[Arm-netbook] DIY Pocket Computer

[Scott Sullivan]

On 05/23/2013 10:18 AM, Scott Sullivan wrote:
> On 05/23/2013 09:38 AM, Alexander Stephen Thomas Ross wrote:
>> I was thinking of my own one off. I don't have the skills to make a mass
>> production design.
>>
>> There is a colour e-ink screen that can do 30fps video.
>
>
> So, some of the pieces are difficult to impossible if not expensive to
> get in singles.
>
> What your suggesting is perfectly do able, but is likely a several
> thousand dollar project and involves a lot of different technical
> skills. Ordering parts more directly through digikey or mouser will
> certainly help keep costs down. Expect to break or blow-up components
> while learning.

So I'm just reminded of a great project that involves the kind of 
'gadget' interrogation your trying to achieve.

http://www.tricorderproject.org/

The development is informatively documented along with bill of 
materials, decisions of design and board layouts.

Well worth going through to get a glimpse of the complexity that has to 
be tackled. But again, very do able!

Personally I've got a similar project that has been on my some-day list, 
but I would use a keyboard computer form factor to have enough space.

Something like a tricked out ASUS EeeKeyboard Computer.
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-EK1542-S0095-ASUS-EeeKeyboard/dp/B003HK5RM6

This is why EOMA-68 has caught my interest. It takes a huge chunk of the 
complexity out of the project (ie. the computer part). I can instead 
focus just on the peripherals, case work and software I want to include.

It also in theory means that what I build won't be rapidly dated as was 
the fate with the EeeKeyboard. By the time it hit market it was on the 
low end of what netbooks were doing. The AMD APU based products were 
just hitting shelves at the same time and kicking this things butt in 
performance.

-- 
Scott Sullivan