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Radio shack used to sell the RF interface things. Try part number 15-1269 or 15-1267. They're both under $10 USA. As far as the controllers go, mine never really did work well (on my intellivision I), so I'm not sure if they work worse now, or if I'm just used to responsive controllers on other computers/consoles... :)

Radio shack used to sell the RF interface things. Try part number 15-1269 or 15-1267. They're both under $10 USA. As far as the controllers go, mine never really did work well (on my intellivision I), so I'm not sure if they work worse now, or if I'm just used to responsive controllers on other computers/consoles... :)

Looking about, I stumbled apon the :CUECAT F.A.Q.S page and found some rather ammusing items. e.g:

Do I Still Need My Mouse Now That I Have A :CueCat Code Reader?

Yes. :CueCat has a different function from the mouse. You will certainly continue to use your mouse, but probably less often. :CueCat helps you get to the Web page you want instantly, so that you do not need to click repeatedly in search of what you want.

Do I Have To Connect :CueCat Through My Keyboard Port, Or Will It Work From The Mouse PS/2 Port?

The mouse port can not be used. If :CueCat is plugged into the mouse port, it won't read codes.
Remember: cats and mice don't mix!

Is There An Easy Way To Enter The Registration Code? Once you receive the email containing your code, simply copy the code and paste it into the appropriate box on the registration.

Will Staring Into The :CueCat Hurt My Eyes Like A Laser Pointer?

No. :CueCat uses LEDs for scanning. It poses no risk to your eyes.

You've really got to wonder about the target audience for these devices.

P.S. The subject is not self moderating, just clear labeling.

Cya!

Looking about, I stumbled apon the :CUECAT F.A.Q.S page and found some rather ammusing items. e.g:

Do I Still Need My Mouse Now That I Have A :CueCat Code Reader?

Yes. :CueCat has a different function from the mouse. You will certainly continue to use your mouse, but probably less often. :CueCat helps you get to the Web page you want instantly, so that you do not need to click repeatedly in search of what you want.

Do I Have To Connect :CueCat Through My Keyboard Port, Or Will It Work From The Mouse PS/2 Port?

The mouse port can not be used. If :CueCat is plugged into the mouse port, it won't read codes.
Remember: cats and mice don't mix!

Is There An Easy Way To Enter The Registration Code? Once you receive the email containing your code, simply copy the code and paste it into the appropriate box on the registration.

Will Staring Into The :CueCat Hurt My Eyes Like A Laser Pointer?

No. :CueCat uses LEDs for scanning. It poses no risk to your eyes.

You've really got to wonder about the target audience for these devices.

P.S. The subject is not self moderating, just clear labeling.

Cya!

This may be slightly offtopic, but has anyone seen the Radio Shack TV commercials that mention the CueCat, and how it will help improve your web experience, by bringing you info about the products that you actually own. In light of all the slashdot talk, it made me laugh. Info from RadioShack, of course, can be found on their website.



--Xandu

This applies to the cue-cats that were sent out to magazine subscribers, but what about the ones handed out at radio shack? I've seen ads claiming they'll give you one "free", without any indication that DC is just loaning it to you. I just spent a few minutes poking around their website, and it's the same thing. "Pick up your FREE :CueCat today...", "Get one FREE today..." and so on. Now IANAL, but this sounds like false advertising to me.

Read the radio shack website for the necessary clue of WHY they're doing this. Companies don't give things away for free just for fun. There's always a catch that allows them to make money. In this case, its marketing info. This is a quote from the faq at Radio Shack "What happens to my personal information (like my name, address, and e-mail address) when I register and use the :CueCat? Any personal information (such as your name, address and e-mail address) collected online when you register and use your new :CueCat is held and owned by Digital Convergence Corporation (not RadioShack). To view Digital Convergence's privacy policy, Click here. Unless you give Digital Convergence permission to share your personal information with us, or unless you register or purchase on RadioShack.com or volunteer information at a RadioShack store, you and your shopping habits remain anonymous to RadioShack.com. Click here to view RadioShack.com's privacy policy." They only gave you this "handy" device because they want you to register and and scan lots of barcodes, so they have lots and lots of information about your personal interests, so they can sell your information to direct marketers (think human spam). When you write a linux driver, you bypass all the secret sending of private info to their servers, which means they can't make money off you.

of 23:55GMT, a search for "Radio Shack CueCat" at google yields a grand total of zero (0) matches.

