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There is an SDK that allows you to write code for a cybiko. It as a serial port that could hook up to something like this: iom42. Cybikos can cost as little and $7 to $15 used. You just need a small lead-acid battery, motors, legos, and sensors after that. Which will probably put you over $100, but it may be as close as you can get -- you get to program it in C instead of assembly, unlike most of the PIC chip solutions, and if you get two, they can talk to each other wirelessly and colaborate.

There is an SDK that allows you to write code for a cybiko. It as a serial port that could hook up to something like this: iom42. Cybikos can cost as little and $7 to $15 used. You just need a small lead-acid battery, motors, legos, and sensors after that. Which will probably put you over $100, but it may be as close as you can get -- you get to program it in C instead of assembly, unlike most of the PIC chip solutions, and if you get two, they can talk to each other wirelessly and colaborate.

Be it this?

It's still around and has an active development community.

Cybiko's are dirt cheap these days. I've seen them for 5 quid each. USB, keyboard, very long battery life. Just what you want I think. Only 1MB of RAM in the standard model but that is a lot of typed text. Processor runs at a monster 11MHz (with a 4MHz co-processor).

Cybiko's are dirt cheap these days. I've seen them for 5 quid each. USB, keyboard, very long battery life. Just what you want I think. Only 1MB of RAM in the standard model but that is a lot of typed text. Processor runs at a monster 11MHz (with a 4MHz co-processor).

The product is called MiaChat and is available on DevCybiko.com.

When i released the software in 2001, I sold it for $4.95. But the culture surrounding the Cybiko was that the company was releasing a free title per day. The kiddies expected free software and refused to use MiaChat. I ultimately sold about 60 copies before closing shop.

Kids claim they love this capability. But in my experience its more of a neat idea than a real necessity.

Greg Smith
cybiko@alcorgrp.com
DevCybiko.com

Cybiko does this. Am I supposed
to dance around and clap at motorola's innovative entry into the teen PDA
market?

P.S. I'm just P.O'd slash doesn't do more coverage on this device, I
have 3, they're a hell of a lot better than luggin a laptop through the house
for IRC or IM'ing. Really cool toy.

don't these things do that sort of thing already?

You can already get these in Japan (can't remember what they are called), and the Cybiko has a similar thing where it will let you know when someone with the same interests entered into their Cybiko comes within signal range.

it doesn't say anywhere that the addon allows you to play games while listening to mp3s, my guess is it wouldn't be because it would need its own decoder and standalone machines like this are already all over the market.

it seems like a better idea would be to use a cybiko. these things also have memory expansion capability, you can download a software mp3 decoder, i believe it has some multitasking ability so that you can do other stuff while listening to mp3s such as play games and whatnot, it has wireless network capability (it attempts to create a network with all of the available cybikos around it), and something that should especially appeal to /. crew (or not) is the SDK available from the website that includes a C compiler. oh, it is also somewhat cheaper than a gba+$40 addon.

fine, it isn't a gba still, so buy that am3 thing then. am3? am2? shenmue?

this spam brought to you by anonymous coward.

Interesting idea, but it's got a few problems.

1. Battery power. How convinient would it be to store and charge?
2. Durability. What if the wearer is caught in the rain.
3. Inconvinience. Does the screen permanently impair vision? Does the battery pack set your pants on fire? Does the mouse require micron-accurate hand movements and/or a flat surface? Is it all voice-recognition that will severely mess up during a regular conversation?
4. Functionality. What, precisely, do they expect this to be set up to do?
5. Superiority. How is this better than the flopped "Cybiko?" How is it better than any other PDA out there?
6. Dorkage. How dumb does it look?

Come to think of it, number 6 would probably be the primary influence on this.

The small-but-noticable delay caused by the encoding/decoding process is already as bad as is usably possible. Adding packet-hopping to cell phones would increase this latency by a noticable degree, making them less usable.

