Project Planning Help, please

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

I've done a lot of "fun" projects with my Propeller the last couple years,
now I think it's time to push the envelope a bit and do something that needs doing.

I'm an on-site computer technician by day, so I spend a lot of time in my car.
The cellular service is both expensive and poor quality in my area, and I don't
want to carry a cell phone. (I bill my time by the hour and don't want the
expense and interruption of a cell phone going off when I'm with a customer.)

I need a way to check my email while on the road. I'm thinking something
that is prop-based with a small LCD above my rear-view mirror clipped to
my visors for easy removal. I'm thinking a propeller with a ENJ28style NIC
attached to some sort of wireless link. Perhaps a router programmed to autoattach
to open networks. (Yes, I have obtained permission from several good connections.)

I know there are out-of-the-box ways to handle this, but since I'm self-employed
and I have someone in the office that also monitors my email, I won't die if
something doesn't transmit quickly due to a glitch.

Ideas toward implementation are welcome!

Thanks
OBC

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KamPutty

obc,

I thought I saw a pop3 checker in the object exchange...Use a LCD+nic+prop...

~Kam (^8*

Rayman

Just get an Ipod touch...

jazzed

Too bad USB host is so complicated [noparse]:)[/noparse] Given the right device, on could write a 802.11b/g interface. Other than that, workable alternative would be to put an ethernet/wifi game adapter on the ENJ28 port. Only problem is the game adapter may not want to switch ssid and authenticate dynamically ... of course a connection could be selected from various game adapters as they lock ... but that would be horrible and expensive.

Rayman has the right idea.

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KamPutty

my cellphone can check email...I think this "feature" costs $5 per month...maybe thats the way...

~Kam (^8*

Nick McClick

A good place to start might by with ladyada's ybox2. www.ladyada.net/make/ybox2/download.html. They have a repo of all the code they use to build the TCP/IP Stack, a schematic of how to build it, and some sample widgets. No sample widget yet for email checking, but there's one to check twitter, and another for weather reports. I've used A linksys WRT54G to program it & connect it to the internet without any problems.

I think that might get you a lot of the way there.