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Linux Software

Cool Linux-based web device 82

Posted by Hemos from the fun-with-toys dept.
DrStrange writes "I just noticed that Screen Media has updated their pages with info about their upcoming "FreePad"... It's a Linux based wireless web device and phone with touch screen, and according to one of their techs it's only 2.4cm (less than an inch) thick! The same tech also told me they'll be using NanoGUI for the graphical frontend! "
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Cool Linux-based web device

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  • One "1 inch = 2.54cm" comment would have been sufficient. :) You guys DO read comment replies before posting your own, yes?
  • The standard model will be tied quite closely to the delivered software, but I'm sure we'd be open for OEM deals if someone would like a to sell a "geek version" of it :-)

    Vidar Hokstad (who works for Screen Media)

  • you must have really tiny fingers.
  • What on earth is reading a comment reply?

    Anyways, in Canada, we have a few people who know how to translate from Metric to people-who-live-in-the-US(weird-measurement) "standard," and one "inch" is 2.54 centimetres.

    I really hope you people get with the 20th Century, and become metric. I don't know how you can live with 2.27 stone to one nibble, and 5.67 nibbles to one ounce (or ouch, as it's one of those really evil US measurements).

    ;-) (Tongue firmly in cheek here)
  • Hellooooo!!! Anyone with more than 1 room and access to The Outside World, would want one of these to escape being chained to his immobile computer. I have been scouring the web for just such a product for almost a year now. The closest I came to it was the J-Slate [tadpole.com] which is very expensive and proprietary. The convenience and price would make all the difference in getting one of these vs. a notebook computer. Short of a voice-activated control panel in every room (a la Star Trek), this would finally bring the computer into daily utility.
  • You know what the imperial system reminds me of? The various hacks and kludges in the Linux Kernel used to deal with the CMD 640 chipset :-)

    It's absolutely horrible.
    Here's a rundown of metric for you yanks ;-)
    Celcius:
    0 -> Water freezes (32 f)
    100 -> Water boils (212 f)
    21 -> Room temperature (70 f)
    10 -> Cold enough you want thick clothing (50 f)
    36 -> Human body temperature (96.8 f)
    32 -> Saskatoon in Summer (90 f) (this is too hot to me :-)
    -40 -> Saskatoon in winter (bad days / -40 f)
    -20 -> Average winder (-4 f)

    Of course, 100kph (the standard for highways in Canadia ;-) is aprox 62 miles an hour (ack, evil). I'd hate to have to do trip calculations in miles. It'd be like doing time calculations, but worse ;-)
  • This seems to me like we're getting closer and closer to having those PADD things they have in Star Trek. First there was the palm pilot which was nice, but didn't have much connectivity (I know the newer ones have it now), and now we have this which is even closer to the PADD's level of connectivity.

    According to the Technical Manual, the PADD is just a portable computer terminal that also has some local memory.

    Now just imagine in a few years when we have college students walking around campus with something like this in hand to write english papers, catch up on reading for their next class, or just play some minesweeper.
  • ...The man of the house ruled supreme in his own restroom. When he would feel a large bowel movement coming on, he would gather a newspaper (magazine etc) and a smokable substance (pipe, cigar, cigarette) and head on down to the bathroom to spend a little quality time.

    NOW, however, the man spends considerably less time in the restroom with his BM's. Newspapers just don't cut it anymore. A man is lucky to actually finish his smoke before he flushes.

    The FreePad will change this! Back are the days of smelly, smokey, informational fun! The freepad will be a hit in many families!
  • This comment is a reply to your comment, thus it becomes a "comment reply". Therefore, you are now "reading a comment reply." :)

    I TOTALLY agree about the whole Metric thing. I thought the US congress passed a law a while back mandating that all street signs, etc. include metric measurments ("kph") in addition to the US ("mph") in an effort to acclimate our citizens to metric. This hasn't happened. I dunno, maybe the law never passed. I wish it had.

    It really sucks. We all learn in high school and college what metric is, how far a kilometer is, what constitutes "cold" in degrees Celsius, yet the day we graduate to the real world, 95% of us never use these units again. We forget them, and continue to embrace and teach our children the US units of measure.

