I thought the whole selling point of the Zodiak was that it was PalmOS-based...
Also worth looking at is the GamePark, or GP32... doesn't have a lot of market share, since the company that makes it seems to want to keep it to their own country (Korea?)
I wish I had mod points to mod you up!! A coworker brought in a french press last year and I was amazed by how easily it made really really good coffee.
Of course, we started with good quality beans and fresh ground them ourselves which really helps regardless of the methos.
I hate people who say don't do something you want to do... so here's a few items and options you may not have considered just for your consideration. Read up as much as you can and then make an educated decision.
Somebody recently wrote an article that basically stated the cost of billing for wireless service basically outweighs the amount of money people are willing to pay for the service. He was predicting the death of T-Mobile and Wayport-type hotspots, but it's kind of true when you come down to it. Especially since accepting money for service implicitly implies providing the support required to use it.
Tech support -- both hardware and software. Many "customers" want to rent equipment (like their cable modem). Can you work out a deal for them? Can you stock enough network cards in case of hardware failure?
Fair Bandwidth Uses -- As much as people complain about Comcast's heavy-handed undocumented tactics, how are YOU personally going to handle me sitting on BitTorrent and Kazaa all day long? What about Vonage customers or gamers who need priority QOS?
Billing and non-payment -- If you're the one collecting the money, how will you handle non-payers?
Technology Refresh -- How will you handle a switch from B to G (assuming you don't start there). What about a switch to a different frequency (would require new antennas)?
Why not just setup an affiliated hotspot with a community network? Something like SeattleWireless or Portland PTP does? That way the expectation is of a free service, not a dedicated WISP... and you can utilize the experts from those projects when you encounter issues.
Commerical vs. Consumer grade gear -- A network can be built for $7k with Linksys components... but if I were setting up a for-profit commercial operation, I would do it with a lot more expensive gear that is designed for 5x9s operation.
Power Networking -- Might be an option if you are on shared power lines. However I would bet most apartments are between seperate fuse boxes that would destroy signal. Worth testing though
There are plenty of WISP forums with lots of good documentation that will help you out. Wiring up and down levels is pretty difficult. A low gain omnidirectional antenna is still not quite a sphere in terms of coverage. The higher gain you go, the more the coverage area starts to look like a squished donut. That necessitates an AP on each floor, which introduces the problem of backbone wiring to link them all together. You then run into roaming and interference issues. All items that can technically be solved, but at significantly more cost and aggravation that a single AP hotspot.
Best of luck... please let us know if you proceed!
Valid point (even with all the comments below). Look at Archos MP3 players... with Rockbox firmware, the hardware suddenly becomes a lot more attractive. Hell, older models with less features are selling for higher prices because they offer better functionality under Rockbox.
Generally, I don't put a lot of faith in Open Source projects, but Rockbox is a great example of OSS done right.
As the AC said, this will violate the FCC type certification.
Also, I doubt that people have done much spectral analysis to see if it's dirty like the WAP11 hack (which actually wasn't as dirty as first thought). I've also heard rumors (I tend not to believe either side of an argument) that upping the power drives the power amp harder which could be bad to both it's life and heat spilling into other components could lessen their life too.
Currently people are testing the power-hack on the WRT54G... so far no immediate problems are noticeable.
I just can't fathom why anyone would want to archive it.
Three reasons:
Had a friend call in one time (Charlie from San Francisco) and wanted to hear it again and again
Wife overheard somebody with the exact same problem on her exact same car but the details she could provide to me were "they adjusted something under the hood"
Their "Best of Car Talk" CDs actually have some really funny stuff on them. And I hate paying for distributed stuff, when the archives should be free (this is NPR, and I do pay)
If what they say is true why aren't they just using an MP3 stream?
The answer to that is that their partner (audible.com) is offering MP3 downloads and archives. I assume that Audible pays for some if not all of the production costs associated with generating the digital media, so they want to protect their investment by only offering streaming versions for free and capturing you in their portal.
It's too bad, because it's an NPR program and I pay my dues (donations) to NPR every year... I would like for the archives to be made available to the public in MP3 format. Now, there is cost associated with that, but I think some of my NPR dues should definitely be used for that.
Fully willing to take the time and energy, but I'm coming up short on good ideas. I really want to get into the wireless industry, but all of the things (software and hardware) I've ended up needing are already in some stage of development.
I agree... everything I've seen and heard has guys getting paid peanuts in comparison. And that's for hard work where you have to stay up and last for hours.
There's just simply a lot more guys out there willing to do the work.
That being said, I'd certainly star in a bukkake for $10k if it was offered to me. I have no shame and the money could be put to good use.
