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World's Smallest Linux Box Fits in RJ-45 Jack

Posted by timothy on from the nearly-swallowable dept.

An anonymous reader writes "German electronics company Kleinhenz is shipping a network-enabled Linux system built into an RJ-45 Ethernet jack. "Picotux" has a 55MHz ARM processor, 2MB of Flash, 8MB of RAM, a serial port, and five lines of GPIO. It measures 0.75 x 0.75 x 1.4 inches (19 x 19 x 36mm), and weighs 0.64 ounces (18 grams), packaged in a metal housing. A wireless 802.11 version appears to be on the horizon, too. So, if you've ever wanted to network-enable, say, a robot, boombox, or model airplane, this could be the system for you." Is this really the world's smallest? It looks a bit chunkier than a tiny gumstix machine.

10 of 347 comments (clear)

  1. This isn't exactly a Blade server... by georgewilliamherbert · · Score: 5, Interesting
    ...more like a Needle.


    For only Eur 99, though, a fair deal if you need a whole lot of tiny servers for something. Who needs virtual servers, when you can stick real ones at the end of each ethernet cable?

  2. Can you do the same with an Airport Express? by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder if the Airport Express is hackable enough to give you similar results.

    --
    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  3. Power by BrookHarty · · Score: 5, Interesting

    First thing I thought, if you could power it with ethernet, you could put this in remote locations for sensors. But 250mA is pretty efficient.

    I could see a use for the wifi+serial setup, you could put this on older serial based nodes and remotely access them. Big market for HVAC when everyone wants them to replace hardware. Our schools here in the Washington state is saving millions by using linux and other technology than going with Honeywell or some other company to rip out the entire system and replace with modern (aka expensive) controls.

    A wifi serial setup would be cool, to pop in a router, and then access via my laptop, so I dont have to run a wire when I'm testing or racking it up.

    Lots of uses. Very cool idea.

  4. Bump in the Cable by saccade.com · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Somebody (Gordon Bell?) predicted that in the future the computer will be "just a bump in the cable". Looks like we're there. Can anybody find the original quote?

  5. Re:Oh, quite cool! by idontgno · · Score: 4, Interesting
    This was my first thought when looking at it, but with only 8MB of RAM and 2-4MB flash, I'm not sure how useful it would be for stealing big secrets.

    It doesn't have to store much if it can open an outbound network connection to something with logging.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  6. Re:Cool Idea. by Inigo+Montoya · · Score: 5, Interesting
    No, what's needed is an advancement in the chip at the center of this device. Currently it only has one MAC and PHY for ethernet. The next evolution of this chip should have 2 MAC/PHY. Package it in a metal case with RJ-45 at *both* ends and flash a minimal Linux+FW into it.


    Then it truly will be a "bump in the cable" as one person said.

  7. Dual-End it by chill · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I mean 2 ethernet ports, making it look like a cross-over connector, and you've have a great firewall gizmo.

    -Charles

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
  8. How about... by brsmith4 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Imagine a beowulf cluster of those! No, really. All you'd need is a switch and some ethernet cables and you could have yourself a nifty 8 node cluster for under a grand... and bragging rights for probably having one of the worlds smallest clusters.

  9. Re:Finally! by Short+Circuit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Wired ethernet exists. 802.11 version coming soon.

    And a combination of the two would make a great way to clandestinely introduce outside access to the corporate LAN. Especially if you can use power-over-ethernet.

    Just find a windowed office with a network hidden behind the credenza...

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  10. "Computers will just be lumps in cables" by jamie · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "In ten years, computers will just be lumps in cables."

    A quote posted to Usenet, in 1995.