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Hardware

FreePad: A Linux Handheld Wireless Computer 60

Posted by CmdrTaco from the interesting-toys dept.
terrified writes "A Norwegian company called Screen Media is advertising a new product, called the Freepad, on their website. Apparently it is a Linux-based portable device with wireless technology, letting you roam about 300m from its "base station." This thing looks quite promising, but unfortunately there's next to nothing in the way of information on their website. " Its a tablet style machine does look pretty excellent, but its tough to make out much more.
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FreePad: A Linux Handheld Wireless Computer More

FreePad: A Linux Handheld Wireless Computer

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  • I remember about a year back seeing a product which I will describe...

    It was a pad. Wireless, rechargeable. All it did was trap your mouse, keyboard and monitor, then sent them wirelessly to the pad. And back when you input anything. It allowed you to take your pc anywhere within a reasonable distance from the base transciever.

    Does anyone know where I can find a beast of this kind? Or was I hitting the crack pipe a little hard that week?

    -Steve

  • I love Toys, From my X10 devices everywhere in the house to the BeepWear PRO on my wrist.. I love Toys.

    But these palm computer things don't interest me at all. I'm not sure why. I have tried a few but much more than using it as a calculator I have found them useless.. The writing tablet types are horrible (have you ever been able to read anything you signed on the UPS tablet?)

    A mp3 "walkman" would be the best use for a palmdevice for me. But this is just me.. How do you use yours?
  • This tool looks like the type of thing that would greatly assist hospitals. Doctors could write or dictate their orders to the pad while examining the patient and the Freepad would update a main database of the things that a patient would need.

    The possibilities of this tool in a hopsital setting are endless...
  • Nope. It will harldy get there...

    They have very strict restrictions on using wireless comms because the resistance of most medical eqipment to noise is about zilch...

    The doctors will love it, but it will be not enough... All medical vendors will have to finally produce reasonably resilient equipment and this is least likely to happen
  • a cordless web browser. Now my dream of surfing
    the web on my toilet can be realized.
  • I really think there are uses for this type of thing. True hospitals may have problems with them, but some manufacturing lines could use it. Just-In-Time manuf especially. Letting orders come down better. Of course they were bilking this thing for home use so I'm not sure how tough it would be if it could stand a manufacturing line.

    For a much further discussion about it check out the last time it was posted (Sep 7). [slashdot.org]

    -cpd
  • Here's the last /. article on this http://slashdot.org/articles/99 /09/07/0951244.shtml [slashdot.org] The web site looks exactly as devoid of information as I remember it. I don't think they've done anything new.

  • Yes it does sounds like an excellent thing to use in any enviroment. I still have a few slight worries tho. First of all as you mentioned using it in a hospital setting, I'm worried how much disturbance a transmitter of this kind will have on the often very sensitive medical eletronic equipment.

    The second concern is equal, it's also a technical one. All those transmitters would need to have a unique modulation frequency, otherwise what I do on my term might affect your terminal. So then you'd either need to have a transmitter with tweakable frequency, or each computer has a receiver with which only one transmitter goes. In the first case you'll have jokers, scanning to find someone elses frequency, in the latter case you'll have to have an administration of what you allready have in a certain room, in case you want to add more of the same machines.

    It's a great technology, and I certainly see it's uses, but there's still the last worry, that we're getting more and more wireless technology, and the air is getting more and more polluted by electro-magnetic fields (low energetic radiation).

  • This isn't a palm type device... There's two models with 10.4" and a 12.1" LCD screens... Unless you have really big palms, I wouldn't call that a palm device. They also have on screen keyboard, and USB support if you want a real keyboard.
  • It comes in colors at least that is what the pictures show. Like Red, and orange. It really did not show to much on there web site, which is a true shame as it looks like a real promising treat. IT looks infact similar to a device released by Cyrix that is a wireless tablet device that runs Windows. Hmmm.

    send flames > /dev/null

  • There have been several of these kinds of devices, but the Zenith CruisePad achieved a fair degree of success , especially for providing mobility in hospital and healthcare environments. (I used to do healthcare IT consulting.)

    The initial CruisePads weren't really computers in their own right with wireless LANs, but rather Windows Terminals that used a wireless link to remotely control another PC. This made them quite expensive, so they never became very popular outside the places where mobility has a high value.