    It sucks! Most of my friends think I'm strange, but I've really tried my damndest to convert everyone. :) If people would realize that it takes about an hour to drive 100km and that their ETA calculations would be SO MUCH easier if they switched, maybe they would... Heh.

    The problem is that the people making the laws are the very same people that would have the hardest time adapting to a new system of measurment, though if they would just pass a law that started a slow transition, I'm confident it would work. Say, five years to convert all government entities to 100% metric, perhaps another five years before laws and building codes and the like were required to adapt.

    You know, I've always wondered.. Even though a 2x4 isn't 2 inches by 4 inches anymore, what in the world do Metric folk call their 2x4's?
  • While I can't speak to the seeing them compete in this market I think this is a great use for it. say you have mechanics, shipping/recieveing folk, etc. They need to see manuals, etc. Put the manuals on the web and use this thing. Great fit I think. Generally you don't care who reads a manual. I knida see them used more as wireless ebooks to the web. True security can be a concern depending on what you are accessing, but if you have pages of how to fix conveyor X then you generally don't care too much who sees it. Or even things like MSDS (?) sheets. The ones that say which materials are stored in the area and what hazards are associated with them. This would be a great application.
    I would just be worried about people walking off with em.
    -cpd
  • Well then, HOW MUCH & WHEN CAN I GET ONE?!
  • Off the top of my head I can think of about half a dozen things I'd like to use this for, but most of them rely on the answers to the following questions:


    1) Can I attach it to my network without having to hack around its phone support


    2) Does it support either X-Windows client/server or VNC



    Personally I would find it extremely useful to be able to wonder about with a pad like this for email, documentation access, continuous systems monitoring whilst away from my desk, etc.

    Steven

  • The base station is a RF tranceiver with an embedded system that speaks DECT DMAP. DMAP is a transport layer that let you encapsulate whatever protocols you want for wireless forwarding from local interfaces to a DECT DMAP card (PCMCIA or ISA), or the FreePad, or any other DECT DMAP device available (a wireless "webcam" is being developed for instance - not by us, though)

    The current base stations from Dosh & Amand [dosch-amand.com] (who created DMAP, and who are our partner on the wireless technology and also other hardware issues), has an ISDN interface, a serial port and a parallel port. New versions are close to mass production with ethernet and CATV support too.

    So the base station is completely stand alone, and acts as a "router" for incoming and outgoing telephony traffic, and as an arbiter for the local DECT units to know which ones are "trusted" (so that you don't get to hijack your neighbours calls, for instance :-)

    Almost all major telephone manufacturers that deliver cordless phones in the European market have DECT products. One of the most popular DECT solutions is the Siemens "Gigaset" family.

    All DECT handsets use the GAP protocol, and can speak to any DECT base station. So if you install a DECT DMAP capable base station, you can use it with both GAP handsets and for instance the FreePad. (not all base stations are DMAP capable yet, though)

    I believe Siemens also recently started shipping Gigasets to the US, but the US systems works on another frequence (as usual with RF equipment, the bands allocated are different in the US and in Europe...), and it's our intention too to use DECT in the US market as well.

    Vidar Hokstad

    (who works for Screen Media :)

  • the base station can handle POTS and ISDN (haven't you noticed it's dead? must be pretty smelly by now)

    ISDN is dead in the US and only the US. I know DSL is a lot cheaper and better over there, but here in Greece you can get an ISDN line from the (only) telco for about $20 a month (the time charges are the same as for POTS) and the ISP accounts cost a trivial extra amount compared to a 56k modem dialup. AFAIK it's also taken off in Germany and other places in mainland Europe. I also spend half the year in the UK where prices from telcos (actually I've only checked out BT) are crazy, but over here ISDN is the best solution for a digital dialup connection. I'm getting an ISDN line Real Soon Now and I'm really looking for devices that support it. I also have a DECT wireless phone that would work with the FreePad base station (doing what, I don't know, but hey, it works).

  • Actually, it has a smartcard slot that could be used for authentication. But you are right, this isn't our primary market. We want it to be as cheap as possible, and are making lots of deals to bundle it to get it subsidized by misc. service providers, to get it into the hands of people that either don't have PC's (and don't want them), perhaps because they don't want a complex PC just to access the net, as well as the geeks who want it as a simple web access device and advanced phone (look up a number in the white pages on screen, and touch the number to make it dial, etc.) in addition to a normal PC.
  • All you would have to do is stick one of these devices on every bench. Add a stylus (NOT a screwdriver) and voila, instant access without ever having to leave your bench.

