ZipIt Z2 + Propeller?

CassLan · 2010-02-04 00:41

I was looking online at this product:

http://www.zipitwireless.com/

Its about $45 in store, stock hardware includes WiFi, uSD card slot, 320x240 color Screen, KB, rechargable battery.

Does anyone have one of these? Have they taken it apart? Can we squeeze a prop in there and just keep the screen, battery and keyboard?

I'm considering getting one of these to gut it, figured I would see if anyone did so already.

Rick

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Harley · 2010-02-04 01:14

Rick, Here's what I found...

Processor                Marvell XScale PXA270
Flash Memory        8MB
System Memory   32MB SDRAM
Audio               Wilson Micro WM8751 Audio CODEC
Digital volume control
Headphone output
Speaker output
802.11g Wireless   Marvell 88W8686 Rev. B2 Wi-Fi &#8220;B/G&#8221; Solution
Supports receive antenna diversity
Supports Power Management
Battery                 Internal rechargeable battery based on Li-Ion Polymer with at least 1000 mAH (min)
Connector on battery
LCD Display         320 x 240 TFT LCD
Transmissive Display
Dot pitch:              .18h x .18v
256K Colors
Min 2.8&#8221; diagonal
LED Backlight
200nit Backlight
Keyboard                 Full backlit QWERTY design
Zipit Layout
PolyMetal Dome
Tactile Feel 
Internal Connectors     Keyboard
LCD
Battery

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Harley Shanko

Timothy D. Swieter · 2010-02-04 01:26

A funny image just came to me. I am picturing a Propeller hobbyist and an embedded engineer together. The Propeller hobbyists gets a ZipIt, tears it apart and throws away most of it just to have a case and a screen. The embedded engineer is horrified, he would have hacked into what was there and used the processors and memory. This is kind of like a kid who gets a present on Christmas - a wonderful present, but all they play with is the box it came in.

For $45 I'd get one and rip it apart. I bet there are others who have done this, maybe not here, but surely there is something on the web.

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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, 3.0" LCD Composite video display, eProto for SunSPOT
www.tdswieter.com

Forrest · 2010-02-04 03:57

The Zipit Z2 runs Linux. Here's a link to hacking it hunterdavis.com/archives/category/zipit-hacking

Tubular · 2010-02-04 05:40

Ah the mystical Zipit Z2. I think this is the same device Cluso99 spotted and we were trying to get PBJ to pick up while over in the US

Has anyone actually seen one in Target or elsewhere?

Cluso99 · 2010-02-04 07:15

Yes, thats the one. I am watching with anticipation

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

BradC · 2010-02-04 13:40

If someone is bringing them back from the US. Put me down for 2 + shipping from you nutters to Perth.

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Life may be "too short", but it's the longest thing we ever do.

Rayman · 2010-02-04 13:54

Looks ripe for hacking! But, I bet if you wait 6-months, you'll find them on Overstock.com for $15 or so... (betting on this being a failed product).

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Rayman · 2010-02-04 14:03

Timothy D. Swieter said...
A funny image just came to me. I am picturing a Propeller hobbyist and an embedded engineer together. The Propeller hobbyists gets a ZipIt, tears it apart and throws away most of it just to have a case and a screen. The embedded engineer is horrified, he would have hacked into what was there and used the processors and memory. This is kind of like a kid who gets a present on Christmas - a wonderful present, but all they play with is the box it came in.

Yeah, taking out an XScale and putting in a Prop is kinda like taking the engine out of a race car and putting in Go-Kart motor...

But, the price is right!

I bet there's people out there trying to figure out how to put Linux on the existing system right now...

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My Prop Info&Apps: ·http://www.rayslogic.com/propeller/propeller.htm

Tubular · 2010-02-04 14:27

Rayman, I think you're absolutely right. But 6 months is so long to wait!...

If anyone else in Oz/Nz wants some, I'll bring a consolidated shipment across the pacific. PM me and I'll reply with the details

Target have free shipping to US if you spend $50 on qualifying items. The Zipit2 is $49.99... so I'm hunting for the cheapest qualifying add on item... found a t shirt for $6.99 but surely we can do better than that?

The Peek also looks interesting (same kinda thing) for $14.95... anyone know its hackability status?

Tubular · 2010-02-04 14:47

actually forget Target, Amazon have them for $49.99 also but with free shipping

hinv · 2010-02-05 03:28

I was in a supertarget tonight, but I could not find it.

Rayman, you can't exactly call the xscale a racecar engine. Maybe a more like a geo metro engine...

Cluso99 · 2010-02-05 03:32

Rayman: It is already running linux - see forrests post above

Tubular: Put me down - I will email you.

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

Tubular · 2010-02-09 06:24

Ok. We're up to 7 for the Aust/NZ basket. Anyone else? Last drinks...

Cluso99 · 2010-02-09 10:04

The demand to break them up may be higher than the real use demand.

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL) · 2010-02-09 11:32

Interesting fact from the website:

"it also plays MP3s and streams Internet radio." -- December 12, 2007 [noparse][[/noparse]read on]"

hinv · 2010-02-09 12:26

Target has them here for $49.99 + free shipping to the us if you buy $50 or more..now what do they have for 1 or 2 cents?
I haven't found them in the stores though, but I think this would make a fine mobile development environment, expandable by adding a propeller

@brad, any chance you could get bstc on one of these?

Anyone seen these cheeper online?

BradC · 2010-02-09 14:50

hinv said...

@brad, any chance you could get bstc on one of these?

