[geeks] Ultra-Portable UNIX

[Jeremy Grosser]

An option to consider if you're looking for a cheap and portable 
terminal would be the Aeronix ZipIt.

The ZipIt was originally meant as an instant messaging device for 
teenagers but with a Linux firmware replacement, it makes a halfway 
decent SSH client.

There are a few problems with it though:
- If you aren't careful, it'll automatically download the latest 
firmware and you'll have no chance of reflashing it
- The framebuffer is only 40x24 rather than the 80x24 we're all used to. 
Most console apps can deal with a smaller terminal with no problem, but 
it makes things like lynx a bit difficult.
- The coating they use on the screen is fairly glossy so it sometimes 
takes a bit of adjusting to get it to a point where it's readable.
- The keys are small and limited. After inducing a bit of carpal tunnel, 
you'll notice that there is no TAB key, making bash completion useless.
- Hardware modifications aren't as trivial as one would hope. A serial 
port is available, but you have to solder on a MAX232 chip to get at it.

It isn't all bad though. Rob Flickenger (among others) managed to get an 
EL Backlight installed, making the display much more readable. Most of 
all, it's cheap. I know of very few places (other than Ebay) that you 
can get an ARM based Linux box for under $100.

If you're looking for something a bit less commercial, take a look at 
gumstix. It's a bit more do-it-yourself but it's definitely more 
flexible. The biggest challenge there is figuring out a user interface 
that's feasible to implement.

On an x86 note, I've always been partial to the Toshiba Libretto 
portables. They're nice little Pentium I boxes no larger than a VHS tape.

ZipIt Website (http://www.zipitwireless.com/)
Reflashing Instructions (http://aibohack.com/zipit/reflash.htm)
Backlight Mod (http://constructiveinterference.net/archives/134)
Gumstix (http://www.gumstix.org/)

--
Jeremy Grosser
www.runemonkey.com