Looking back at the Corley case, I am frustrated. I am frustrated not only that we lost, not only that the censorship continues, and not only that allies of the studio plaintiffs keep on trivializing programmers' speech rights. More than anything, I'm frustrated that public opinion mainly dismisses what happened as a matter of pursuing hackers. Public opinion says the hackers got what was coming to them, because they were hackers. The court of public opinion, with some exceptions, seems to be affirming the Second Circuit.
That's what bugs me most about it. Everytime I wear my prohibited DeCCS t-shirt (which is less and less since I got married), I have people ask me about it. When I explain that it's a statement for free speech they always come back with a "no, you just want to copy DVDs" response. Sad...
Yes! Look at how many subscribers T-Mobile and the like have through all the Starbucks, Airport cafe's, book stores, etc. etc.
Sure, it's nothing compared to AOLs 15 gajillion subscribers, but there's definitelly an industry for the hardware, the software, and the expertise to install it and get it all up and running.
Fortunately, it's an industry that still has a low cost of monitary entry, but a high cost of intellectual entry... something that unemployed geeks can once again have an advantage over the average Joe.
It's only obvious because somebody came up with it first. If it was so obvious, why hasn't it been around forever?
Look, I'm not in favor of a lot of patents, but if I came up with something so obvious people hadn't even thought of it yet, I'd want to be able to have the patent to protect my business I'm going to build around it.
NoCat makes my life as a WISP sooooo much easier, if it wasn't free I would definitely pay for it. Wish they had gotten the patent first.
Guess it took them since the competition ended (and the first story came out) to actually document their success???
Still a cool accomplishment, especially considering I think the antennas had to be built then and there (or maybe the team just got lazy). Goes to show you what a little knowledge of efficient antenna designs can do for you.
This patent: 6,681,396 Automated detection/resumption of interrupted television programs
actually sounds quite interesting (though completely obvious). Sounds like it will find and record a rerun if it's not capable of recording the original airing for whatever reason. I can't tell how many times I've yelled at my UltimateTV to record one of the fricking thousand repeats of shows if there's a conflict.
In fact, what I'd really like to see (in lieu of video-on-demand) is the networks broadcast a stream of repeat programming overnight. That way you can preload your Tivo with content overnight and have your pick of things to watch the next day.
I couldn't agree more. With commercial-grade 802.11b gear getting so cheap (network cards can be had for almost free after rebate), and antennas becoming more and more commonplace, it's almost too easy to run a dedicated line into one house and slap a decent access point and omni-directional antenna on there to easily serve a small neighborhood. With even small external antennas on the client ends (line of site) you could probably cover a 2 or 3 square (circle) mile radius.
I looked into it since I love my satellite television!
Maybe I was missing something, but it sounded like the equipment startup cost was something in the range of $500-$600... with little to no subsidizing. Looking at their website now, they still have that ($599) at $59.99/mo with no activation fee. It also looks like they're offering a subsidized $99/mo with a $99 activation. So... $600-$99/$40 ~= 12.5 months to make it work buying the equipment up front. Looks like there's a 15 month contract even with the equipment purchased... odd.
So... satellite definitely has latency. Satellite definitely has problems with severe weather (but it has to be really severe). But if it's your only option, it does provide decent downstream speeds.
Have you considered wireless of some form or another? Commerical 802.11b gear with big antennas on either end should easily be able to do 5 miles if you have line of site. Another alternative is to bring a dedicated line (T1, etc.) out to you and become a Wireless ISP youself by coop splitting the bandwidth costs between your neighbors...
It's interesting... assume you're trying to colonize a planet... or pick a sperm donor for your baby. Do you want to pick 12,000 computer geeks? 12,000 socialites? 12,000 loose slutty women? 12,000 smart people? 12,000 funny people? 12,000 people with "a great personality" (aka: ugly)? A mixture of both/all? Will the intermingle? Will their procreations become boringly average people?
6degrees or whatever it was called was fascinating to me. Not so much for the seperation angle or the giant cloud, but rather for the cliques that showed up and/or developed.
I wonder how Googles newly populated universe will end up. And I wonder how cool it would be to have a UID
--D
Thanks for the link. I'd actually already checked out that site. It was pretty outdated, especially compared to modern PC specs and Linux' capabilities.
This site also had some interesting descriptions of the specific hardware, but what I found missing from most sites was "what do I really need, and what do I get for upgrading" especially as it relates to current PCs and graphics cards.
I am going back to school for an engineering degree and some work in computational fluid dynamics. I had assumed I could just go to eBay and find an old SGI Indigo or something super cheap. Turns out all the cheap machines have catches (little to no memory, no drive trays, etc.) and the expensive ones don't really seem to explain why they're so expensive.
Looking at the specs, my leftover PCs running Linux seem to have a lot more power... but there is a ton of CFD software out there for SGIs.
