5624 replies to this topic

[yodaofborg]

Why wouldnt you need a RTC with Wifi? If you mean due to Internet time, most time servers want your device you have at least the correct date or they will not sync your device. Plus, not everywhere is a wifi hotspot, how annoying would it be to have your PDA not know what time it is, cos you cant get on the net?

[cappuchok]

As for the BOB, I have read the specs and know that the Craignator will have a TV-out function. However, having TV out will not be sufficient if you don't have a remote to control the device from your couch. You can't underestimate the importance of having a remote.

Just a thought here but couldn't you just use one of the readily available USB-attached IR remotes like those that come with ASUS' PCI TV boards for example (they send simple keyboard commands that could be mapped in the player software)? Attach TV-out cable, attach powered USB hub and to this attach your IR remote reciever, portable harddrive, gamepads, DVB-sticks and whatever, and you have a fully equipped media center, given driver support of course.

Oh, and I wouldn't be without an RTC in such an otherwise complete device (especially given it's potential for PDA functions), getting the time via WiFi can't replace having a real RTC since you can't really expect that you'll always be in a spot where there's open WiFi access. If it turns out this device doesn't have an RTC, that might just be a deal breaker in my book.

Edited by cappuchok, 28 November 2007 - 09:57 AM.

[LHC]

But how are you going to get round the problem of using a remote, without bluetooth?

[cappuchok]

But how are you going to get round the problem of using a remote, without bluetooth?

USB Bluetooth dongle + Bluetooth remote, or USB IR reciever + IR remote. Take your pick.

[garzyboi]

All I'm saying that is that unless the crew is equipped with industry-level machines and all the high resources that only a big company can provide, it might be inferior to other industry-level gadgets?

Or do they have all the necessary resources?

no, what makes a product inferior is when people ask for it to cater to everything...

or maybe I'm just stuck in a paradigm and only believe the console will only attract more people out of the homebrew/commercial/hacking scene and what not.

and no I don't have a remote to be honest even though I use my comp as a tv and I don't watch a lot of tv, movies or DVD's like some folks, just not my thing.

[LHC]

I was joking. The same thing had been suggested about eight times in a row.

[Dubya']

How about using Google's linux android open source operating system. I know it was originally designed for mobile phones/PDA's but since it will be open source all that code can be stripped out. Check out the youtube link, its pretty slick, supports open GL ES 2.0 and the clip even shows quake being played.

Looks extremely nice, somewhat like the excellent iPhone/Touch user interface I recently played with. And the $10 million dollars offered as an incentive to write creative apps for it isn't too shabby either.

I looked in the Wiki and didn't see any mention of an audio _input_ on the Craiginator. I mention this because with its wifi connectivity, an external headset could be used for VoIP.

Edited by Dubya', 28 November 2007 - 04:07 PM.

[pupnik]

Most posters here don't know the first thing about general-purpose mobile OS's. Accordingly, their opinions on what a craigulator OS should look like are worth less than two electrons.

Before you hit reply to flame me on that, please consider first whether that applies to you. If you haven't been involved with other mobile linux OSes, you don't have a clue about the issues that have been dealt with over and over again.

[yodaofborg]

I use a blue tooth remote (well, its actually my mobile phone) for my PC which is connected to my TV, but I think a remote for a *hand held* would be a little bit too much. Sure, this machine will have some power, but it will still be a hand held device.

[Squidge]

Emphasis on "hand held device" rather than "tivo"

[garzyboi]

well I dunno,

when people try to make the thing sound like its going to cater to every joe-schmoe on the block what do you expect.

VoIP see here we go again...

me personally I could care less what it looks like...as long as I can add a custom wallpaper out of photoshop

as Long as I don't have a huge FE taking up all the space....

[funtasticguy]

I use a blue tooth remote (well, its actually my mobile phone) for my PC which is connected to my TV, but I think a remote for a *hand held* would be a little bit too much. Sure, this machine will have some power, but it will still be a hand held device.

The remote is not for the hand held. Instead, the remote will only be used when the hand held is hooked to the TV to watch movies. While watching movies may not be for all, there is a market of portable media devices that hook up to the TV. These portable media players come with remotes that people use when they watch their digital movies (i.e. Archos, Cowon, etc.).

Now, then, if this can be done with a bluetooth remote then great (I'll have to do some research on this).

I also know there's interest among both Archos and Nokia tablet users for having a gadget that does all three: 1) Surf the Net 2) Watch movies and 3) Play games.

In fact, the Nokia web tablets also allow you to play movies (via a conversion process that people use) and games too. I have even seen some emulators running on the Nokia web tablets. Unfortunately, it's not designed to play games and therefore it's not really worth it. Among Archos users, they're getting excited that soon Archos will release the Opera Widgets that will allow them to download mini games unto their devices. Again, these devices are not designed for this and the games they will soon download are not all that great.

Another example is Cowon which is soon about to release the Q5 in the USA (along with the A3). This thing can play movies, surf the web, and I have even seen a gamepad hooked to it (via USB) while someone was playing MAME. The major complaint, however, is that it's too expensive (over $500), a little bit too big, and a general dislike that it has Windows CE 5 as its operating system. Indeed, people are praising the hardware but not the software. So close and yet so far. I do believe that it will fail as a product.

Thus, I firmly believe that if the Craiginator can tap into all 3 features, they will have a great product that will appeal to many potential customers (and not just the gaming/emulator scene). In addition, there might be some potential customers that will only like 2 out of the 3 listed features and still purchase the product: Movies and Games, or Internet and Games, or Movies and Internet. And if that's the case, the movies-interest potential customer will definitely want a remote to control their Craiginator when watching a movie from a sofa.

[cappuchok]

I'm sure Craigix and the team will make a suitable and hopefully visually appealing (in the aesthetic sense, not all dancing frogs...) interface (dare we hope, skinnable?) to start the device off on, and whichever developer feels it could be done better, will surely release his/her own replacement.
So as for the interface, I'm sure there will be plenty of choice to cater to individual tastes and needs. And if you don't like any of the available alternatives, just code your own.

Edited by cappuchok, 28 November 2007 - 06:59 PM.

[yodaofborg]

I'm pretty sure, or hopeful at least (because its a bad idea not to) that we will be able to boot a kernel from SD card, so replacing the entire OS if you want to go that route will be possible.

VoIP would actually be a nice addition, but that wouldn't be the only useful use for an audio input. I can think of LOADS of uses for it garzyboi, so don't knock that idea, afterall, this device IS being built for more than Photoshop users

[cappuchok]

the movies-interest potential customer will definitely want a remote to control their Craiginator when watching a movie from a sofa.

Take one Craiginator. Add powered USB hub. Add Media Center IR remote. Done. Enough about it already, there will be plenty of ways of adding a remote to the Craiginator, without it being included in the package.