[ale] Presentation Topics

[Ron Frazier]

Hi David,

For about a year, off and on, I've been looking for a Linux based, or 
otherwise free software based, multimedia capable, touch screen platform 
that I could program in C++ and use for a robotics controller or a home 
automation controller.  Thus far, I haven't found one.  In fact, I hope 
to be talking to the editor of Circuit Cellar magazine to ask him to 
cover something such as this.  I thought I was going to build something 
at one time starting with a PIC demo board plus network interface plus 
screen plus touch panel, etc.  I rapidly found out that it would cost 
$400 or more to do all that in that manner.  I started looking toward 
things like iPod's (don't like Apple's developer restrictions), GPS 
devices (never found good info on hacking one), etc.  Now, I'm starting 
to think the best way to do something like this is to use an ereader and 
install Android on it or just use an Android tablet.  I could go to Best 
Buy today if I wanted and buy a 7" color touch screen tablet with 4GB 
memory, 800 MHz processor, micro SD card, and HDMI output that could run 
almost any app, and could play video.  It even has a front and back 
camera and wifi.  It's the Pandigital Nova, in case you're interested.  
It costs $160 on sale.  I tinkered with it in the store, and the touch 
screen is a bit laggy for daily use, but it could work just fine as a 
controller or automation device.

I think these devices are ripe for using as controllers for more complex 
projects or for something like mounting one in each room of a house to 
use as a home automation controller.  I think the embedded systems 
industry is missing the boat in not tackling this.  (I understand you 
wouldn't use a $200 tablet to control a thermostat which you can do 
otherwise for $50.)  However, I'm totally sick of embedded designs which 
have a 2 line by 16 character display and individual buttons for 
control.  The future (should be present) is color screens, touch 
control, and ENGLISH menus and options which are self evident and self 
explanatory.  I'm also sick of seeing embedded designs have only 10 Mbit 
wired ethernet or even 100 Mbit wired ethernet and no wi-fi and no 
access to any mass storage.  At least for a home automation application, 
I think wi-fi is essential.

OK.  End of rant.  How does this relate to your question.  I would love 
to see someone talk about how to take these ereaders and tablets, or 
even GPS's, and root them and put Android on them.  Even better, would 
be sharing information on how to connect them to real world devices 
after rooting them, probably through the USB or wifi interface.

Here are some links I thought were interesting.

http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook-color-cm7.html
http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2011/08/28/nook-color-n2a-review-turning-the-nook-into-an-android-tablet-the-easy-way/
http://www.n2acards.com/
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook-color-honeycomb.html
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook-touch-root.html - This one is 
pretty cool - an EINK reader running Android.
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/pandigital-nova.html - This is already 
Android, but doesn't run the Android market.
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/pandigital-nova-root.html
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/pandigital-nova-android-market.html

Sincerely,

Ron

On 9/16/2011 12:10 AM, David Tomaschik wrote:
> First off, thanks to everyone who came out to my SSH talk tonight!  I
> hope everyone was able to learn something, be entertained, or otherwise
> not have the "that's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back"
> feeling.  I've updated the slides I posted after my ALE-NW talk at
> http://systemoverlord.com/presentations/keys-ssh.  I'll also link to the
> video whenever Aaron gets it edited.
>
> Secondly, I'd like to help Aaron out a bit with organizing speakers for
> the ALE meetings.  I'd like to approach this two ways:
>
> 1) If you have a topic you're excited about, do a lot of work with, or
> otherwise know well enough to want to present on it, I'd love to know
> that and start to build a list of willing presenters&  topics.  No
> commitment to a particular date, but knowing who to talk to would be a
> big help.
>
> 2) If you have an idea for something that you'd like to see presented,
> I'd like to know that too.  Maybe if we have a list of desired
> presentation topics, someone will be willing to put together the
> presentation and talk about it.
>
> Or, maybe I won't get any feedback at all.  That's ok too, as I'm sure
> Aaron could wing 90 minutes on the corporatist state we live in.
>
> Have a great evening, and stay safe from the men in black suits!
>
> David
>
>    

-- 

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier

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linuxdude AT c3energy.com