Slashdot Mirror
Linux-Based Phone, Snatched From Inferno
elemur writes: "For your linux loving friends with everything, why not get a TuxScreen? This phone is based on the Compaq Linux distribution, normally used on the iPaq. When is the last time you needed to upgrade the packages or distribution on your phone?" A phone with a 640x480 touchscreen and a lot more smarts than "redial" would be an upgrade to most people anyhow -- being able to play games even more.
And those have sold so well.
No remote control so I can dial from my couch? Where's the advantage?
- It's a PDA that's, uh, not portable
- It's a phone that costs way too much
- It's a complete overuse of technology
Gimme a freakin' break, and some freakin' technology that's useful!Although some may snicker at the kicthen aspect of the phone, this really does provide a nice platform for Linux telephony.
Strides are being made in the telephony arena using linux. Bayonne is making great progress:
http://www.gnu.org/software/bayonne/news.html
One of the interesting things that people forget is that while VOIP is cool, you can't forget about the phone/automated system interaction for transacation based systems. Lots of market there.
I work for a company doing a lot of wireless VoIP stuff, and can imagine all sorts of cool stuff you could do with this. Just load up OpenH323 and you have a functioning VoIP phone for anywhere. A guy who works with me has written an open source H323 app for WinCE on the iPAQ, and I bet it would be simple to port to a device like this!
Go to Japan, come to Europe. This really isn't news. The nokia communicator http://www.nokia.com/phones/9210/index.html or for you guys next year http://www.nokia.com/phones/9290/index.html does all of that, runs on the rock solid EPOC operating system and is very nice as it runs full Java and a proper rather than cWAP browser (although it does that as well).
Java's CLDC and CDC profiles address these sort of issues in a device independent mechanism which is critical given the differences in OSes, memory configurations and facilities.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
How about a simpple device, handheld, controlled with an easy to use numeric keypad, used only for voice communication? Has anyone else ever thought of this?
Best Slashdot Co
microwindows is cool, I use it in embedded places.
but this phone screams for PicoGUI instead. It's much smaller, and is better suited for a multi-display device instead of a mini-X windows. I tried both in a home automation project, and picogui won because of size and speed and the lack of ability to have overlapping windows.
I for one am getting 3 of these phones just for the hardware hacking potential.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
does this device have an X10 interface? according to the hardware doesnt say specifically, but when you look at the logo on their index.html has a little subscript '10' next to the "X" in Tu X
Anyone care to comment? Still a very interesting little device...
this looks really nice I was looking for a StrongARM evaluation board and this fits the bill for a student project
I am very greatful to Tim Riker who seems like at really nice guy (tm)
its projects like this that make it all worth while..
regards
john jones
p.s. mod this AC up
It has PCMCIA slots.. Need network access, add it... I'm considering adding a PCMCIA soundcard and using it for MP3's in a room that doesn't have a phone or computer yet.. Right next to my bar, so I can snag drink recipes too....
Unfortunately linux doesn't support pcmcia sound cards.
The pcmcia slots in the is2630 are quite badly hacked in. They only support 3.3v cards and cannot send a reset signal to a card. Many 3.3v capable pcmcia cards work, and so far every CF card that's been tried in a pcmcia carrier works.
I've got a 10/100 nic and a 64 meg cf card in one of mine.
This is just like television, only you can see much further.
Thought I'd post here briefly to clear up some of the comments.
As andersen mentioned these are a discontinued product which I got a hold of for below the manufacturing cost.
They are a true hackers appliance. Probably don't serve any useful purpose yet. Once we have VoIP and a digital answering machine working then I'll call them useful.
At any rate the components should run you around $300 (usd) so if you want a project to hack on, this has been a fun one for those involved.
There is no x-10 interface. As the paragraph quoted below mentions this could be connected to the existing serial port if you like.
Linux will run on the device. Inferno is on them now. Play with both. Subscribe to Inferno source for $500 and hack on it if you like.
It looks like MicroWindows and perhaps others as well running on uClibc will fit in the 4M of onboard flash and get about the same functionality that the existing Inferno offers. I prefer a complete open source solution, but will not force those views on others.
Thanx for the interest! Still around 1000 units left at the time of this writing (for the may that keep asking).
Tim Riker - http://rikers.org/
Talk to your Avaya SE, he may have a nice NDA for you to sign, but you may like what you'll hear...
Think outside the... Hey, where'd the friggin' box go?