You read my mind.. I've put my hat in the ring for 2.

There appears to be one major limitation though, in that I don't see any USB host ability. But if I can get one it'll allow me to polish my Arm toolchain up for greater things anyway.

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Life may be "too short", but it's the longest thing we ever do.

hinv · 2010-02-09 17:41

I just purchased 2 from Amazon.com for $49.88ea. It is a wait, however.

Delivery estimate: February 16, 2010 - February 19, 2010

They are on ebay also, and it appears that zipitwireless is the actual company that produced it.
You might want to check with them if they will ship a qty order to Australia for little shipping. The include Tshirts on their ebay auctions, but
charge $9.99 in shipping.

If I can fit a hacked protoboard in there, I could attach it to the console port in there(hinted to by hunterdavis) and connect a real keyboard, maybe a wire BeauNet, do Bell201 modem to a 2meter rig.
The possibilities are endless, but without a prop, right now it is a fairly limited device.

Bill Henning · 2010-02-09 17:52

Be careful... take a look at their shipping charges, and carefully reading their ad it looks like you only get a "skin" for approx. $60 total!

I don't think its the company.

hinv said...
I just purchased 2 from Amazon.com for $49.88ea. It is a wait, however.
Delivery estimate: February 16, 2010 - February 19, 2010
They are on ebay also, and it appears that zipitwireless is the actual company that produced it.
You might want to check with them if they will ship a qty order to Australia for little shipping. The include Tshirts on their ebay auctions, but
charge $9.99 in shipping.

If I can fit a hacked protoboard in there, I could attach it to the console port in there(hinted to by hunterdavis) and connect a real keyboard, maybe a wire BeauNet, do Bell201 modem to a 2meter rig.
The possibilities are endless, but without a prop, right now it is a fairly limited device.

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Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
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hinv · 2010-02-09 18:17

Good point. I saw a shirt, and saw Free S??? and though Free Shirt! Now that is tricky.
Are there any other reason's that you don't think it is the manufacturer?

Doug

Bill Henning · 2010-02-09 18:23

I don't think the manufacturer would try so hard to deceive people.

hinv said...
Good point. I saw a shirt, and saw Free S??? and though Free Shirt! Now that is tricky.
Are there any other reason's that you don't think it is the manufacturer?

Doug

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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system

hinv · 2010-02-09 19:50

It's not the company, it's Proactive Event Marketing. Matthew from PSM replied to my inquiry though, so I will see what kind of deal I can work with them, and ask him about the Tshirt thing.

hinv · 2010-02-09 22:59

Hi,

I talked to Proactive, and they offer a free Tshirt or skin on their ebay auctions.

I am thinking about placing an order for 16 of them in order to get a discount.
If I can get them shipped USPS for around $42each to the lower 48 states, how many people would be interested?

Doug

Post Edited (hinv) : 2/9/2010 11:16:15 PM GMT

Unknown · 2010-02-10 01:06

Rayman said...
Looks ripe for hacking! But, I bet if you wait 6-months, you'll find them on Overstock.com for $15 or so... (betting on this being a failed product).

I've seen these selling·in the UK·with wifi so there may be a reason in other markets that it won't fail overseas.

hinv · 2010-02-10 14:21

I found a lot more information on hacking the Zipit Z2 here.
It has lots of pictures, and tells you where you can locate the console port which is /dev/ttyS2, which leads me to believe there is 2 more in there!
I don't know about GPIO.
It is definitely a really hackable device. It would make a nice portable dev system, and use the Zipit itself as a keyboard/screen/wifi/sdcard peripheral.
I am going to check to see if I can get some dead ones too for those who want to replace the guts with a propeller only solution.

TonyD · 2010-02-11 10:00

Chuckz said...

I've seen these selling in the UK with wifi so there may be a reason in other markets that it won't fail overseas.

Chuckz - who's selling these in the UK?

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hinv · 2010-02-18 01:17

I have 16 of these coming in on Friday. I will let you know when I get them. I haven't gotten 1 taker on my earlier post though. Anybody interested in them now?
I think they would make a great interface to the propeller, especially if we get a propeller compiler on it.

Doug

Tubular · 2010-02-18 05:14

Doug,

I need a few more (about 3 so far). Basically everyone I talk to here wants one or two.

I'm happy to order through you instead of Amazon if that suits you if you're overstocked. But equally its no trouble to order from Amazon if you want to hold that stock for the US

regards
tubular

Cluso99 · 2010-02-18 05:20

Tubular: Hope'd you would chime in on this. Tks.

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

Unknown · 2010-02-18 05:43

TonyD said...

Chuckz said...

I've seen these selling in the UK with wifi so there may be a reason in other markets that it won't fail overseas.

Chuckz - who's selling these in the UK?

I was tempted to start a seperate post on the Zipit because I couldn't find the original post.· I feel discouraged on doing so because it is like advertising someone else's product in a different forum.· It is like advertising arduino in Parallax's forums.· Parallax must be saints in having to put up with this.

I honestly don't remember where I originally read about it but I gleaned that there were hotspots in the UK.· I was probably researching different products that were available overseas.· I read the news·every day and it is hard to find the same·news article after six hours because google can·list thousands of new articles on the same subject.

At $150 a·unit, I don't think Zipit is going broke:

Zipit Wireless' $150 Wi-Fi-enabled mobile device is different from text-messaging enabled cell phones in that there are no ongoing charges associated with wireless connectivity

http://news.zdnet.com/2422-13568_22-167073.html

ZipIt Z2 + Propeller?

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