Analyzing 4GB RAM

[rSl]

thanks for the update ed!
no problem with 2gb ram here. maybe my (future) shiny stationary pyra-board gets more of this.
fingers crossed that formaction really gets into action, now!

we, pyrates always look to the positive and never drop our heads!

 

[levi]

To the people with swappiness >5: Remember that it will also be a phone in the future, and you might want to run Android side-by-side(ARChon/AndroVM)... which will need 1GB to work ok-ish, but moar is better... (I am sure there will be a native Linux data over GPS solution too) - disclaimer: Data is Based on fiction.

If I have to load android to use it as a phone, then I won't be using my Pyra as a phone.

 

[ible]

i would also prefer a native solution, preferably in ncurses.

 

[levi]

I'm not that old school. While that would be a cool proof of concept I'd love to see, to actually use it as an everyday phone type device, I'd like a daemon that talks to the system tray and pops up notifications when I get a call or a text or something. With maybe a button I can use to bring up a dialler. I guess a UI for sending texts might be more tricky, but something I could drop a text file onto that would give me a dialler to enter the number. Having an address book/contacts would be nice too, but that can come down the line.

 

[Dark Pulse]

C'mon guys. Don't you want to relive the good ol' days, and use your Pyra as a phone?

 

[dracmas]

Now that you mention it, if Android does boot on the pyra do you think voice/data would work correctly?

 

[Yori]

First: It doesn't make sense posting here or via email, PM, etc. to switch to a 2GB RAM version yet.
We're still evaluating, and based on the tests from yesterday (where I was running a 4GB RAM Pyra for more than 24 hours until I shut it down), it could be the change to the PCB is minimal and then there's no need to produce 2GB RAM versions.
IF we really want to do a 2GB RAM production run first, you'll receive an email from us

As promised, here are some more updates.

Regarding the Wifi antenna:
The current antenna is single-diversity (as the orginal chip didn't support true diversity).
The new one adds diversity, which improves the reception for portable devices A LOT!

This is one of the improvements.
The second one is to match the impedance of the PCB to that one of the antenna. The antenna needs a connection of 50 Ohm, whereas measurements of our current design shows it's 60 Ohm - so there's not much difference.
The change that needs to be done to the Mainboard is minimal. Nikolaus is already working on that, will produce a new dummy board and then this is also set.

And about the cases:
This is still the most annoying thing.
FormAction is still "waiting" on the new material (the one they received had some issue) and claim to have implemented all fixed to the case yet (but we've heard that).

As mentioned, we have a backup company (with which I've been working a couple of times already to produce SNES, N64, NES and MegaDrive cartridge shells) and they have a plastic/carbon-mix material that is VERY robust (supports up to 1.5t weight).

While they don't have our moulds yet, they will send samples of the material to me on Friday (as they have a different product that's currently being produced with that material).

We'll evaluate the material and we're ready to move the moulds and do the production there (in case FormAction doesn't suddenly wake up).

I wonder why it's always the case...? It also was a major headache for the Pandora.
Seems like it's the most complex thing in the world.

It's nice to see that there is a end in sight with the memory issues and hardware in general.
Hopefully a proper fix will be nice and simple!

So close the hype is killing me !

 

[Bernd]

I'm not that old school. While that would be a cool proof of concept I'd love to see, to actually use it as an everyday phone type device, I'd like a daemon that talks to the system tray and pops up notifications when I get a call or a text or something. With maybe a button I can use to bring up a dialler. I guess a UI for sending texts might be more tricky, but something I could drop a text file onto that would give me a dialler to enter the number. Having an address book/contacts would be nice too, but that can come down the line.

I thought about using one of the built in mikrocontroller to check frequently for incoming calls and blink the back-LED & rumble if that's the case.
(Or trigger an event if the lid is open)

And an adressbook is the simplest thing.
More interesting would be to link the Thunderbird adressbook to the phone part to prevent redundant data.

 

[Bosbeetle]

Somehow I have the feeling the solution to the 4GB issue and the final production timeline of the case will accidentily allign Let the pyra magick happen....

 

[guacamole]

I only got the 4GB version because I could. If it can't be quickly/easily fixed, I'll be fine with 2GB.

 

[PCXT]

Thanks for update, ED!

To the people with swappiness >5: Remember that it will also be a phone in the future, and you might want to run Android side-by-side(ARChon/AndroVM)... which will need 1GB to work ok-ish, but moar is better... (I am sure there will be a native Linux data over GPS solution too) - disclaimer: Data is Based on fiction.

So it will be impossible to control GSM module from Linux by e.g. stuffing AT commands to some /dev/... ? It must be Android?
Android, parasitizing on "open source" opinion, is not in spirit of open source and one of the most disastrous mean of "vendor lock-in" strategy propagation by proprietary "apps" for things which can be made with widely available technologies, as well as depending simple services on uncertain hostings. This is the last thing I would want on PDA.
I'm targeting with GSM-less version.

 

[Binky]

So it will be impossible to control GSM module from Linux by e.g. stuffing AT commands to some /dev/... ? It must be Android?

Whoever said that?

My understanding was that we lack a nice UI for the phone features, but they're fundamentally very simple to access. As you say, you throw AT commands at a serial port, and monitor some audio device for voice.

 

[hns]

So it will be impossible to control GSM module from Linux by e.g. stuffing AT commands to some /dev/... ? It must be Android?

1. use /dev/ttyACM0 for sending AT commands to the Pyra modem
2. You can get Android functionality and quite high compatibility by using Replicant (if that project is not starving from missing developers).

 

[Xcl4m4t10n]

 

[TheOldOne]

I've said it before I can do 99.99% of what I want to do with the Pyra with 2GB of RAM.

 

[JDTAY]

So, ED, did you switch to that awesome new company, or this is that dumb old company that will finally produce the cases on Friday?

 

[AndiTheBest]

Whoever said that?

My understanding was that we lack a nice UI for the phone features, but they're fundamentally very simple to access. As you say, you throw AT commands at a serial port, and monitor some audio device for voice.

I already have developed a "nice UI" that communicates with the modem, rings on an incoming call, let you choose the provider, provides sms functionality and imports contacts from a google-contact-csv-export.
You will get it after i got a pyra

 

[dracmas]

What about MMS media texts? I don't think it uses the same protocol as SMS does it?

 

[ClockworkCoder]

I already have developed a "nice UI" that communicates with the modem, rings on an incoming call, let you choose the provider, provides sms functionality and imports contacts from a google-contact-csv-export.
You will get it after i got a pyra

ED, get this gentleman his Pyra

Seriously though, when discussions turn to software over hardware, this is when I feel one can become truly excited; it's a much more comfortable domain for me, and suggests we're just a little closer to the "waxing and polishing" phase

 

[Swordfish II]

I already have developed a "nice UI" that communicates with the modem, rings on an incoming call, let you choose the provider, provides sms functionality and imports contacts from a google-contact-csv-export.
You will get it after i got a pyra

Will you be able to do MMS though?

I had and loved my Nokia N900 but MMS was not supported. There was a community project that provided some support but it never actually worked for me or others.