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What to Do With a $99 Wall Wart Linux Server
Guanine writes in with a follow-up to our discussion a few months back on the SheevaPlug: 1.2-GHz ARM-compliant processor, 512 MB DDR2, 512 MB flash, USB 2.0, gigabit ethernet, in a package the size of a wall wart, for $99. Saul Hansell's Bits Blog in the NY Times talks about a few applications for such a device, whose price point Hansell claims will drop to $40 before too long. "The first plausible use for the plug computer is to attach one of these gizmos to a USB hard drive. Voila, you've got a network server. Cloud Engines, a startup, has in fact built a $99 plug computer called Pogoplug, that will let you share the files on your hard drive, not only in your home but also anywhere on the Internet. ... [Marvell's CEO said] 'Eventually you won't see the plug. We want this device to be in your TV, your stereo system, your DVD player.'"
I had to read this several times to realize that the OP wasn't talking about something being sold at WalMart. Maybe Michael Robertson should add this to the Linspire line.
The difference with this thing is that it's got an easy to use dev kit based on a popular Linux distro, not some goofy one-off that doesn't have the packages you want (i.e. LAMP, media server, SAMBA, CUPS, etc.).
Or asterisk (www.asterisk.org) for a full PBX at home
Or freeswitch. Show me a dual-port version of said wart and I'll make it into a router.
I am literally 3000 tokens away from the chaotic crossbow --Stephen
If it had more RAM it'd make a great web-development server. With only 512MB Ram, I think some SQL databases might be a bit much.
I'm thinking throw a USB external HDD, or maybe just a 8GB Flash-drive on it, and "let'er-Rip"
maybe also add a second USB port, so you can add a USB WIFI adaptor, though the GigaBit ethernet sounds nice.
I can also see using one as a low-end monitoring server (Nagios), or network print server.
I will not give in to the terrorists. I will not become fearful.
I would imagine that most people that saw that interprated it that way. The human brain is an amazing thing, but with the difference between M and W being so slight, it automatically jumps to conclusions based on the most common forms. There are several wyas to trip up the brain that you mihgt not even recongize. (See in line for clarifications.) Bill
It's my Sig and you can't have it. Mine! All Mine!
Do you want to hack my TV, my stereo system and my DVD player?
You're close. "They" want to preinstall spyware and otherwise bend the product to their own purposes.
The smarter these devices get, the easier they can be used to subvert the interests of the consumer. And for some reason, we usually put up with it...
The makers of such time bombs should bear the full responsibility of intrusions through vulnerabilities found in their products.
They are counting on that. They know you'll just buy another one when your TV mysteriously slows down. You did with your computer, and those companies made a KILLING off of you. Why not the TV companies, too?
Sorry, you can get a router with half a gig of internal storage, half a gig of RAM, a 1.2GHz chip and a USB port for less than 99 bucks?
I call bullshit.
We had this discussion in February. mcgrew (92797) said:
I hope they sell them at Wal-mart. A Wal-mart Wall-Wart would be cool!
Imagine a beowolf cluster of OW!! OW!! STOP HITTING ME!!!
In fact, I was secretly hoping they'll recreate that particular thread here, word for word.
then people would race for "Second post"
I reject your reality
If you're hitting your numbers in terms of price and power consumption, what's wrong with having more capability than you really need?
DISCLAIMER: This post was not checked for speling and grammar- if you complain- you're a whiner
It's slightly more significant than that. It's a 1GHz ARM board with 512Mb of RAM for $100. That's maybe a 5th what you'd find in a SBC format.
Now, if only it had enough of the right kind of i/o ports to make hobbiest projects more appealing. 2x Ethernet and/or wifi would have been a good start.
~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
Then I clicked around the Marvell site to try to find out how to buy it.
At $100, they should have a "BUY IT NOW" button on their site. They missed at least one quick sale from an impulse buyer here.
=profit!!
Sometimes the best solution is to stop wasting time looking for an easy solution.
I'd suggest keeping the FXO interface, and have your Asterisk routing table set to forward all 911 calls to it.