Slashdot Mirror
Telepongs Linux Handheld in June
Danny writes: "infoSync has got a interesting story about a mobile terminal running on Linux, which is supposed to be available in June 2002. From the pictures to tell, it's really cool -- and it supports GSM/GPRS, has a 65K color display and comes with a camera interface and a joystick for playing games." Now mind you such cool devices will take years to get to the U.S., but wow, that's a crazy looking device. Me Like-ee.
Can you play pong on a telepong?
It does look rather cool, and it looks like it would come back to you when you throw it.
Twitter.com/TrentonHyatt
That's for sure
And Yes, there is a Telepong.com with a truly large picture (1700x1700) for your closeups of the device
but otherwise the site is still a bit content lite.
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
What kind of filesystems do these things use?
I'm curious.
[Connection closed by foreign host]
OK, where the hell did they come up with non-word, "tweens." I hate it already and this is the first time I've seen it.
When the revolution comes, the marketing people will be the first against the wall.
Is a Telepong anything like a Telefrag? If not, what's the point?
To be honest I dont understand how that is so damn cool - guess its supposedly cool cause it runs Linux.. Seems to be a good way to advertise semi-useless toys to geeks though
Seriously - last time I checked I got a cell-phone 'cause I wanted a device that lets me call parents/friends and _talk_ to them.
I agree that SMS for instance is a pretty good way of sending short notes but that's where my need for text/graphic-based communications end. Which is why I choose the smallest damn phone..
--H
What all these devices lack IMO are really easy-to-handle userinterfaces; operating on a small screen, using even smaller buttons and keys is not my ideal idea of easy of use.
Heck, i even prefer my good old diary to my palm 5!
I guess we will have to wait for some years, until we can command those gadgets with our very voices or thinking.
No, it's not obvious at all that you have a friend who moderated you up. I'm sure a moderator would pass up the actual useful link to Telepong.com and give you an "Informative" tag for your brilliant use of the word like-ee
It runs Linux? Oh man, imagine a B... nevermind.
Bush Lies Watch
64K colors, 65536 colors, 16-bit. 64000? No siree bob.
---------
Fuck you, motherfucker. Fuck yous to: Rob "Taco-Snotter" Malda, Homos, Kowboi Kneel, and RMS.
Audiovox Communications Corporation Wednesday unveiled a GPS-enabled third-generation (3G) wireless handset that incorporates Bluetooth technology.It includes a Web browser and supports Short Message Service (SMS) messaging.
The company said it would release the device in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The handset will retail for $299.
Support Texas Troops use TXGoogle
Is it just me, or are these newer gen handhelds looking more and more like Star Trek Communicators? This one looks a lot like the Mularian communicators from the Enterprise: Civilization episode last night. I guess it's fitting that it runs Linux.
Trip and Archer with equipment
Regards,
Reid
I like teamwork. It's easier to assign blame that way.
I'll finish the sentence for you.
Imagine a buttered roll to eat while using it! Mmmmm
Great. Let's ruin another perfectly good story with antiquted racist references. Just the sort of thing to bring people together around the glow of portable electronics.
Honestly, I have had a handheld device for almost a year now... I haven't had much use for it other than as a glorified gameboy and an oversided MP3 player.
.02 as a user of one of these devices.
Sure it is invaluable as a note taking device in research libraries that don't allow pens and since I don't have a laptop here w/me it is nice (especially that I don't have to lug around 10 lbs)
Honestly though I don't understand the need for a handheld other than that. It takes me more time to take down quick notes than it would on a piece of paper (in an appt book).
I love using it for what I use it for but I don't see the need for a $500 piece of paper/gameboy.
That's just my worthless
they make a left handed version
it's a good question - can you actually play pong on a telepong ?
It looks like a sex toy. I wonder if it has "vibrate" mode.
Need Free Juniper/NetScreen Support? JuniperForum
June 2002? Bah! Save your money for when my vaporware wristwatch phone/game system/microwave/shoe buffer comes out in August.
A word of caution though: Don't aim it at pets.
------
Let me give you the lowdown
Nothing like linking directly to a 1700x1700 (what, several hundred K file) to /. a site. That's pure evil. All that you are missing is an appropriately resonating laugh.
It is not PDA its a _mobile_. Its mobile for the kids. (That's what I call 8 to 12 year olds, even though they don't like it.)
These are bought by parents so they can call or SMS their kids while the kids are out playing. (This is actually almost scientific information, friend of mine studied it. Trade secret...bla bla... so no link)
Of course it is _marketed_ for the kids as the ultimate cool game thingy, because otherwise they would not carry it with them (ie., it would be sissy without the games 'n stuff).
So, it comes down to "Would you pay 350 Euros for a security gadget for your kid?"
I can see it now - 'tweens' can moon each other over the phone by sending a picture of their bare ass.
W9x:Thanks for the make-work project Bill.
Hooptie
"Heavens, it appears that my weewee has been stricken with rigor mortis!" -- Stewie Griffin
LOL. Cranky flakes for breakfast?
telephong?(http://www.alphabet-soup.net/dir6/eleph ant.html)
I think it's pretty interesting that a lot of companies are looking at Japan and thinking that the doing the exact same thing in western Europe or the US will result in an equal success.
What these companies probably have not realized are:
A) Japanese culture differ alot.
B) Housing is cramped in Japan and each person does not have as much room as the "average" western person, to store a lot of gadgets
C) There are fewer computer systems per capita in Japan, due to B.
D) West is overflowing with home computers.
Sure, there might be a market for these toys, but at the prices they are offered in the west and the very minor value-add (or fun-add) these toys will probably not be nearly close to the success they have been Asia.
Purchasing a [enter favorite PDA name] as an entertainment gadget is like having a computer minus good interface, minus memory, minus storage and minus a good and enjoyable display.
Look at the iPac, it's not very far from an OK gaming rig when it comes to price.
Which one would you rather play [enter favorite game] on?
But hey, for $500 you get a 5 minute "wow this was cool" experience before dismissing it to the bottom of a drawer.
In a society that believes in nothing, fear becomes the only agenda ~ Bill Durodié
you "likee?"
A bit too much of something in that mouth again, eh?
Or is that code for "...I'm out of literary jargon for the day, so buzz off!"
Anyone who reads /. for some time and has moderator access should know there should be at least 1 beowulf remark marked as funny if it concerns linx hardware.
....
That moderator was on
acow
Sure, squeeze in those little ergonomic gimmicks, but not if it's going to render the device unusable to a fair chunk of the population. There's an entire swathe of peripherals - mice, joysticks, phones and so on - that lefties struggle to use. The IBM TransNote is probably the culmination of that trend.
There are plenty of really good devices on the market that cater to either handedness. It's not like you have to leave off features, just design a bit more considerately and intelligently. Is that so much to ask?
Sheesh, this sounds peevish :)
what does everyone think of that agenda linux pda? i'm thinking about purchasing a pda and at the moment i'm thinking a handspring. i refuse to use a nazi ce machine. does anyone know what the difference between the platinum and neo models are? i went to the handspring official site and compared the two and wondered if there was a difference seeing how they compared exactly the same. are the external colors the only difference?