    I think the company continued on for a while after Zenith was gored by Bull, but other than a non-responsive link at cruisetech.com, and some fossils at ZDS, there doesn't seem to be much left of them.
  • Maybe not hospitals if the wireless protocol does indeed harm equipment (I'll defer to others that actually know such things). I'd like the wireless protocol to be a standard. I got the impression it was a standard based on headsets, not the one Apple's Airport is based on.

    I think Doctor's offices would be game though. Not so much equipment to be affected in most exam rooms. Also manufacturing lines, especially in the QC phase. Demo meetings, prototype mockups (the image looked like a computer generated image rather than a photo) or even school lessons. Imagine being able to view that animation on your own screen rather than straining to see a far away monitor.

    Also good for adding data into a database using forms. Customer Service reps, helpdesks etc could use this to log problems and possibly get recommended action without being stuck at the desk.

    Just some ideas. I hope somebody can come out with one for under $200 in the next few years.
  • Ok, we all know that this story was on slashdot not too long ago, but there is a little bit more info on the web site. Well, ok, some more pretty pictures anyway. The real question here is whether the friendly developer who took part in the original discussion is back, and whether he has any more technical info. In particular I would like to know whether his "Geek Version" of the pad, with the OS opened up, is going to be a reality. Just now I believe they are going to lock down the OS to make it "User Friendly". This means I won't be able to "export DISPLAY=" from my Linux servers to it. :-((

  • I did a search on some Norwegian websistes, and according to digi.no [www.digi.no] (a leading norwegian web-based newspaper), the price will be somewhere around 5000 NOK (approximatly 625 USD). It will have 16MB RAM, and a touch-screen with a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels (beware of smudgy fingers!).

    Also, it will have a DECT-based basestation (connected to a phoneline [regular, ISDN, ADSL, whatever]), and it will be possible to share this basestation with a total of eight FreePads. The DECT-DMAP protocol will enable speeds up to 500 Kbit/second, something that will be quadrupled over time (the article does not say how/when).

    According to the article, the people behind the idea, are former employees at Alcatel (french-owned multi-national telecoms corporation) and Telenor (largest norwegian telecommunications company).

    reference: article at digi.no [www.digi.no] (in norwegian)
  • Actually, while it isn't in production, Inventec (Taiwanese manufacturer that handle production for several multinationals, including some production for Compaq) is preparing production lines for it now. The tools for producing the plastic is ready (plastic prototypes of the new look is ready).

    The software team is busy working on the software. A well known Linux company is doing the DECT drivers, and Opera is porting their web browser to Nano-X for us (screenshots should be available shortly).

    As for the prototype pictures: The one on the main page is computer generated, but the others are pictures of the real-life prototype.

    Regards, Vidar Hokstad VP of R&D, Screen Media AS

  • It won't run X, so you wouldn't be able to do export DISPLAY anyway. But there will be OEM versions available, as well as a developer SDK, so if someone wants to make X run on it, they'll have our blessing.

    Btw., I gues I qualify as "the friendly developer" :-)

    On another note: One change from last time is that we'll be using USB for the optional external keyboard, and that it will be possible to use other USB units as well. And the new design for the plastic is a lot cooler :-)

    Regards, Vidar Hokstad

  • Regarding the talk about mobile devices/wireless protocols in hospitals:

    I'm currently working in a hospital where there is a lot of wireless networking deployed. The manufacturer is Aironet [aironet.com] and it's been working great with no interference with the ICU equipment...

  • A minor detail: It doesn't have to be eight FreePads. It can be up to eight of ANY type of DECT device, including desktop PC's (via ISA card, available today), laptops (via PCMCIA card available today), or DECT/GAP handsets (such as the Siemens Gigaset etc.), and of course FreePads. Regards, Vidar Hokstad

  • Re:Uses (Score:2)

    by Gleef ( 86 )
    The few true hospitals I know of who have done the wireless tablet thing set up a base tranmitter network, similar in operation to a mini cellular network in operation. Should work pretty well.

    ----
  • All those transmitters would need to have a unique modulation frequency, otherwise what I do on my term might affect your terminal.