So what do I need? Pay the bucks for a recent SGI? Make do with a cheap older one and run the calculations overnight? Just buy a Sparc?:)
I don't know of many phones with GPS. Perhaps you mean location services (which I believe is carrier dependent) or perhaps GPRS (which is just data connectivity, not location).
Either way, you should probably look at a Symbian based phone, probably from AT&T. There's tons of development tools for Symbian... several phones that use it (I love my 3650)... and it's got all the features you could need (including Java and Bluetooth).
AT&T also has a reasonably active developer's forum... and lots of documentation.
If you do need GPS, then I can't help ya... sorry.
Slashdot Mirror
Shit, I'm only 26 and aleady I'm jaded...
--D
I thought the whole selling point of the Zodiak was that it was PalmOS-based...
Also worth looking at is the GamePark, or GP32... doesn't have a lot of market share, since the company that makes it seems to want to keep it to their own country (Korea?)
--D
I wish I had mod points to mod you up!! A coworker brought in a french press last year and I was amazed by how easily it made really really good coffee.
Of course, we started with good quality beans and fresh ground them ourselves which really helps regardless of the methos.
--D
Somebody recently wrote an article that basically stated the cost of billing for wireless service basically outweighs the amount of money people are willing to pay for the service. He was predicting the death of T-Mobile and Wayport-type hotspots, but it's kind of true when you come down to it. Especially since accepting money for service implicitly implies providing the support required to use it.
There are plenty of WISP forums with lots of good documentation that will help you out. Wiring up and down levels is pretty difficult. A low gain omnidirectional antenna is still not quite a sphere in terms of coverage. The higher gain you go, the more the coverage area starts to look like a squished donut. That necessitates an AP on each floor, which introduces the problem of backbone wiring to link them all together. You then run into roaming and interference issues. All items that can technically be solved, but at significantly more cost and aggravation that a single AP hotspot.
Best of luck... please let us know if you proceed!
--D
Valid point (even with all the comments below). Look at Archos MP3 players... with Rockbox firmware, the hardware suddenly becomes a lot more attractive. Hell, older models with less features are selling for higher prices because they offer better functionality under Rockbox.
Generally, I don't put a lot of faith in Open Source projects, but Rockbox is a great example of OSS done right.
--D
As the AC said, this will violate the FCC type certification.
Also, I doubt that people have done much spectral analysis to see if it's dirty like the WAP11 hack (which actually wasn't as dirty as first thought). I've also heard rumors (I tend not to believe either side of an argument) that upping the power drives the power amp harder which could be bad to both it's life and heat spilling into other components could lessen their life too.
Currently people are testing the power-hack on the WRT54G... so far no immediate problems are noticeable.
--D
If it isn't stopped here where will it go?
Slowly but surely in the right direction?
--D
It allows you the quick text instant messages or you can fire up the voice connection and/or even add video.
I use it with my Grandma in England all the time... and no, not for that.
--D
Three reasons:
Good enough?
--D
If what they say is true why aren't they just using an MP3 stream?
The answer to that is that their partner (audible.com) is offering MP3 downloads and archives. I assume that Audible pays for some if not all of the production costs associated with generating the digital media, so they want to protect their investment by only offering streaming versions for free and capturing you in their portal.
It's too bad, because it's an NPR program and I pay my dues (donations) to NPR every year... I would like for the archives to be made available to the public in MP3 format. Now, there is cost associated with that, but I think some of my NPR dues should definitely be used for that.
--D
And then I'll paypal you $2 to invite me!
--D
Fully willing to take the time and energy, but I'm coming up short on good ideas. I really want to get into the wireless industry, but all of the things (software and hardware) I've ended up needing are already in some stage of development.
Always keeping an eye out... --D
I agree... everything I've seen and heard has guys getting paid peanuts in comparison. And that's for hard work where you have to stay up and last for hours.
There's just simply a lot more guys out there willing to do the work.
That being said, I'd certainly star in a bukkake for $10k if it was offered to me. I have no shame and the money could be put to good use.
--D
Looking back at the Corley case, I am frustrated. I am frustrated not only that we lost, not only that the censorship continues, and not only that allies of the studio plaintiffs keep on trivializing programmers' speech rights. More than anything, I'm frustrated that public opinion mainly dismisses what happened as a matter of pursuing hackers. Public opinion says the hackers got what was coming to them, because they were hackers. The court of public opinion, with some exceptions, seems to be affirming the Second Circuit.
That's what bugs me most about it. Everytime I wear my prohibited DeCCS t-shirt (which is less and less since I got married), I have people ask me about it. When I explain that it's a statement for free speech they always come back with a "no, you just want to copy DVDs" response. Sad...
--D
Yes! Look at how many subscribers T-Mobile and the like have through all the Starbucks, Airport cafe's, book stores, etc. etc.
Sure, it's nothing compared to AOLs 15 gajillion subscribers, but there's definitelly an industry for the hardware, the software, and the expertise to install it and get it all up and running.
