1

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Angstrom Poodle Fails To Install.

« on: June 17, 2007, 09:19:42 am »

Tried the last few X11 releases, and none have successfully installed "Flashing error please reboot"

Currently using OZ3.5.4.2 with Angstrom's latest 2.6.20 kernel. Works good, but no sound. For obvious reasons.

2

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Linuxwacom Binaries

« on: February 19, 2007, 02:27:57 am »

Has anyone ever ported it? Jus0t curious to see if I could get an Ultrapad 12x12" working on Cortana as a fun experiment.

3

5x00 Hardware / Connectors

« on: January 26, 2007, 09:37:51 am »

Want a serial connector in the UK for a robotics project.

4

PocketPenguin / Wusb

« on: January 10, 2007, 08:11:04 am »

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4745171942.html


I don't care how you do it.



I want it.

5

PocketPenguin / Penguin Mobile Computers

« on: January 06, 2007, 11:15:25 am »

Right. I've decided to do a simple thing to show how *I* would do it. Yes, I know this is not MY project, this is merely how I would do it, after looking at the general market and other existing devices. Constructive criticisms on the designs and hardware specs themselves are welcome, AFTER I've finished. This is just a first sketchup in Journal to show you the basic idea. Doing it in the form of a flyer for a nonexistant company (Penguin Mobile Computing) to show off their new product line.

MY Pocket Penguin Zero hardware.

X- iMX31 CPU.
X- 256MB mDDR memory.
X- 640x480 4" Resistive CG touchscreen.
X- Slot for otional and upgradeable wireless card (Slot with miniUSB plug at back, any aerial connections sit on the outer edge of the card, any audio handled over the USB2.0 bus the same way as USB headphones, bluetooth. Card is powered from the USB bus.)
X- External Mini-USB socket for charging and connection.
X- End edge contact bus for connection to Tablet/Notebook PC.
X- Bevelling for PPZ to slide into aforementioned PC, and to clip into place.
X- ATA "iPod" hard disk, upgradeable by authorised service centres (for the public) to give storage. Standard volume 30GB and 80GB
X- Rotating camera hooked to iMX31 video bus, 2MP. Fitted same way as camera on Samsung flip-phones. Opposite end to docking connector.
X- Slit style biometric reader on bottom edge of front fascia under the display. Functions as both security sensor and scroll "wheel"
X- Accelerometer to park hard drive heads in case of falling or throwing. Also useable as input controller.
X- Sliding keyboard: Slides out of body of PPZ, and then can be swivelled from a backwards position to act as a stand, (With keyboard "hold" switch enabled) to plane with the body (Position for sliding and most mobile entry) to a forward "Desktop" position. Keyboard will be as slimline as possible, about 80% of the width of the device (Centred, to leave space for the camera and docking connection), and with twin mini-SD sockets for data cards.

Battery is currently undecided.

Specs for rest of gear will be forthcoming, and please talk about whatever you want, except for my design and specs - not till I've finished.

Yes: I know it will be slightly thicker than a Zaurus, and I'm fine with that. Yes, I am thinking about heat dissipation. And finally, I am fully aware that the screen is uncovered. It will have little mounting points for a flip cover like that of the SL-5/6 (Available seperately) and if you don't like that, then get a damn case.

6

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Opie2

« on: January 06, 2007, 09:39:04 am »

What's the plan, is there a plan?

7

PocketPenguin / Open Laptop

« on: December 28, 2006, 03:36:11 pm »

I hate x86. You all know this. I despise 32 bit.

You want a heavy power CPU for the laptop?

64 bit PowerPC chips starting in 2 and 4 cores next year. www.PAsemi.com

They're also designing 16 core versions.

And yes, this is all following the Power per watt mobile technology trend for new CPU's.




DBHI, Go play.

8

General Discussion / Linux On Universal

« on: November 16, 2006, 11:39:48 am »

http://www.handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/Universal

Phone can now make calls, although without sound it's fairly useless. Still, it's a long step forward, and onto much firmer ground.

9

PocketPenguin / Alternative Design For The Ppz

« on: October 17, 2006, 06:01:39 am »

I think the biggest issue so far, has been that of the keyboard. Feel free to disagree.

Everyone and their grandmother has had their own idea of what they want from this. I've been after a keyboard similar to a Universal or Clamshell Zaurus, some have wanted chorded keyboards, some folding belkin-style keyboards, some just want a slate.

How about just MAKING a slate, without a keyboard. I propose that a separate keyboard is produced, however the heck anyone wants it, that connects to a port on the bottom of the device. You can have it on a cable, folding, with a Zaurus-style hinge on it so that it folds over the slate part. Whatever. You could either use a USB/M-USB connector, or attach it to the internal keyboard pins, (As long as they're capable of hotplugging.) What you'd end up with is a thicker display unit, and a thinner keyboard that you could flip out. You could carry a blooming Sun Type 6 130 odd key USB model instead, if you felt like it.

In fact, put the ATA connector on the same port and put the hard disk in the keyboard. That'll bulk up the keyboard a it, slim down the base unit, and let you decide again whether you want a 2.5GB notebook drive (With an external PSU or LARGE extra battery) a 1.8" CF-type Microdrive, a 60GB iPod drive, or a 256MB Flash card. Whatever floats your boat.

10

OpenBSD / Avsparc

« on: August 31, 2006, 01:01:50 pm »

But there is no Desktop OpenBSD forum.

