Messages

61

PocketPenguin / Build Your Own Linux Powered Pda

« on: July 21, 2006, 05:20:59 pm »

I might be able to help with the software side of things.

  I also have a line on a board fabricator here in Wisconsin that the company I work for has worked with in the past, don't really know their minimums and comparitive costs.  I think we mainly worked with them because we had very small hardware design knowledge, and they were willing to work with us to design what we needed, plus they were nearby.  We don't have many problems with the devices that they build for us.

  The company is SMT Corporation in Appleton, WI

62

PocketPenguin / Build Your Own Linux Powered Pda

« on: July 21, 2006, 05:15:12 pm »

Are you planning to use the mini-USB connectors like what I see on Camcorders and MP-3 players?  About 1/2 the size of standard USB connectors.

One of the other nice features of my laptop is, they have a button to manually turn off power to the Wireless card.  They
also have a button to turn off that darn touchpad mouse.  I think incorporating a power off button for certain power hungry features would be nice.  And, from what I've heard the WIFI stuff is very power hungry, and if you were just using the PDA functions you might not need it active.  Might also want a way to disable the keyboard backlight as well, although I'm sure that is a very small power usage.

Bill

63

PocketPenguin / Build Your Own Linux Powered Pda

« on: July 21, 2006, 05:14:35 pm »

Ok, now that you mention it, the laptop is indeed using mini-PCI for that card.

What about making the phone portion optional via a daughter card configuration?

Bill

64

PocketPenguin / Build Your Own Linux Powered Pda

« on: July 20, 2006, 11:57:14 pm »

Hello,  This sounds like it will be a great device when it gets built..

A couple of questions...

  My present laptop uses a replaceable small pcmcia card to have the wifi and bluetooth capabilities,  I think the modem is on there as well,  Is there a way to design things to allow usage of this kind of standard card for wifi and bluetooth?  That way when 802.11Z is released (yes I said Z), we could just replace a standard component.

  Can you possibly have the Phone portion be a self contained daughter card?
Possibly the same type of card as I suggested for the wifi stuff.

  It's not a standard PCMCIA, might be called Compact PCMCIA, and it is entirely internal, and it has wires that plug into it for the antenna, which is in the display portion of the laptop.

  On another note, if you had two processors which would give you more USB as well as all the other devices, would that be workable, or too much power and board real estate?  It's sounding more and more like a dedicated USB controller/hub is needed.


  Is there no way to design the board to fit within the current C3200 case?

Bill