I know cybikos are not cell-phons, but they do implement a similar packet-hopping technique. see Cybiko.com

Cybiko - it's not great, but they have done it.

Here is their site if you don't remember this POS. (I've never tried one... sounds cool but no one has one to hook up with)

The question is: Are we going to be seeing the verizon guy going around standing next to people on cell phones saying "Can you hear me now? Damn! ... Can you... damn dropped call!"

Finally! Cybiko for adults! Now I don't have to be the creepy old guy talking to pre-teenagers!

Used to cost about $100 or so... Flopped right on its butt as far as I know. Saw like 2 commercials for it and never once saw anyone using it.

Basically it just would just connect to other Cybikos in the area and kids could play games or send little instant messages to each other.

http://www.Cybiko.com/

How about Cybiko?BTW how about working on making the distance longer, on the diffrent network bands. Only a couple of feet on 8002b. Bluetooth...NOT! Is it too much to ask for atleast a mile of range?

My university is looking at Cybikos. There seems to be an active development community, and best of all, they cost 1/4 of the Zaurus. Plus they come with wireless stuff which should be interesting in lectures. We only just got them so I don't know whether all this will pan out. Maybe ucLinux could be ported? I doubt a full linux OS is really needed though, gcc+newlib should be enough.

One, what's inside it? I dind't see processor or memeory specs on that site..

Two, I tried to look for that info on
cybico's us website
and guess what? It gave me this error.

Sorry, to access to the page you need to enable "cookies" in your browser settings.
A "cookies" is a small amount of information that a web site copies to your computer.

If you use Internet Explorer 5.0, you have to do the following to enable "cookies":
Press 'Tools' on the top bar of Internet Explorer. Then press 'Internet Options' -> 'Security' and set medium or lower level of security. You can also press 'Custom' button in 'Security' options and set 'Allow per session cookies (not stored)' in 'Enable'.

If you use Internet Explorer 6.0, you have to do the following to enable "cookies":
Press 'Tools' on the top bar of Internet Explorer. Then press 'Internet Options' -> 'Security' and set medium or lower level of security. You can also press 'Advanced' button in 'Privacy' options and uncheck 'Override automatic cookie handling' box.
If you want to be notified when Internet Explorer accepts a cookie, check 'Override automatic cookie handling' and set 'First-party Cookies' & 'Third-party Cookies' in 'Prompt'.

If you use AOL 5.0:
On the 'My AOL' menu, click 'Preferences'. On the 'Preferences' window, click 'WWW', then press 'Security' tab. Set medium (or lower) level of security (or press 'Custom' button and set 'Allow per session cookies (not stored)' in 'Enable'). Click 'Ok'. If that does not work, please update to AOL 6.0.

If you use Netscape Navigator 4.7 or higher:
From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Click the Advanced category. Click one of the radio buttons. If you want to be notified when Communicator accepts a cookie, check "Warn me before accepting a cookie."

Home © 1999-2001. Cybiko, Inc. All rights reserved.

can you belive the nerve of them? Not to mention their incredibly bad coding standards to make a site that can't handle these things graciously!
Bastards.

There are limits to what you can do with the free SDK (they don't allow you to sell applets made with the free one), but it works, and it's real easy to create stuff for the Cyb.

I keep thinking to myself: frotz port.. frotz port.. frotz port..

I have been wondering if something like the Cybiko could be made to work for real use. If you haven't seen them, they are handheld computers for kids that communicate in an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless relay network. And they're like $80. A cable to your computer turns one into an internet bridge, so that your unit can pass signals from nearby units over the net to span larger ranges. Their biggest drawback (aside from being cheesy and designed for kids) is that the range is only a few hundred feet, so the device density has to be high to span any distance. (like in a high school or a mall, where their target audience spends all their time)

If, say, a palm-pilotish device could be coupled with a cell-phone level transceiver (or possibly an FRS radio component for 2-5 mile range) we could have ad-hoc wireless wherever we go without paying network fees. In dense areas, the power could be lowered to prevent interference with all the other devices in the area, and internet bridges could help span large rural areas.