    Yes, of course. I thing Boeing did (or is trying to do) exactly this thing. But the problem is that you need hardened hardware for that. You need a pad that will survive drops onto a concrete floor, huge amounts of oil and grime, screwdrivers used in place of styluses, probably also closeness to motors (magnetic fields!) and a myriad of other stuff that I am too lazy to think of right now. Such hardware can be build, but it tends to be expensive, much more so than the $400...

    Kaa
  • What kind of standalone processing will this thing do? Handwriting/voice recognition?

    Just this week I saw an ad for an AT&T Megaphone center that sounds like the DMAP system. The base system alone was 200.00, and I laughed as I turned the page. I may have to go back and reread the ad again.

    This is the first close-to-production item of its kind, and its going to be big. I've been looking for one since I heard about the WEB-Pad. I work from a clip-board, and spend at least an hour a day retyping my notes into the network. The time this will save me rekeying is worth $500 in less than a month. I don't have 20/20 vision, and won't go to a screen smaller than a full size sheet of paper.

    I think its great that we're hearing about Linux driven Web-Pad's coming to market before or at the same time as windows based boxes. I think that the open source movement is only beginning to show its potential in new product development, where time to market is everything.

    I think within a year Microsoft will be looking for ways to turn off the software patents that keep them out of the new markets linux opens.
  • Hmm. The website is very light on content... anyone knoe whether there are more detailed specs of this machine anywhere?
  • Ericsson [ericsson.com] is first with a new device using a new protocol enabling data transmissions at 112 KBps over existing GSM networks. It's called GPRS, and it's currently being implemented by a German operator called T-Mobil [tmobil.de]. There's more info at www.gprsworld.com [gprsworld.com].


    %japh = (
    'name' => 'Niklas Nordebo', 'mail' => 'niklas@nordebo.com',
    'work' => 'www.pipe-dd.com', 'phone' => '+46-708-444705'
  • 300 meters is serious range...I'd be more than a little concerned from a security standpoint. Just what we need is another path for the gub'mint to sniff around.


    Although I could see this being useful for corporate types who never get to sit down at their desks and are always lugging 8-lb laptops around, waiting for them to boot, and typing in a 15-word note.

  • I would deffinitely be interested in pricing and ability to run other apps. It would seem to be a viable client machine for linux servers.
  • I would just like to have one so I could surf the web and check E-mail in my backyard. Unless you could take it with you and use it anywhere you wanted.

    Another High tech Toy that I really don't need but it would be cool to have.

  • It looks like the DynaBook has finally come into fruition. Especially when someone develops a set of Python bindings for whatever widget set they develop on top of NanoGUI.

    I want one!

  • Comments... (Score:3)

    by TurkishGeek ( 61318 ) on Tuesday September 07, 1999 @02:24AM (#1698300)
    Overall, this looks like a great idea. It is much like Cyrix/NatSemi's Web Pad [cyrix.com]; only it is smaller and runs Linux instead of QNX. If they can offer this at an attractive price, I'm sure a lot of people will buy it. However, the wireless connection needs a bit of clarification-the system contains a DECT phone and I understand it utilizes the DECT system to connect to a base station in the house. DECT is another great European wireless technology standard (don't want to start another GSM vs. CDMA[insert any American(=Qualcomm) digital wireless technology abbreviation here] debate here; but they are pretty good at this stuff); but it is not common in the U.S. From a geek's point of view, the device looks wonderful. To be able to tap into the vast American market, though, they will need to come up with some other means of wireless connectivity, IMHO. Most people will not trash their existing phone system and go get DECT systems just for being able to use this in their home. And remember, this has a very limited range and will only let you access the Internet in or near your house (or wherever the DECT base station is).

    Still, given the incredible track record of Nordic people in wireless communications; I believe they should be able to find a way to make this work in the US using a different technology. Until then, I think this is strictly for Europeans. I am not even sure if DECT is permitted by the FCC in the US. Anyone with info on this??

