USB-Powered Linux Server Fits in Your Pocket

McSpew writes "A small company from Utah (no, not that one) has announced the BlackDog USB-powered Linux server. It includes a fingerprint reader, a 400MHz PowerPC, 64MB of DRAM and 256MB or 512MB of flash and it runs Debian. The host PC sees it as a CD-ROM drive."

Comments

Good but a few shortcomings

[dysk]

I'd buy one in a second if it had an ipod-style 30/40GB hard drive. With 512MB it doesn't offer me enough storage to be useful.

Re:Good but a few shortcomings

[York the Mysterious]

Their rep at Linux World said they were working with one of the mini HD vendors (I really can't remember which) and the vendor kept dragging their feet on when the drives would be available. They wanted to be able to launch the thing pronto they they released the flash based version and put off the HD version. There is a MMC card slot so you can expand the 512 with a gig card. The HD one should be out sometime soon though.

Re:Surprising

[kalidasa]

Not sure what they're doing with it, but it seems to me that if you could get this to do two things, you'd have a useful product. Get it to appear to the main computer as two items: 1. a USB drive, with an executable that includes VNC functionality and a TCP/IP over USB engine for Windows (am I right in assuming that you need additional software to establish a TCP/IP connection over USB in windows) in the memory; 2. a network device, which connects via TCP/IP over USB. Bingo, you just plug in, run the application from the FAT32 partition on the USB drive, and you can log into your own USB-powered, network-connected computer with your own data on it.

No Ethernet?

[hotspotbloc]

As far as I can see it only has usb ports and piggybacks off of another computer. Of course an usb to ethernet converter (yes, never a good idea) would help.

There's always the Linksys NSLU-2 with ethernet for $80, just add a usb drive.

Fingerprint readers - Misguided and Evil

[billstewart]

Fingerprint readers and other biometric sensors are almost always a misguided idea, often an evil one, and generally not implemented well. You could get much more useful capabilities by including a small keypad on it, which could be used for passwords if you need them (which you sometimes do, depending on your application), and maybe a little 1-or-2-line LCD display for status.

Re:Saw this at Linux World SF

[dr_leviathan]

I too spoke with a representative at LW about this.

The thumb-print sensor allows you to authenticate yourself without typing in your password, so it is possible (as long as what you're doing doesn't require you to type in any passwords anywhere) to safely operate the device on a host with a keystroke logger. All of the network traffic between the BlackDog and its daemon running on the host is encrypted with SSH.

One of the niches they are hoping to full with the device is a "dongle" with licenced software installed. The licencee of the proprietary-ware could then access it on any computer as long as he/she carries the dongle with them. It also would prevent password/keycode sharing between colleagues.

One of my co-workes pointed out that this is similar to the "SoulPad" concept:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000383053938/

except without the host boot/shutdown steps.

SCO connection: Realm CTO is Halloween X author

[isn't my name]

Everyone TOTALLY got it backwards. You are supposed to go to www.sco.com, NOT realm systems!!!

Interestingly enough, there is a SCO connection to this story.

You may remember the famous Halloween 10 memo from Mike Anderer to two SCO execs where Anderer indicates that SCO's big $50M dollar investment came via backchannels thanks to Microsoft and that SCO should go to MS for more money?

Well, it seems that the very same Mike Anderer is is CTO of Realm Systems makers of this device.