Is there anything preventing a company with no networking interests (they'd want monthly fees, then) from doing this?

Self-structuring ad-hoc data networks are pretty cool. Pagers, Cellphones, PDAs and the like (all these embedded devices) would serve themsevlves well to build an adhoc network like this...

a cool little device that i bought my niece for Xmas '00 was a Cybiko see Cybiko.com

The specs are here

With two units, one in the hand and one married to your PC the device will enable a limited sort of 'home wireless access' on WAP.

Who needs service fees and a monolithic oppressive corporate watcher, why not build a low power, low bandwidth network of peers in the 'cybiko fashion'.

..or wait till 802.11b(or 'a') chipsets become SUPER small and SUPER cheap...

Self-structuring ad-hoc data networks are pretty cool. Pagers, Cellphones, PDAs and the like (all these embedded devices) would serve themsevlves well to build an adhoc network like this...

a cool little device that i bought my niece for Xmas '00 was a Cybiko see Cybiko.com

The specs are here

With two units, one in the hand and one married to your PC the device will enable a limited sort of 'home wireless access' on WAP.

Who needs service fees and a monolithic oppressive corporate watcher, why not build a low power, low bandwidth network of peers in the 'cybiko fashion'.

..or wait till 802.11b(or 'a') chipsets become SUPER small and SUPER cheap...

Gork!

Wireless LAN/PAN connectivity is essential. It simplifies synchronization with desktops, allows development of geographical communities of interest (e.g. using the Cybiko, allows more device specialization (e.g. I can wear separate devices for image capture, image display, audio input, audio output etc depending on which devices I want). Tim

http://www.cybiko.com/coolsitewinners.asp is another good list of user web-pages.

Well, it's not broadband but... http://www.cybiko.com/cyberxpo/

Rich

Look here for this post on the 'magical disapearing Xmas post' from 12.05.00. This neat little toy is worth checking out for young Geeks on your list:

I just bought a Cybiko handheld 'Inter-Tainment' (eek Markatroid Buzz alert) computer for my 11 yr old niece. She loves my CasioE100 - so this seems appropriate. Ive been trying to geekify her for years, videogames/build-it-yourself robot (not a big hit)/Legos etc.

This Cybiko device has a decent little screen, a free SDK, 900MHz Adhoc networking (@19200baud), instant messaging & email repeated on the Cybiko Network you are a part of, Email via a internet gateway (ie xxxxxxx@cybiko.com where xxxxx is the unique ID of each Cybiko - requires syncing w/ a PC to Internet), free(gratis) games/software/PIM software daily online, has a vibrating alert and sound.

cheese_announcer_voice(start);
if (buy_right_now) {
recieve(MP3_AddOnModule.free(mail_in_rebate);
}
cheese_announcer_voice(stop);

You can buy them Online @ Cybiko for $90 USF. Pretty reasonable Id say.

Additional Links:
General Info - Hardware Specs - Software Specs - RF Specs

Look here for this post on the 'magical disapearing Xmas post' from 12.05.00. This neat little toy is worth checking out for young Geeks on your list:

I just bought a Cybiko handheld 'Inter-Tainment' (eek Markatroid Buzz alert) computer for my 11 yr old niece. She loves my CasioE100 - so this seems appropriate. Ive been trying to geekify her for years, videogames/build-it-yourself robot (not a big hit)/Legos etc.

This Cybiko device has a decent little screen, a free SDK, 900MHz Adhoc networking (@19200baud), instant messaging & email repeated on the Cybiko Network you are a part of, Email via a internet gateway (ie xxxxxxx@cybiko.com where xxxxx is the unique ID of each Cybiko - requires syncing w/ a PC to Internet), free(gratis) games/software/PIM software daily online, has a vibrating alert and sound.

cheese_announcer_voice(start);
if (buy_right_now) {
recieve(MP3_AddOnModule.free(mail_in_rebate);
}
cheese_announcer_voice(stop);

You can buy them Online @ Cybiko for $90 USF. Pretty reasonable Id say.