  • kids toys (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Damn that thing looks a lot like an old etch-a-sketch!

  • And the market for this is...? (Score:3)

    by Kaa ( 21510 ) on Tuesday September 07, 1999 @02:13AM (#1698302) Homepage
    I am somewhat unsure of the usefullness of such a device. It seems that it needs a normal computer somewhere in the house/office which is actually connected to the net and which feeds the wireless hub that transmits to the pad. So it's not independent like a laptop, and not a PC replacement for the great unwashed. Given that there is already a computer around, and given that the pad is mostly useful for passive web surfing and dealing with small-volume email, I wonder who needs it (besides the buy-the-latest-gadget crowd).

    Sure it's cool to sit in a bed/recliner/bathtub, stretch out a hand, pick up the pad, and check some web news. But it's likely to be a bit too expensive for this convenience. I don't think you can do much useful work on this pad, and if I already have a full-blown computer around, I'd rather haul my ass to it to do real thing.

    Of course, this is all IMHO and YMMV.

    Kaa

  • Re:And the market for this is...? (Score:4)

    by Pascal Q. Porcupine ( 4467 ) on Tuesday September 07, 1999 @02:24AM (#1698303) Homepage
    Not everyone works at a desk. Some people need access to their information at work from anywhere. Mechanics, nurses, shipping/receiving folk, and many, many more who work in time-critical environments where they need instant access and can't have terminals everywhere, and certainly can't take the time to log in. Like, if a patient is crashing (in the medical sense) and the nurse on duty needs an instant judgement based on their charts and medical records.
    ---
    "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  • There are 2.54 cm in 1 inch. So 2.4 cm is
    approximately 94% of 1 inch.
  • they say it connects wirelessly to a home network or uses ISDN etc to connect to the internet.
    what would be really great is if they built a mobile phone into it so I can suf the web and post on slashdot from anywhere.
    'ang on - if i want to post then it will need a keyboard really and will just turn into another Psion 5 clone.
  • What happened to the wireless terminals that were out there? Wyse used to carry a wireless X terminal and a (shudder) wireless WinTerm quite a while ago, but they dissapeared. IMO they were way way better than all of these low power, limp portables. It was quite something to carry around a 2 pound, wafer-thin screen and keyboard that was really just another display on the mega-computer down the hall.

    ~GoRK
  • The goal is less than 500 USD (potentially a lot less... Don't want to give more than a rough estimate at this time), and release Q1 2000 - not that far away.
  • Actually, 1 inch is 2.54 cm. Try units(1) if your on a UN*X box.

    %japh = (
    'name' => 'Niklas Nordebo', 'mail' => 'niklas@nordebo.com',
    'work' => 'www.pipe-dd.com', 'phone' => '+46-708-444705'
  • 11Mbps internally doesn't help you a lot if you're still connected to an ISDN line for your internet access.

    DECT DMAP supports up to about 2Mbps, but this isn't a wireless LAN thingie that's intended for use to network several PC's with, but a solution intended to connect you wirelessly to your ISDN line, CATV or modem. So unless you have an ISDN PRI (30 B channels) to your home, DECT DMAP will likely be more than enough.

    Vidar Hokstad

    (who works for Screen Media)

  • I think the marketing guys wants it to be "free" as in free to move around wherever you want in your house and garden while you're still on the net....

    Vidar Hokstad (working for Screen Media)

  • OK, since you seem to be in the know ;-) :

    Back in my Army days, we were looking for a device like this to distribute documentation in factories, hangars, airfields and the like. $500/pop ain't that bad if you consider the costs of archiving, sorting, updating, copying and distributing tens of thousands of pages of documentation.

    You can certainly take over that market if you demonstrate a coupla extra capabilities:
    * Security: Although documentation isn't exactly classified material, any military organization or large company would want to feel like there is some security.
    * Ruggedness: The device should probably be water-proof, shock-resistant (1m drop?) and probably resistant to some chemicals too (like aviation-grade fuel, etc).

    Feel free to contact me for consulting purposes :-)...


  • But surely the commonest data traffic will be to local servers (at least for the home, and for vertical applications)? While I have ISDN for work and home use, >>99% of the network traffic to my computers never leaves the local network.

