New Low-end "tux Pda"

[koen]

I didn't see CF included in the specs.  I would vote a cf slot over both those options. wouldn't it be cheaper to implement?

CF needs a lot of space in a small device. And integrating a Bluetooth or WiFi chip is less expensive than a CF/PCMCIA chip plus connector plus cover plus adding a CF card.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80515\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Virtually any ARM based chip has an CF interface. The iPAQ h4150 you mentioned uses that for it's internal WLAN. Bluetooth is hooked to the CPU's UART. Also note that only (expensive!) socket BT cards don't stick out. All the ones available here in the Netherlands stick out of the slot.
Another note: your design and specs look a lot like the iPAQ h1900 series, which are cheaper than the price you quoted.

[bluedevils]

any idea on the CPU?  If you can make this device as small or smaller than my ipaq 3115, then I might be interested.  I would love a really small kde pim pi pda.

[adf]

does this thing have a serial port? ir? usb?

or are we talking just an sd slot and only either wifi or bt for any connection to anything (like a keyboard, or a phone?)

I should shutup, though, since pim is not very important to me and this is clearly a pim device.

[bluedevils]

yes but we are also talking lower volumes than the 1900

Another note: your design and specs look a lot like the iPAQ h1900 series, which are cheaper than the price you quoted.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80530\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

[koen]

does this thing have a serial port? ir? usb?

or are we talking just an sd slot and only either wifi or bt for any connection to anything (like a keyboard, or a phone?)

If you go with Intel's latest Xscale member, the pxa270, you wil get SDIO for free, as well as 3 serial ports (one for the cradle, one for BT, one for IR). I don't know if a Samsong SoC is cheaper, but they have mostly the same features.

[koen]

yes but we are also talking lower volumes than the 1900

Another note: your design and specs look a lot like the iPAQ h1900 series, which are cheaper than the price you quoted.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80530\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80533\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

That's exactly why it has to stand out by some really cool feature, be it connectivity, size or design. Some numbers on how much it costs to add BT, CF and/or wifi would be nice. If 'a lot more' amounts to $10 I'd say 'do both', but $40 would be another matter.

[handheld-linux]

Virtually any ARM based chip has an CF interface. The iPAQ h4150 you mentioned uses that for it's internal WLAN. Bluetooth is hooked to the CPU's UART.
Another note: your design and specs look a lot like the iPAQ h1900 series, which are cheaper than the price you quoted.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80530\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Ok, I don't know as I am not the technician to develop that device...

Pricing is depends heavily on the number of units. And HP is able to sell at least 100 times the number of such a device...

[handheld-linux]

does this thing have a serial port? ir? usb? or are we talking just an sd slot and only either wifi or bt for any connection to anything (like a keyboard, or a phone?)

I should shutup, though, since pim is not very important to me and this is clearly a pim device.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80532\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Questions are always welcome even if you are probably not the user...

Yes, it has IR, a serial interface and USB (client, probably 1.1). So, it *could* be possible to connect anything else through a serial interface but I doubt if you can easily buy them. Therefore the wireless connection is very important.

[handheld-linux]

If you go with Intel's latest Xscale member, the pxa270, you wil get SDIO for free, as well as 3 serial ports (one for the cradle, one for BT, one for IR). I don't know if a Samsong SoC is cheaper, but they have mostly the same features.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=80535\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

It is already fixed that it has an Freescale i.MXL processor (ARM 9). There appears to be no choice (without starting a 10 Mio US$ completely new development).

Nikolaus

[adf]

then maybe be sure it runs irk?  can talk to phones via ir? (these options make bt less "necessary")
and maybe shoot for usb host?

[sriley]

but slots are better than gadgets.... more customizable, and cheaper

Absolutely correct.  When I'm looking at a new gadget, I look for "slots" first.  No "slots", no more attention from me, ever, because that gadget can never be expanded to be more than it currently is.

I think that's probably how the majority of gadget users think.

[robertcloud]

I'm sure if it had USB host alot of people would be more willing to consider it.  That is really one thing that I would like even more than wifi or bluetooth.

[ltrm]

Well, I voted for bluetooth even though personally I use WiFi more.

My reasoning is like this:

Bluetooth can do networking, although its a bit slow.
It has much better power consumption figures than Wifi, unless someone knows otherwise.
It can connect to wireless headphones to play mp3s from the SD card.
It can connect to GPS.
It can connect to mobile phones.

The last point is particulary is particularly useful given that Nokia has at leaste one phone, the N91 I think, planned with WiFi and bluetooth built in.  As well as normal network conectivity this will be able to act as a gateway to wifi hotspots.

Also PalmOne has proven that bluetooth only designs can sell well worldwide, although their new PDA does have wifi.

(Personally I'm not buying another PDA till its got both bluetooth and wifi built in and runs linux!)

ltrm

[TsingTao]

I voted wifi.  I don't have any bluetooth enabled devices, and 'the net is vast and infinite...'

 Heehee, I'd stop watching GITS every other day, but I'm afraid I'd just go back to my Akira habit.

 And there's always the fear of a Croutching Tiger, Hidden Dragon relapse...

[ninjafoo]

Personally I would rather have which ever option has the least impact of battery life, its much easier to work around any range restrictions (etc) than painfully short battery life and any form of on board networking is a million time better than nothing.