Virginconnect Boxen?

Bob McCown asks: "I got my Virginconnect box over the weekend. Its a nifty little toy, and has great coolness factor sitting next to the phone and answering machine in the living room. It only connects via the phoneline, no 10baseT port (too bad, the phone line in my area wont let me connect above 26.4k, but I lub my DSL!) The advertisement that is always on screen isnt that obtrusive (about as big as my thumb, in the lower right corner). Its basically a browser and mail client, and the user agreement say that they track what you do to 'enhance your online experience', so no secrets here. It comes with a USB port in the back. I havent opened it up yet, but I was wondering if anyone else has?"

Comments

I got one - here's the skinny.

[jelwell]

For starters, Merinta is the manufacturer of the neato toy you have. And Prodigy provides you with your free 56K ISP.

The Machine runs Linux! and the web browser is by Espial that fakes being Netscape 4.x very well (frames, javascript and Layers wow). Java support is included, and many ports on the machine are accessible. I can use a java applet to telnet to another machine, but I can't telnet back in. And the wiredX (or is weirdX) Java applet that is an X client didn't work.

Those USB ports are currently only good for plugging in keyboards and Mice (or so I'm told). They say in the future they'll support printers but no plans for ethernet card support.

Supposedly there's no hard drive. But I know there's a way to browse the filesystem. I think file:/// works, if not Click on all the dropdowns for in the Help menu - one of these will put you in the filesystem.

It comes with Real (not G2) the old 16K version - that only plays sound! They should be upgrading to a newer version soon - hopefully. It might be Merinta's fault that virginconnect members don't get the Real G2 player. If you check out their "IBrow" (that's what Merinta calls it) add-on software you'll see Real G2 listed. My guess is Merinta charges extra to install that!

Updates to the virgin webplayer happen via Castanet remote software - I'm not familiar with this; and have not had any upgrades happen (that I've noticed) since I logged started.

Did I forget anything? I did a whole mess of research on these things. The machine would be so much less of a toy if I could hook up a high speed connection to it.

Anyone had any success getting a high speed connection connected to the webplayer?

Another thing I'd like to figure out is if there is a cell phone (or some mobile networking hardware) that I can use that I can plug into the phone line input. The machine - when booting up dials prodigy - If I can use a mobile phone line (rather then my land line) I could hook up the machine to run in my car with a DC to AC converter and a cell phone that allows standard phone lines to be connected through.

Joseph Elwell.

This comment is horribly mis-informed.

[jelwell]

For starters this webplayer is definately running Linux. There's no doubt that this is true. It looks like Merinta has updated their website since I initially looked and it does appear that the machines currently run a Java OS - but that must apply only to their new machines. Check this out: a press release from Merinta that specifies that the Machines in the VirginConnect deal run Linux!

Personally, I like the screen - the Machine costs me 0$ (I was one of the first 10,000 to sign on), and my girlfriend liked the keyboard & ($1.50) trackball combo that she ran over to Fry's electronics to pick one up for her computer. The keyboard/trackball is built into one device (for those who don't know) and uses infared to communicate to the base(the color LCD screen); super cool if you ask me.

The horrible refresh smear is indeed awful. I'm hoping that Merinta will work out a deal with Mozilla to embed Gecko instead of that espial browser. But that would be a ways off.

The USB ports are only meant to work with keyboards and mice (but probably only specifice ones - that they don't give you a list of). I don't think drivers are downloaded on the fly - so if it's not there, you can't use it. Forget about a USB compatible ethernet card - I'm sure they didn't put USB ethernet drivers in the machine.

There might be some hope in opening the device with a screwdriver and pulling an I-opener stunt - however the "must use it 10 hours a month" deal will get you hosed if you break it. They make you pay something like 500$ if you do consistently (i think they give you 3 months) fail to use it 10 hours a month AND do NOT to return the device. That price goes down each year - until the end of the third year when the machine is oficially yours.

Joseph Elwell.

Haiku

[YASD]

Slowly, carefully
The case is gently opened
A Virgin no more

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