    I'm already accustomed to 100Mb/s for such traffic, and so dropping back to 2 will be very noticeable.
  • I agree wholeheartedly. I would gladly plunk down $500 today for such a device.

    "If you build it, they will come."

    Beer recipe: free! #Source
    Cold pints: $2 #Product

  • Pretty sweet concept. I always tried to keep up with stuff like this, and I'm surprised I haven't heard anything about it until now. Hopefully we'll start seeing technology used in more places here.
  • Hello, Vidar,

    Thanks for the information so far! It sounds like there are a lot of people interested in getting their hands on one of these things as soon as humanly possible, so how about setting up a mailing list to distribute news to the curious? I, myself, would be interested only if this thing could compile (at least) GTK applications and give me a command line for running emacs, so I could hack on the thing. I'm sure there are others out there with fewer demands. Anyway, I would be keenly interested in getting frequent updates on the product's status.

    Cheers,

    Beer recipe: free! #Source
    Cold pints: $2 #Product

  • I guess I'll have to convince my boss about the need for a "geek edition" :-) I will doubtlessly have some special hacks for my own use, so who knows...

  • Re:Specs? (Score:3)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 07, 1999 @02:30AM (#1698321)
    I've talked with them. It's supposed to be running a MediaGX CPU, possibly a 12" LCD screen, a smartcard reader, 16MB or 32MB RAM and 8MB flash..
  • Well as a followup to my own post, I actually found the wireless Winterm 2930 [wyse.com] on Wyse's discontinued products page (Didn't know they had a page for that!)

    ~GoRK
  • I can think of one use for this, I can't always 'haul my ass' to my computer when I'm trying to supervise my children. Lots of times I'll be out in the yard keeping an eye on the kids and wish I could do some light surfing or read my mail. I've thought of getting a laptop and a wireless lan setup but I'm not sure if I can justify the expense. If this thing were just as expensive, yeah - forget it. If it comes in a a couple hundred, it would be a real convenience. Added to that whatever stand-alone features it has when its out of range of its wireless connection to my home computer.

  • Re:Really fast cellular data tranmission (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    This isn't cellular transmission... It's DECT DMAP. It's not a replacement for cellular, since it has a range of "only" 300 meters or so from your base station. But it can get speeds up to about 2Mbps to the basestation. From there on it is limited by whatever you connect on the other end (ISDN, CATV, etc.)
  • Um, people don't have to "trash their existing phone system[s]" just to use something with DECT. Most DECT devices I've seen (standard home cordless phones, such as these beauties [ericsson.com]) use DECT internally, while connecting to your existing home analog phone system in the base station end only.
  • This is really interesting actually.

    An inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters. Several years ago (never mind how long exactly -- probably in the 70's with the metric hoopla) in order to make EngishMetric conversions absolutely precise for worldwide scientific use, the inch was actually standardized to the centimeter. As far as I know, the inch is now defined as 2.54 centimeters.

    ~GoRK
  • Well, I'm about to buy an iBook for something like this. I want something a nice easy terminal for browsing while watching TV sitting on my nice comfy sofa, rather than having to sit down at my PC.

    I'd rather not have to sit upright at my PC for hours on end reading documentation... having a pad like this would make that task a lot easier.
  • The first version will be "locked down",yes. It will be possible to replace apps., etc., but not simple. It's an appliance, not a laptop replacement.

    You are partly right about the special servers. We'll be using only open standards. That is, the box will be able to work perfectly fine as a stand alone unit. However we are offering a turn key system for portal integration as well, that will allow for some additional features, and is meant for subsidized bundling deals.

    The full price units won't be tied to any special servers in any way, though.

    But that said, I want to play with them beyond the standard features myself, and if there's a market for it a version with access to the shell etc. is certainly a possible that I can convince people here to release a more flexible version.

    As for the wireless technology you are mentioning, it is already available from Dosch & Amand [dosch-amand.com], which is our main partner on the hardware side. They have base stations supporting DECT DMAP, as well as PCMCIA and ISA cards. Only Windows drivers so far though (but of course Linux drivers are in the works for the FreePad integration, and since it's basically a BIOS less x86 platform the same drivers should work on a standard PC).

    I'm not sure about the prices, though, since the PC solutions contain a bit more than the FreePad will.

