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World's First Linux Computer In A CF Card
An anonymous reader writes "LinuxDevices reports on the world's first Linux computer to fit inside a CompactFlash card. The 'Compact Flash Computer' (CFC) can be mixed and matched with third-party CF cards to instantly create minuscule Linux systems based entirely on CF cards. A wide variety of third-party CF peripheral cards can be used with the CFC, including RS232/485, Ethernet, Bluetooth, USB, 802.11, GSM, GPRS, GPS, and more. A combination power supply / bus expander module on a separate CF card, as well as a tiny 8-slot CF card backplane, are available as options."
An anonymous reader adds "The card is based on a Freescale MPC5272 system-on-chip processor and contains 32MB of SDRAM and 8MB of Flash memory, and it comes with a uClinux based operating system and GNU development/debug tools."
According the article , there are no connectors - all are snap together stuff. This might however be higher on the cost side (800 bucks for a underpowered linux card ??)
:) .. Yeah linux is cool, dice it , slice it, even put it in a CF.
... voila , a hidden PC :)
The good thing about this is however the "show off" effect
I'm still thinking about building my own small PC , probably will be an old 386 or 486 chopped down to fit inside an OLD telephone case I have , add an LCD display (100x96) hooked off an old casio and then I'm stuck at writing drivers. If I can hookup the telephone keyboard and put the LCD in the telephone address book slot
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur
No, not that microsoft, the kind from Neuromancer. The idea of placing fully functional software systems on small, portable pieces of data storage that can easily be slotted into different hardware reminds me a lot of Neuromancer and similar books, as well as games like Deus Ex. I don't know about the more complex microsofts from Gibson et al, but I can certainly imagine something that could translate spoken language being stored on something like this... visiting France? Just slot your French translator card into your portable wearable computer.
In the short term, this could be part of a counter-revolutionary movement against the notion of ubiquitous wireless computing - rather than making most devices dumb terminals that rely on a remote centralised server for their data repository, this could effectively make any dumb piece of hardware a fully fledged computer, even without a network connection (indeed, it might be preferable for security or logistical reasons not to have to worry about a network).
I wonder what kinds of things we'll be able to do with this type of technology when memory cards can hold 100s of gigabytes of data?
Read Pynchon.
Tempting, isn't it :)
...was the one that was hidden in a pocket calculator. Replaced the original, made enough of a mock-up to pass any inspection, voila... suddenly you had a computer to bring to every exam, didn't get caught either. Though I hear rumors he spent time equal to or greater than the time he'd need to actually learn the subjects programming that damn thing.
Kjella
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
If you are really into tiny linux computers, you might want to check out Gumstix which are about the same size, in a different shape (like a stick of gum... get it?). It comes with USB (client not host), rs232, bluetooth, and a MMC/SD interface. Running the Intel Xscale, you can have a 200 mhz machine for a little over $100. Now if I could only justify buying one of these... maybe the tiniest wireless webserver?
Yawn.
If one was to obtain (peel or print) an appropriate sticker, it would be relatively easy to create an ethernet or wifi card with a sinister personality.
--
"we live in a post-ideological world..." - Billy Bragg.
i read the blurb, and skimmed the article, and immediately an idea formed in my head.
i have a newton messagepad 2100 (two of them, actually). i'd love to be able to shove this little CF module into its PC card slot (with one of the PCMCIA/CF converter doohickeys i have) and use the newton's display with the processor (and all the other good bits) on the card. 8 megs of flash and 32 megs of ram is considerably more than the newton's 4 of each. i'd love the capacity to run a good, scaled down linux install built for PDA installs on the newt's half VGA screen and still-impressive battery life.
this would be a sweet hack, if someone could manage it. hell, i'd buy three.
incidentally, the newt has a strongARM 110 running at 161.9 MHz, which i've read does 150 MIPS (considerably more than the 63 the CFC does)
- Entertaining Bits from the Ancient Kernel Tree
Now this is what I want someone to do: hook this up a bluetooth module and a gsm/sim card unit and encase it in a little box with a battery large enough (and it doesn't mean mega amperage, 'cos there's no screen!) to last a week or two.
Why, you wonder? Well, so I can throw out my cell phone and replace it with a matchbox I just need to carry around my person/in my jacket pocket and use my shiny new Tungsten T3 as a cell phone!
And this is for those of you who say "wait for a smartphone or get a treo"; I don't need a smartphone, I want a PDA which I can call with (kinda like the XDA thing, but then that runs windows, which I don't want). And a treo? Come on...I can't really read and work with spreadsheets on that tiny screen, much less a book (which I do frequently).
And as a final thought: yeah, maybe in five years time I'll get a pda with a large (roll out OLED) screen which can also make calls...but I'd buy a little matchstickbox sized linux/bluetooth/gsm/sim-unit NOW.
-- Waht? Tehr's a preveiw buottn?
My ideal tiny system, which has been discussed before, is one which is physically tiny, but has two ethernet ports.
/sbin/init program.
There are many great applications for such tiny systems.
A Linux kernel with little more than a special
The device is used in a corporation, such as in an office or cubicle. It is plugged in between the ethernet jack on the wall, and the legitimate device, such as a PC.
During normal business hours, it captures the mac address of the legitimate PC. It then simply forwards all ethernet packets in both directions. (Not IP, but ALL ethernet frames.)
During business hours, it also captures and stores any interesting packets that it sniffs, including passwords.
Late at night, it uses the mac address of the legitimate device (so nothing looks fishy) and makes an IRC connection to a private chat channel where it just silently listens for coded commands from its master, including commands to upload anything interesting that it captured today.
Unfortunantly such dual nic tiny computers are so pricey as to require careful selection of where one would choose to install them. Zombied winboxes are much cheaper.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.