Additional Links:
General Info - Hardware Specs - Software Specs - RF Specs

Look here for this post on the 'magical disapearing Xmas post' from 12.05.00. This neat little toy is worth checking out for young Geeks on your list:

I just bought a Cybiko handheld 'Inter-Tainment' (eek Markatroid Buzz alert) computer for my 11 yr old niece. She loves my CasioE100 - so this seems appropriate. Ive been trying to geekify her for years, videogames/build-it-yourself robot (not a big hit)/Legos etc.

This Cybiko device has a decent little screen, a free SDK, 900MHz Adhoc networking (@19200baud), instant messaging & email repeated on the Cybiko Network you are a part of, Email via a internet gateway (ie xxxxxxx@cybiko.com where xxxxx is the unique ID of each Cybiko - requires syncing w/ a PC to Internet), free(gratis) games/software/PIM software daily online, has a vibrating alert and sound.

cheese_announcer_voice(start);
if (buy_right_now) {
recieve(MP3_AddOnModule.free(mail_in_rebate);
}
cheese_announcer_voice(stop);

You can buy them Online @ Cybiko for $90 USF. Pretty reasonable Id say.

Additional Links:
General Info - Hardware Specs - Software Specs - RF Specs

Look here for this post on the 'magical disapearing Xmas post' from 12.05.00. This neat little toy is worth checking out for young Geeks on your list:

I just bought a Cybiko handheld 'Inter-Tainment' (eek Markatroid Buzz alert) computer for my 11 yr old niece. She loves my CasioE100 - so this seems appropriate. Ive been trying to geekify her for years, videogames/build-it-yourself robot (not a big hit)/Legos etc.

This Cybiko device has a decent little screen, a free SDK, 900MHz Adhoc networking (@19200baud), instant messaging & email repeated on the Cybiko Network you are a part of, Email via a internet gateway (ie xxxxxxx@cybiko.com where xxxxx is the unique ID of each Cybiko - requires syncing w/ a PC to Internet), free(gratis) games/software/PIM software daily online, has a vibrating alert and sound.

cheese_announcer_voice(start);
if (buy_right_now) {
recieve(MP3_AddOnModule.free(mail_in_rebate);
}
cheese_announcer_voice(stop);

You can buy them Online @ Cybiko for $90 USF. Pretty reasonable Id say.

Additional Links:
General Info - Hardware Specs - Software Specs - RF Specs

Look here for this post on the 'magical disapearing Xmas post' from 12.05.00. This neat little toy is worth checking out for young Geeks on your list:

I just bought a Cybiko handheld 'Inter-Tainment' (eek Markatroid Buzz alert) computer for my 11 yr old niece. She loves my CasioE100 - so this seems appropriate. Ive been trying to geekify her for years, videogames/build-it-yourself robot (not a big hit)/Legos etc.

This Cybiko device has a decent little screen, a free SDK, 900MHz Adhoc networking (@19200baud), instant messaging & email repeated on the Cybiko Network you are a part of, Email via a internet gateway (ie xxxxxxx@cybiko.com where xxxxx is the unique ID of each Cybiko - requires syncing w/ a PC to Internet), free(gratis) games/software/PIM software daily online, has a vibrating alert and sound.

cheese_announcer_voice(start);
if (buy_right_now) {
recieve(MP3_AddOnModule.free(mail_in_rebate);
}
cheese_announcer_voice(stop);

You can buy them Online @ Cybiko for $90 USF. Pretty reasonable Id say.

Additional Links:
General Info - Hardware Specs - Software Specs - RF Specs

What about those personal organizers ? There are the Franklins, the Sharps, and what else ? Anybody play around with those cybikos ?