    Not necessarily, they could be (and probably are) using spread spectrum radios. But I doubt that it would be allowed in hospitals because, as someone else pointed out, hospitals are very picky about RFI.
  • It uses standard DECT, but I'm not sure if DECT has been approved for hospital use anywhere, and I sort of doubt it.

    As for using several DECT basestations, that isn't a problem. We have three operational in our office, and the DECT standard is intended for high density networks with many base stations.

    You choose a base station by "subscribing" to it. Purely a software process. Currently most base stations are only open for subscription for a short interval of time after they are turned on, or after pressing a button. More security are being added though (not by us, we only use the technology).

    DECT is an industry standard, and DECT DMAP will be supported by lots of equipment. It hasn't really taken off in the US yet, though, because the frequency band used for DECT in Europe is allocated for something else in the US. But Siemens at least has marketed DECT products for the US market too.

    Vidar Hokstad

  • The DECT standard is a low level data transmission standard for wireless equipment. On top of that you have the GAP standard for handsets (telephones), and now the DMAP standard for most other types of data transmission (printing, TCP/IP, RS 232 serial forwarding, CATV, etc.)
  • The main problem with getting prices down is the LCD/touch combo. For us it will probably be 50% or more of the total production cost...

    Vidar Hokstad

  • I sent these folks an email in early September and here's what I got from Vidar Hokstad (vidarh@screenmedia.no) Director of Technical Development (these are his words, my layout)

    *Estimated release date Q1 2000

    *Estimated cost: less than USD 500 (very rough estimate, hopefully even cheaper).

    *Variations: There's versions of the base station that is ready or in the works that support ISDN, CATV (can replace the cable modem), Ethernet and modems.

    *Includes a POP3 mail reader
  • It's probably not pot, then..
    I've never been so pro-linux as when I am stoned.

    To keep this on-topic (even while replying to a Troll) I feel that the Pad is a) a neat idea and b) a very neat Idea.
    This is because it a) Runs Linux
    and b) presumably has a wipe-clean screen just in case I get any ash on it.

    --Nick
    Very Pro-Linux at the moment, thank you.
    Replying to Troll *thwack* Bad! *thwack*
  • So can I plug the base station into a POTS phone line for analog voice, and to a LAN for the network services? I have a separate data LAN at home, so don't need the base station to do anything like modem dialing.

    Perhaps you should glean this and the previous discussion for Frequently Asked Questions...

  • An important clarification: The USD 500,- is the intended target for some of our bundles, including services... The price for the "unencumbered" version will likely be somewhat higher (at least when released).

    Vidar Hokstad

  • Now THAT was fast! I guess seeing a massive surge of web traffic will get your attention, though.

    Any hints as to who'll be bundling the pad? (please say I can use the service "at home" since I just got a cable modem from them!)
  • The flexibility you have will depend entirely on the DMAP base station. I'm not sure if the current base stations support serial and Ethernet at the same time, but the DMAP standard is open and several manufacturers will be producing base stations, so the available options are increasing rapidly.

    Vidar Hokstad

  • I was going to reserve this for Ask Slashdot, but since the question is partially on-topic to this article, I'll post it here.

    I am considering buying a palmtop computer, mostly for browsing the web, and maybe, if possible, email and instant messaging.

    Anti-Microsoft ideals put aside, the WinCE machines look pretty attractive. I've read some info on the wince version of IE, and it seems like a pretty nice browser. Can anyone tell me how Palm compares to this?

    I know that ICQ is available for Palm, is it available for wince? I know that AOL just released a beta of AIM for wince. What about Palm?

    What about wireless modems? How do they work with Palm? Wince? (are they even supported?) How much can I expect to pay for wireless net access for these machines?

    The one featured in this story runs Linux, but I have seen comments that say it doesn't run X, which means I can't use it for web browsing (unless I use Lynx, which I'm not ready to do). Also, I have seen nothing about wireless modems...

    Is there anything else I should know that I haven't mentioned here?

    --

  • USB is a good thing, I did some firmware programming for it back in University. So this means there will be a market for you to produce all sorts of goodies for it (Cameras, etc). Good thinking!

    The artists impression of the case looks v.good. Have you got engineering samples of the finished case back yet or just the basic cases we can see on the site?

