Smart Home Blog

Toshiba presented its new device – JournE Touch Tablet. That 7-inch screen touch webpad uses ARM processor and runs Windows CE 6.0 Pro. It has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g adapter, 1GB Nand Flash internal memory, built-in two 0.5W speakers and SD*, MMC, MS and MS Pro, xD memory card slot. The docking station offers HDMI TV out and charging. Device should be released in Q4 2009 for estimated price €249.00.

Well, the JournE Touch Tablet looks very nice. Personally, I’m not going to use it to serf Internet of watch video. In my mind the latest Nokia’s Internet tablet N900 is much much better for that purpose as well as N810. But the JournE Touch Tablet seems the best option for control panel of home automation systems such LinuxMCE. Currently the LinuxMCE users can use used WebDT 366 with custom image and Linux-based Orbiter as a main control panel. But JournE Touch Tablet is a cheaper option and it’s new! Sure the LinuxMCE Orbiter for Win CE should be updated to be run Windows CE 6.0 or maybe the device cab be re-flashed with Linux image. Will see how it’ll be when the JournE Touch Tablet will be released.

Demo video of the JournE Touch Tablet and quick spec can be found after jump.
Read more »

Nokia released the next generation of its internet tablet N770 – N800. The maemo developers is working with a new Maemo 3.0 SDK and is going to provide a new application repository for N800. Also, there is a  developer program:

we will sell 500 pieces N800s to key maemo developers at a discounted price of 99€. The most active maemo.org hackers should expect an email very soon!

I didn’t finished with implementing Orbiter for Plutohome at OS 2005 . Generally, it works but I suspect that I have to move to maemo 2.1 because OS 2005 is an history now.
[via Ari Jaaksi’s Blog]

Once I already wrote about a new Sony Internet Tablet Mylo (short for “My Life Online”). It seems that Sony turned his face to Linux. The first was Vaio UX Micro PC with Linux version. The second is Mylo which is also based on Linux (Trolltech’s Qtopia Platform). In my mind it’s good for quality and price when there’s a choice on the market.

Sony release Mylo this September. After that Nokia will have a competitor. So, let’s see how it’ll be.
[via LinuxDevices]

Sony has announced its new product Mylo. Mylo is a smal, WiFi enabled personal communicator. It justifies type ‘communicator’. Mylo includes Skype, Google Talk and Yahoo! Messenger. It allows to browse web sites using HTML like brower not WAP, send emails via Web Mail client like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and etc. Mylo offers a possibility to make phone calls via Skype.

By and atour, Mylo plays a music (MP3, ATRAC and WMA), video (MPEG-4) and displays pictures. The process of searching of WiFi hotspots is extremely simple. Just specify your location and Hotspot locator find the nearest one.

Brief specification:

• Display: 2.4″ QVGA (320×240 pixels)

• Processor: ARM 9

• Keyboard: QWERTY

• Memory: 1Gb flash memory

• Lan: IEEE802.11b WiFi

• Expansio Slots: Memory Stick Pro Duo Expansion Slot

• Others: built-in microfone, speakers

• Dimensionss: 55.0 x 88.1 x 18.7 mm, weight: 150 g

Mylo seems a good gadget and can be a competitor for Nokia770. The keyboard can be useful but the lack of touch-screen may do work with device a little bit uncomfortable.

The Mylo will start to sell this September at price $350.

Nokia 770 is the best product of Nokia (IMHO). It’s based on Linux and has open API and architecture. That fact clarifies a huge number of third party applications hosted on maemo.org. Here is a brief review of the latest ones:

1. Tuner tool (home page).

It’s based on GStreamer and KISS FFT library to perform a fourier transform on a signal and extract fundamental frequency. The version 0.0.2 has a piano keyboard to generate reference tones.

2. Zip and Unzip for Nokia 770 (home page)

This is an adaptation of popular archivator for Nokia770.

3. New home applets.

There were just a couple applets in the first version of Nokia 770. Now you can use Bluetooth plugin, CPU/Mem/Screenshot applet or IpHome homepage-plugin. Additioanlly, linux geeks will be glade to use VIM, Midnight Commander, Links, IRSSI IRC client, Rdesktop. Developers can use Python or SmallBASIC.

All those applications and even more you can find in the Maemo Application Catalog or in the alternative repositories. The brief but informative explanation howto work with Nokia770 can be find in the article “Linux on the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet”.