Ever since the initial "You've got questions we've got answers" ad campaign, RadioShack has been all one word. And it takes Google a month to update its indexes anyway.

Online method: The library scans a book with the CueCat, the software does a lookup against the online databases, and returns the data to your own database. You get your answer in real time but each lookup takes time to execute. Also, you need to be connected to the net at the time so you can't walk around your stacks and scan right off the shelves.

Batch Method: The libary scans a whole load of books at once with the CueCat and the software makes a list of all the ISBN numbers. At the end of the night, the system hooks up to the online databases and does all it's lookups. By morning you have data on all the books you scanned in the previous day and you have not tied up your Internet connection while users are in the library. This would work well with an old laptop hooked to the CueCat scanner because then you have a portable bar code scanner.

There is actually a picture of the "CAT" at radioshack.com

I've been looking into embedding a few things and came across the Lantronix embeddable CoBox Micro device server. See the big picture. That nifty little gizmo redirects ethernet traffic to a serial port.

Now if you happen to have a Scenix PLC with the TCP/IP stack software (a free download) for it, you can bolt the serial UART to the back of the ethernet port and you now have a package that talks true TCP/IP and can serve web pages or send e-mail right through your ethernet network.

Last time I looked, the Scenix kit was about $150 (programmer, software, cables, power supply...) from Parallax, Inc. and the CoBox was about $200 in single unit quantities. Figure $8 for a Scenix PLC (chip only) and about $20 worth of green board from the Shack and you've spent less than $250 for an embedded system.

Going hog wild, you can pick up a LCD+keypad from Scott Edwards Electronics for $120, and a keypad from Parallax for $20, and you're up to $400.

Can your front door serve a web page that tells you who and when came through the door? Mine can!

Just playing... ;-)

Radio Shack can order any of the lingo series of translators for decent prices, some have a text to speech converter to help with pronunciation. Most Radio Shack salespeople dont know they exist however, just ask to see the home office section in the RSU catalog(a 2 foot wide catalog, usually installed near the counters)

Radioshack does still sells the FM Wireless Microphone kits for $11.99...
I just called.

Radioshack (n)(ripoff)
"One of the largest retailers of consumer electronic products and services in America, Tandy's RadioShack retail operation includes more than 7,000 stores and dealer/franchise outlets nationwide. "

And why aren't we raiding them?

You can probably get it all from radio shack too!

hmmm... Smoke Detector Camera and Picture Frame Miniature Camera that spy on you, yea we got them... look at this Mini Color Board Camera all you need to do is mount it someware...

You can probably get it all from radio shack too!

hmmm... Smoke Detector Camera and Picture Frame Miniature Camera that spy on you, yea we got them... look at this Mini Color Board Camera all you need to do is mount it someware...

You can probably get it all from radio shack too!

hmmm... Smoke Detector Camera and Picture Frame Miniature Camera that spy on you, yea we got them... look at this Mini Color Board Camera all you need to do is mount it someware...

It might have been a failed transaction for Hello Direct, but I found what I needed. So it wasn't a failed purchase for me.

Nice idea. But you will be disappointed. It is ultra-low power. You might get 50 to 100 feet out of it. If you are very lucky. Most of the time you get less. Old wireless microphones used to use FM transmitters. You can pick up a transmitter at RadioShack for $12 that'll do the same thing.

I'm with you on the price, however. For $1,200, the item's list price, you could put mucho very a lot of disk space (and them some) in a box you already own.

InitZero

yes, that does sound resonable. cause a quick search of there catalog on Palmtop Computers gives me a listing of keyboards and mice..?? werd... and i think that compaq's palmtop isnt made anymore...