    Vidar Hokstad

    (works for Screen Media)

  • Yes, this FreePad is DECT - but GPRS is truly mobile. I didn't say that the FreePad used GPRS. If it did, it would be a lot more interesting, but then GPRS isn't in use yet except at one BSC (Base Station Controller) at T-Mobil in Germany, I think.



    I'd prefer a real notebook though. Those Vadem Clio [clio.com] WinCE boxes they recently ported Linux to [ltc.com] will be nice, too, at least when they get an X server running on it.


    %japh = (
    'name' => 'Niklas Nordebo', 'mail' => 'niklas@nordebo.com',
    'work' => 'www.pipe-dd.com', 'phone' => '+46-708-444705'
  • It's meant as a home system, and most people don't have 100Mb/s networks at home... Actually, most people don't even have a PC at home yet.

    Yes, if you're used to 100Mb/s networks it will be slower than what you are used to from your stationary computers. But it's not replacing them. For the sophisticated users it's another tool to use to send mail from, surf the web, place phone calls (by touching the number in your address list, or in the white or yellow pages), or do your home banking, or electronic shopping on (it has a smart card slot that will be able to handle misc systems like Mondex etc.)

    It's not your new Quake machine :-)

    Vidar Hokstad (who works for Screen Media)

  • I'm still somewhat unclear about the setup. Let me describe how I see it, and you correct me where I am wrong.

    OK, the Freepad is, basically, a full-blown computer, in particular it runs the TCP/IP stack and all the accompaniments to it. The Freepad talks IP (among other things, maybe) to the base station, which is essentially a modem (also among other things). Presumably, the Freepad can tell the base station to dial a certain number and log in to the ISP. After the log-in, the base just shuffles IP packets between the phone wire and the Freepad. Currently the base station can handle POTS and ISDN (haven't you noticed it's dead? must be pretty smelly by now). Real soon now it will also support ethernet and CATV. BTW, does supporting CATV mean that the base can act as a cable modem? Or you need a separate cable modem?

    So, what is correct and what I got wrong?

    BTW I am still doubtful about the utility of a computer larger than a palmtop without a keyboard. And what't the expected price point? At $100-150 it may work. At, say, $400 and above -- fuggedabutit.

    Kaa
  • As we like to say:

    England [And the US I guess] is going metric, inch by inch. ;-)

    But I agree with you. The metric system is much better, come to think of it, the imperical system really is a kludge. And it ain't pretty.
  • "BTW I am still doubtful about the utility of a computer larger than a palmtop without a keyboard."

    Here's an idea.

    I used to work for a Honda dealership in Dallas. In the shop were three bookcases of enormous size (10'H x 25'L x 18"D). Three. And all three were full to overflowing with Honda service manuals.

    Imagine if all of those books were on a server somewhere in the shop. All you would have to do is stick one of these devices on every bench. Add a stylus (NOT a screwdriver) and voila, instant access without ever having to leave your bench.

    Advantages: Never loose another book. Never have another book thrown away because it's worn out. Never worry about losing the one service manual you could find for a '78 Accord (those things are almost priceless, y'know). Doesn't take up nearly as much space as a terminal. Or a desktop. Or even a laptop. Cheap in bulk. And I'm not even mentioning the possibility of integrating it with email and the main shop servers...

    Even at $400.00, this is still a reasonable investment. Figure 20 techs x $400.00 = $8,000, less with the discount. If I were the service manager, I would look long and hard at this kind of solution that would, in the long run, save money, time, and hassle.

    That's the utility in this...

  • One of the primary uses as I see it for a "toy" like this would be to "send" www pages to it from my stationary computer. Say that I find a neato page about a review or something, I want to be able to "sync" this to the pad. So that I can read it eating breakfast, outdoors or just on my bed.

    Streaming MP3's, surfing, email, ICQ etc would also be nice but a portable, large screen is only that wonderful IMHO.

    I recon this would be easier if it was just permanently hooked to a computer. Is there any possibilty of a PCI/ISA card as a base-station? (The ethernet option isn't as good actually for me since I have a LAN connection for my stationary computer.) Would this be cheaper or more expensive than a separate base-station? (I would recon cheaper, but who knows?