    As for no X, that isn't what I wanted to hear, but I suppose I can use the web browser. Does it support Java, etc?

  • Well, change the OS I guess and Wheeeee!!!! a much more useful product :D

    --
  • Personally all I really want it to do is connect to my LAN. The telphone handset connection is a bonus. Is there a suitably compact handset/cradle to strap to the tablet or even a hands-free option?
  • Vidar, thanks for patiently responding to all questions on your product. Can you tell us what the projected price point is? I know LCD prices sometimes fluctuate, but a ballpark figure would be useful. And second, off-topic question: Does anyone know if GSM has been approved for hospital use?
  • Ok, You really have to break your ideas into 2 categories:
    1. Palm Computers
      The Palm devices only come in 1 basic form. It has a pretty small screen and uses a stylus for input. It's starts up fast of and works easy. It's great for quick notes, but not for a lot of writing. So think about what you want to do.
      1. Browsing the Web. This isn't going to work. Checking a map or email or phone-number or address really quickly over the Internet through a Palm App, etc. is very handy, but not heavy duty browsing.
      2. Email. With a Palm VII or a modem-equiped Palm, checking email can be great. Then again, so can checking your email with an alpha-numeric pager. Writing email beyond a quick response would be quite a pain, though.
      3. Instant Messaging. Huh? You actually want to "talk" to someone with a stylus over a wireless network. That's really slow and really expensive.
    2. Clam Computing
      I have no experience with these things, but I here they're not quite as easy or fun to use. Talk to people who have used both. But, I'll still try to give you my opinion.
      1. Browsing. IE on a clam-top? A full browser on a screen that small. Methinks it would not be worth it.
      2. Email. I don't know of anyway to use wireless WinCE. Have you seen something I haven't? I do try and keep up. If it's not wireless, then what's the point anyway?
      3. Instant Messaging. Ok, this may get a little better than the Palm since you have keyboard, but it's still a little keyboard. "Talking" to someone would be very slow and difficult, and, once again, I don't see the point if it's not wireless.
      Overall, I think you need to be more specific with your needs. If you want something to run around the house and browse with, no PDA is going to be very good. The FreePAD looks good for that.

      If you want to check your email anywhere, anytime, and want to do very basic web-usage, then you should look into the Palm VII.

      I would like to finish by saying that I have a Palm III and really love it. I can't do any wireless communications, but it is very usefull.

  • Since the device is using DECT which is 2.4 GHz, i believe it could be used in hospital environments. DECT wireless telephones are used in hospitals, as their power is only at a few 10s mW.



    hbrx.
  • I noticed you were posting on Slashdot, so I have a question for you: Is there anyway to enter text? Can this thing be used with a stylus to write things down, similar to what a Palm does? Also, what type of graphics engine does it use? How open is development for it? Basically, I have always dreamt of a way to read something with a Pad of some sort, and be able to doodle comments on it. I would we sort of like reading a book and writing on it, only my information is stored digitally. I would alse like the ability to do homework on a little thing like this with a keyboard. Will it run emacs? Thanks for your input.
  • I noticed you were posting on Slashdot, so I have a question for you:

    Is there anyway to enter text? Can this thing be used with a stylus to write things down, similar to what a Palm does?

    Also, what type of graphics engine does it use? How open is development for it?

    Basically, I have always dreamt of a way to read something with a Pad of some sort, and be able to doodle comments on it. I would we sort of like reading a book and writing on it, only my information is stored digitally. I would alse like the ability to do homework on a little thing like this with a keyboard. Will it run emacs?

    Thanks for your input. Sorry about the last one, I forgot to preview.