Fortunately, it's an industry that still has a low cost of monitary entry, but a high cost of intellectual entry... something that unemployed geeks can once again have an advantage over the average Joe.
--D
It's only obvious because somebody came up with it first. If it was so obvious, why hasn't it been around forever?
Look, I'm not in favor of a lot of patents, but if I came up with something so obvious people hadn't even thought of it yet, I'd want to be able to have the patent to protect my business I'm going to build around it.
NoCat makes my life as a WISP sooooo much easier, if it wasn't free I would definitely pay for it. Wish they had gotten the patent first.
--D
Show the proof and you can help assist with the claim of prior-art and invalidate their patent.
--D
Guess it took them since the competition ended (and the first story came out) to actually document their success???
Still a cool accomplishment, especially considering I think the antennas had to be built then and there (or maybe the team just got lazy). Goes to show you what a little knowledge of efficient antenna designs can do for you.
--Darren
Replying to an AC, I know....
This patent: 6,681,396 Automated detection/resumption of interrupted television programs
actually sounds quite interesting (though completely obvious). Sounds like it will find and record a rerun if it's not capable of recording the original airing for whatever reason. I can't tell how many times I've yelled at my UltimateTV to record one of the fricking thousand repeats of shows if there's a conflict.
In fact, what I'd really like to see (in lieu of video-on-demand) is the networks broadcast a stream of repeat programming overnight. That way you can preload your Tivo with content overnight and have your pick of things to watch the next day.
--D
I couldn't agree more. With commercial-grade 802.11b gear getting so cheap (network cards can be had for almost free after rebate), and antennas becoming more and more commonplace, it's almost too easy to run a dedicated line into one house and slap a decent access point and omni-directional antenna on there to easily serve a small neighborhood. With even small external antennas on the client ends (line of site) you could probably cover a 2 or 3 square (circle) mile radius.
:)
If nothing else, do it to screw the telcos
--D
I looked into it since I love my satellite television!
Maybe I was missing something, but it sounded like the equipment startup cost was something in the range of $500-$600... with little to no subsidizing. Looking at their website now, they still have that ($599) at $59.99/mo with no activation fee. It also looks like they're offering a subsidized $99/mo with a $99 activation. So... $600-$99/$40 ~= 12.5 months to make it work buying the equipment up front. Looks like there's a 15 month contract even with the equipment purchased... odd.
So... satellite definitely has latency. Satellite definitely has problems with severe weather (but it has to be really severe). But if it's your only option, it does provide decent downstream speeds.
Have you considered wireless of some form or another? Commerical 802.11b gear with big antennas on either end should easily be able to do 5 miles if you have line of site. Another alternative is to bring a dedicated line (T1, etc.) out to you and become a Wireless ISP youself by coop splitting the bandwidth costs between your neighbors...
Hope that helps!
--Darren
It's interesting... assume you're trying to colonize a planet... or pick a sperm donor for your baby. Do you want to pick 12,000 computer geeks? 12,000 socialites? 12,000 loose slutty women? 12,000 smart people? 12,000 funny people? 12,000 people with "a great personality" (aka: ugly)? A mixture of both/all? Will the intermingle? Will their procreations become boringly average people?
6degrees or whatever it was called was fascinating to me. Not so much for the seperation angle or the giant cloud, but rather for the cliques that showed up and/or developed.
I wonder how Googles newly populated universe will end up. And I wonder how cool it would be to have a UID
--D
Thanks for the link. I'd actually already checked out that site. It was pretty outdated, especially compared to modern PC specs and Linux' capabilities.
This site also had some interesting descriptions of the specific hardware, but what I found missing from most sites was "what do I really need, and what do I get for upgrading" especially as it relates to current PCs and graphics cards.
Thanks though!
--D
I am going back to school for an engineering degree and some work in computational fluid dynamics. I had assumed I could just go to eBay and find an old SGI Indigo or something super cheap. Turns out all the cheap machines have catches (little to no memory, no drive trays, etc.) and the expensive ones don't really seem to explain why they're so expensive.
:)
Looking at the specs, my leftover PCs running Linux seem to have a lot more power... but there is a ton of CFD software out there for SGIs.
So what do I need? Pay the bucks for a recent SGI? Make do with a cheap older one and run the calculations overnight? Just buy a Sparc?
--D
I don't know of many phones with GPS. Perhaps you mean location services (which I believe is carrier dependent) or perhaps GPRS (which is just data connectivity, not location).
Either way, you should probably look at a Symbian based phone, probably from AT&T. There's tons of development tools for Symbian... several phones that use it (I love my 3650)... and it's got all the features you could need (including Java and Bluetooth).
AT&T also has a reasonably active developer's forum... and lots of documentation.
If you do need GPS, then I can't help ya... sorry.
--D