I'm thinking of building a prototype for a product, which will be a small organizer or two way pager like device with a key board and small 4 line screen. I know nothing about ergonomics, so I'd like to examine the best example.

For those who havnt seen it have a look at this: Cybiko its a 900mhz networked 'pocket computer' with its own OS, free software (dloaded from net). VERY neat little toy - ive just ordered one for my niece - I want one for myself ;). They also make a SDK available for those who would want to hack it

The device will set up an adhoc network consisting of these devices when they are in correct range (150 - 300 ft) Not enough range really - but certainly neat display for a child's toy.

Very neat tech for less than $100. There is a 'mail in rebate' for a free add on module that makes the device an MP3 player as well..

No im not getting paid for this - Ive just been reading alot of reviews etc trying to decide if it was appropriate for an Xmas gift this year...

I was thinking about something the other day, it might interest all of you -- make fake wireless nets using the Cybiko.

For a bit of explaination, here goes -- the Cybiko is a small 'toy' directed at teenagers -- it has all the usual PDA features, but the most interesting is that it posesses short-rage wireless capabilities.

It has an SDK, so I had the idea of making an app and some drivers so that you could connet the Cybiko to your serial port and communicate with other people with the same Cybiko setup. THe speed are limited to about 200kb/sec (IIRC) but they're cheap at 129 USD per unit, and multipule units could communicate with each other.

I've got a visor deluxe and I love it, I just got a cheapo $4 AAA battery recharger from radio shack yesterday (I was about to go poor on overclocking it to play gameboy games).

Why don't "santa's little helpers" make a springboard module that allows for simple radio communication between visors/palms. Just a 300-400 foot range is all I ask, so I can tell if my friends are near.

Similar to the Cybiko setup, just not geared toward 14/F's..

www.cybiko.com

I'm going to be joining the local Amateur radio club soon, and I'm only 21. You're right, it is mostly older guys. But I think packet radio (GPRS) has potential to be explored by a younger, Internet-savvy generation - especially packet radio connected to the Internet.
I think the interest pendulum is starting to swing back to peer-to-peer access, with regard to how we do communications. Witness the development of NexTel's "walkie-talkie" feature, and the new Cybiko "organizer" for the teenie-bopper/geek set. Hell, I'd get one of those things if I had a spare $129 or whatever it is :-)

It won't deliver web content while you're in Nome, but it wouldn't take too much (warning IANAProgrammer and this is sheer speculation) to make an internet connected PC and a spare unit broadcast any text you want to to a Cybiko, so long as it's in range. In a small office or something, it'd work.

For $130 bucks list, I am amazed. It's like a combination low, low-end PDA (you can keep a virtual "business card" on it, like on a Palm, and there are attempts at least, which I have not well investigated yet)

Is it a Palm or a threat to winCE? no, that's absurd. But I do shake my head in frustration that my Visor (a great to[y / ol]) labors along in isolation, while three cybiko units can talk with each other over up to 600 feet thanks to message propogation.

It's not a real wide area service like a Palm VII, or a minstrel modem, or even a $20 pager -- but for office environments, I'd like to see cybiko create a business / geek centric division making local low-power radio tranmsitters for Palms, Handsprings and other Palm OS devices. After all, there are few enough of these durn handpsring modules (Bluetooth? what's that?), and I'd like only one part of a $139 device, so under $60 seems fair ...

timothy

Disclaimer: we have some for review right now, and you'll see the article on slashdot at some point;)

The price is $150, which is several times the impulse buy level, so I can't just buy it and see. Also, you'd need more than one to really do anything.

My interests are in mobile wireless routing protocols; this little toy actually does some of that, because messages from two disconnected devices will hop through a device that can talk to both. It sounds really cool.

Cybikos will relay emails for each other, if I understand correctly. I haven't used one, but it sounds like a badass little toy for $99. Plug it into your computer and you can serve as an Internet gateway (CyWIG) for any other Cybiko in range.

Anyone else have one of these yet?

--