A New Open Source Plush Toy?

[seen12]

http://www.chumby.com/

it looks cool, and has wifi. Only $150.

3.5" LCD color touchscreen • two external USB 2.0 full-speed ports • 350 MHz ARM controller • 64 MB SDRAM • 64 MB NAND flash ROM • stereo 2W speakers • headphone output • squeeze sensor • accelerometer (motion sensor) • wi-fi connectivity • integrated microphone

You may even be able to port gp2x aps over to it. I might get one.

looks like the price will be $150+, but no more then $200.

 

[Trip]

I was reading an article on these the other week. Supposed to be a high tech replacement for your alarm clock.

Instead of just having an alarm & time though, you can use it as a photo viewer, RSS reader, email reader etc. Basically it's the same as having all those widgets on your desktop except you don't need to keep your computer turned on 24/7 to use it

Personally.. I can see them selling a shed load of these, especially with it being open source.

 

[Exophase]

That thing kinda bothers me for some reason. Creepy. :x

 

[Blah]

That thing kinda bothers me for some reason. Creepy. :x

qft

 

[Trip]

Well it's completely open for modding including the hardware, so if you guys want to buy one & put sequins on it & beads to make it look less creepy, then feel free
(please don't use pink ribbon.. that's so 80's )

 

[pkostrze]

Hmmm... I don't want to like it but I do. If I had $200, my wireless network hooked up, and my DSL router out of the box I'd be pretty curious to give this a spin.

 

[tim0391]

well it says on the site if you dev stuff for it you can get one free maybe its worth a try

 

[DJWillis]

Seen and messed a little with the Alpha versions of these, I quite like the idea of a funky alarm clock. I would be very tempted with one for something to mess with as a sideline from the :gp2x .

There code and application model is focused around being web based (channels you request get downloaded to the device on demand rather then stored on the device so it always needs net access).

It is also fairly heavily Flash based in the newer versions as I understand it oh and you need to 'activate' the device to use it in the end user ‘widget’ mode. Not that I see that as any kind of problem.

Under the hood it is iMX21 (ARM920t) based running Linux 2.4.20 (so older then the 2X’s Linux kernel) so if you so desire you can do just about anything you want. The root FS is uClibC based IIRC. I have a few issues with there 'hacking' licence mind you, mostly that they want you to grant them full free access to any hacks you release (it is not clear if its H/W or S/W hacks).

It’s lower end hardware, high end hack potential, licences aside.

Not anything like the 2X but pitched at a very different audience .

 

[sehs33]

It doesn't have rechargable batteries != portable
I can already think of a cool hack to it, put it in the head rest of your car, attach it to a hard drive, and you have yourself a geeky multimedia center
Lack of controls (I can't see any buttons) might require you to plug a USB game pad if emulators were ported to it one day.

 

[___]

Kinda cool... but I wouldn't want that besides my bed. This trend of having to implement all these features into your toaster and electrical tooth-brush is actually annoying me. If I want to know the weather, I will either look into the newspaper, look it up on the internet or go outside and have a look. If I want to read my emails, I would like to do that on a computer or computerlike device (PDA) where I can also manage them and answer.
It's kinda cute though and I like that it's opensource.

Seems like there is lots and lots of new trendy gadgets out there being opensource nowadays. Good development... who knows, maybe people start to learn.

 

[Quiest]

Mmmmh, just imagine what this squeeze sensor could be good for... I want one of these creepy things!

 

[gp32rich]

QUOTE
(ii) your Modified Device and Licensee Applications must not block or interfere with any advertisement that is served by or distributed through the Chumby Service
:rolleyes:

Maybe someone should sew a beanbag around a '2x and give it to an advertising exec

 

[Ravnos]

It's going to be serving ads? No thanks. I was interested until I saw that.