What I need, is a Sparc64 AntiVirus program. I have a Sun Ultra 1 as my desktop box for University (I don't need anything fancy, it's just to act as a gateway for my tabletPC and slackware box, and a web access terminal (And possibly samba access box) to the University network. Rules state that no scanning-sniffing software can be installed: so I'm uninstalling nmap, which is the only secutiry tool I have installed. They also state that my machine must have an up to date antivirus program. I use BDC on my Linux boxes, AVG on anything Windows-API. but since this is my first OpenBSD system (I just found export PKG_PATH and I LOVE it!) I don't know what to use. Can anyone help? Also, any tips on getting this to route data through eth0 to eth1 for my other systems (Internal network to External (Uni) network, would be appreciated mucho.

Cheers
Ferret.

11

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Another Stupid Question, I'm Sure.

« on: August 26, 2006, 07:18:20 am »

Well, I'm flashed, I'm running, My network is working, (Tested in the Browser, plus I've been MUCKing.   ) But when I go into the Package Manager, the package list is blank (I've set it to show only uninstalled packages) I've updated the lists, it SEEMS to download the packages.gz files from the feeds, but doesn't show any packages. How can I fix this? I really could do with some software on here.

Cheers, Ferret.

12

PocketPenguin / Internal Storage Discussion

« on: August 24, 2006, 01:41:31 pm »

Right, this arguments getting a bit hot. Ultimately, it's DB's decision. .  But I'd like a separate reasonable discussion on this so we can concentrate on other hardware in "hardware" rather than bringing this up over and over again.

At current standing, the CF card is an INTERNAL HARD DISK. It would run on an ATA66 bus, which means you could not unplug it with a battery in the device without risking harm to either. You cannot use it to connect Wifi, Bluetooth, or any other "IO hardware"!!!!! You cannot use it to download files off of your Digital Camera or MP3 player's etc CF card.

I think it's still a good idea. It allows for the easy upgrade of storage media, using Compact Flash Type ONE or TWO Flash disks or Microdrives. Advantages of a Microdrive over embedded flash or SD card? Faster, longer lasting, and soon to be available in 20GB card sizes. That's a large hard drive for a PDA, which means you can install the entirety of Arm-Slackware a large number of times. Because a MicroDrive doesn't burn out easily, the correct linux kernel could operate the device using a good Journaling Filesystem such as my personal favourite, ReiserFS.

An internal Flash or Microdrive card can be replaced at any time in case of wearing out or accidental damage (Microdrives can be harmed by falling like a normal hard disk - Using our accelerometer to park the heads could reduce this risk though.) Internal Flash replacement would need a BGA rework station to repair.

Ok, so SD cards are smaller, but in terms of data storage: 4GB versus 20GB CF is clearly the winner, and you can't get SD microdrives.

13

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Prism3/gpe Howto. . Please?

« on: August 20, 2006, 04:24:35 pm »

Right, well, I'm moving myself out of proprietary Sharp territory, and into the brave new world of OZ/GPE version 2.6.17-17-06-2006 on Poodle.

Problem is, The only card not supported by default, is a Prism3. Guess what I have? My Adlink is not playing nice with my Install, owing to a lack of drivers. I saw a bunch of gunk about Hostap for the 5500. . . Anyone able to give me a rundown of getting this on a 5600?

Things I need to know:

Every package I need to make this work. I'm having to download them then save them to SD.
Basic guide on how to configure them after I install them.
Whether the GUI network config works on Poodle


Also, is there a media unmounter similar to that in Opie and Qtopia? "umount /media/card" is very geekchique when I'm in nerd company, because it's a good talking point. . . But when I'm in a hurry, it's Frakking irritating. Although it's better than Windows Mobile, where you pull the card and hope to high heaven you still have a FAT table.

14

PocketPenguin / Pocketpenguin Phone Rom

« on: July 27, 2006, 05:28:09 pm »

So. What? Gonna be linux based, (Of course.) What will we need? I'm gonna guess this'll be based on the OpenEmbedded toolkit. A Bootstrap base? I can't see us needing a GUI on a phone emulator. . . So we'll need Stacks, and an interface to the iMX.

Things that are going to need alot of thinking:

The data protocol for the USB connection to the iMX. . . We have the Serial link for AT control, but 3G data, GPRS data, and videophone data will all need to go on the USB bus. . . What else? MMS's, Access to the data on the SIM card, (Own number, SIM-phonebook: Will need a tie in to our AddressBook in the PDA OS. . .)

The software that controls the RPU and DSP. . . Needed functions?

It's going to have to be able to wake the iMX so that the iMX can handle CallerID, send any required information to the twin displays and to bluetooth (And whatever else you guys route it to  Caller log?)

Genii (Geniuses?) give me your opinion.

15

PocketPenguin / Bluetooth Watch.

« on: June 23, 2006, 05:01:37 pm »

if it can use palmorb then i am intrested, bluetooth would be a killer app for this thing as then i could hook it into my sysetm and see if i can make my Z pull the phone number from the phone and disploy on the watch then route the audio to my bluetooth headset smile.gif, all we need is a serial port i guess wink.gif

now where can i ind one of these in Australia?

Hmmm. . . Dismantled mine today, just to prod, and discovered something. The IRDA chip (2mmx10mmx2mm) has 8 pins on the back, and a larger pin holding it down. So looks like you could steal a serial port from the IRDA. However, you have a total of 1cmx0.5cmx0.2cm space internally to fit a bluetooth module, although you could hang it of the hole (full of translucent plastic) for the IRDA beam, which is about 2mmx12mm square.

http://www.ratesaver.com.au/products/B0007...OS___Black.html

Don't know if that link's any good?

Even just as it is, it's a cool, and useful device. (Just a shame about the 1 to 2 day battery life. Ah hell, who cares, you can charge it from a USB port!)