    It is just something I have long wanted someone to make so that I could get it. What can I say, I'm a geek. (Unfortunatlely not a very rich one, so I hope it won't be too expensive. ;-)
  • Ok, so it's got at 12" LCD touch screen. That means absolutely nothing to me. What's the resolution on it? VGA? SVGA? XGA? Those are well defined standards each of which has an exact resolution.


    Laptop makers routinely do the same thing and it really bugs me. Personally, I'm waiting for a portable device with (at least) an 24-bit color XGA touchscreen.

    Please? :-)

    Marv

  • Seriously, the last realm of print magazines in my home is the toilet, since I still spend idle time there, and I haven't figured out a nice way to put in a computer.

    Taking a laptop with one isn't really desireable, to heavy to hold up, and resting on the legs is a little to close to the active regions during that particular activity to be confortable.

    Ok, 500 USD might be a bit much for 10-15 minutes a day, but if I had that sort of money :-).

    I guess one would have to install Cybersitter or something to discourage any guests from improper activities. (I'm going to be moderated down now...)


    -
    /. is like a steer's horns, a point here, a point there and a lot of bull in between.
  • Disclaime: I work for Screen Media.

    It doesn't need a normal computer elsewhere in the house.

    DECT DMAP is an extension to DECT - the dominant protocol for cordless phones in Europe (it's starting to appear in the US too) - that allow data transfer, including networking protocols and wireless printing. The FreePad uses a DECT DMAP controller to speak to a DECT DMAP base station.

    The cool part is that the base station also supports the DECT GAP standard for voice communication, so it can be dropped in instead of any existing GAP base station and work seamlessly with both the FreePad and any other DECT equipment you might have, including handsets, portables with a DMAP PCMCIA card, and PC's with a DMAP ISA card.

    Also, it will be fairly cheap. Standalone it will likely cost less than USD 500,-, but as part of misc. bundling deals it will be possible to get it a lot cheaper, and in some cases for free.

    Vidar Hokstad

  • It connects wirelessly to a DECT DMAP base station (the same base station can be used with ordinary DECT cordless phones), which can be connected to ISDN, CATV and soon ethernet.

    I don't think we'd want to compete with the cellular based PDA's, so I doubt you'd see a GSM or CDMA version anytime soon.

    Vidar Hokstad Disclaimer: I work for Screen Media

  • It's a prototype. The prototype is quite a lot thicker and clunkier than the commercial version will be.

    Vidar Hokstad Disclaimer: I work for Screen Media

  • Exactly. You have to replace the base station (unless you happen to have a base station that supports DECT DMAP, which is unlikely now, but more and more base stations with DMAP support are coming), but you can keep using any handsets you have.

    Vidar Hokstad

    Disclaimer: I work for Screen Media

  • I'm still a bit unclear as to what this DECT DMAP base station is. It's basically a wireless base station "hub", yes?

    In order for these pads to have Internet access, though, that hub will need to be connected to... a PC? Is the base station capable of doing networking on its own? Can you just plug in a phone line, ethernet cable, whatever, or does it have to rely on another device for connectivity?

    Are any of these standards being implemented in telephones or networks in the US now?

    Do you have any URL's on the standards or manufacturers that use them?
  • Mechanics, nurses, shipping/receiving folk, and many, many more...

    Yep, that's called the vertical market. It's generally served by dedicated hardware/software combos (like the pads you see UPS workers carrying). It's a big market, but quite task-specific and I have seen no signs that the Freepad intends to compete in it.

    and certainly can't take the time to log in

    In this case you either have a big security problem or you are in need of special-purpose hardware that does automatic authentication based on, say, some kind of a dongle or a hardware ID. Again, not the Freepad stuff.


    Kaa

  • Anyone want to work on the software it? :-) (Score:3)

    by Vidar Hokstad ( 87953 ) on Tuesday September 07, 1999 @03:53AM (#1698347) Homepage
    <SHAMELESS-PLUG>
    If you're a programmer, and happens to live in Norway, and would like to work on the software for the FreePad, mail me at vidarh@screenmedia.no [mailto]. :-)
    </SHAMELESS-PLUG>

    Vidar Hokstad

    (Yeah, I work for Screen Media)

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