  • Well it depends on what you want to do. It sounds like all you want is a small form factor high powered laptop. There are on the other hand some partial solutions to most of your questions eg. there is a Yahoo IM client of sorts for the Palm and wireless modem solutions can be made to work today by connecting the Palm to certain cell phones. The Visor/TRG models purport to allow for direct attachment of devices like this either through the Springboard or the PCFlash but there is little if anything that is real today. Conside though that if you do kludge toether a feature set for the Palm that does what you want is not handheld anymore - it's more of a collection of devices you have to carry around in a bag. On the other hand all of those features exist today on practically any laptop. The question is, how low can you go? If you go to www.dynamism.com you will see a slew of very small laptop/palmtop machines. Add to this the IBM Thinkpad240 and you have a pretty good collection of machines that answer your specs. Whether you have any other requirements like the ability to run Unix or whatnot, you'd have to explore that with each unit seperately. On the whole laptops are built to run on Win9, some do ok with NT, most do not. Linux is a gamble with most machines; trying to get all of the peripheral devices, pccards, modems, video, sound, cdroms, etc. to work is usually at least partially successful but is not generally simple to do.
  • The cyrix web pad is based on BSD, but is supposed to be coming out with a linux version.

    Its important to note that National Semi isn't selling webpads. They sell chips that go into them. The webpad is a concept device that is complete and ready to build. I wouldn't be surprised if deep within the Freepad is design from the webpad.
  • The way it looks, I think it would be great for students. Can you Imagine having a device like that that held all your books electronically, and was able to do quick searches of text. Also students could use the device for reference material and keep track of all their assignments. I've always thought that the big market for PDA's and electronic books are college students
  • The Palm devices only come in 1 basic form. It has a pretty small screen and uses a stylus for input. It's starts up fast of and works easy. It's great for quick notes, but not for a lot of writing. So think about what you want to do.

    I use a Palm VII quite a bit (the bennies of supporting them) and I find that it is a very convenient platform; the text input choices are a bit kludgy, but I have become a fair hand with Graffiti (the text recognition method that the Palm uses), but for lots of writing, I use the onscreen keyboard with a modified stylus I made from unscrewing the tip of the stylus and gluing it to a dimestore ring so that I wear the stylus on the end of my finger. I can type a screen of text in a decent amount of time with it.

    Browsing the Web. This isn't going to work. Checking a map or email or phone-number or address really quickly over the Internet through a Palm App, etc. is very handy, but not heavy duty browsing.

    For web browsing on the Palm VII, I use SnakEyes (from SnakeFeet [snakefeet.com]), which is a pretty decent little Lynx-style browser. Obviously image-heavy pages are rough, but most sites I refer to are mainly text, so its not really an issue. Besides, Slashdot has a PQA, so I don't need it much. :)

    Email. With a Palm VII or a modem-equiped Palm, checking email can be great. Then again, so can checking your email with an alpha-numeric pager. Writing email beyond a quick response would be quite a pain, though.

    Again, not too bad, although I really wouldn't recommend using your Palm VII for your main email client, as it would become rather expensive, particularly if the Spam commandos get a hold of the addy. Very nice for shooting off a message while traveling, though.

    Instant Messaging. Huh? You actually want to "talk" to someone with a stylus over a wireless network. That's really slow and really expensive.

    Heh, works great in meetings. We shoot messages to each other all the time while pretending to take notes. :) And ICQ addicts can use ICpQa by Jon Baer (supposedly found here [digitalanywhere.com], although the site never seems to be up; you can find it at most sites that collect Palm VII PQAs) to swap messages with their friends; haven't used this myself, as I'm just not into that sort of thing.

    The main thing about the Palm is that it takes getting used to. If you use PDAs extensively, this won't be an issue because you'll pick up on Graffiti rather quickly or adapt to the small keyboard. For the casual user, you obviously won't want to compose large messages or do anything intensive, as it will feel unwieldy and difficult. Like anything, there is a learning curve, but with the Palm, it was a lot smaller than I had expected.

    Note that I don't work for Palm Computing and don't make anything off of the sales of their products, I just tech support them.

    Deosyne
  • I am curious as to what else this can be used for. I mean, it may run Linux, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I can run gcc on it. Does this advertised version operate more as an open platform with specialty software, such as the web browser and telephony software included, or is this more like a WebTV box with a built-in screen that uses Linux to crunch numbers? And what options will OEMs have for modifying its existing fuctionality?

    I guess I just really dig the look and would like to have one as a mini-laptop, as it were. :)

    Deosyne

  • erm (Score:1)

    by DryGrain ( 93543 )
    I don't see what all the fuss is about, its just a Palm Pilot running Linux right? Say, I wonder what the inside of a Palm Pilot looks like... ( gets _*^THE LOOK^*_ on his face)....

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