On Friday 07 September 2001 07:41 am, Tim Rowledge wrote:
> Gimme a couple of megabucks and I will produce what you want.
>
> How about ~800mips, 256b ram, 5Gb disk, 802.11b, USB, audio in/out,
> 320 at 240 LCD, video out, small camera?
> Probably sell for around $1k.

Oh yeah, it's gotta run for at least 8 hours on a small Li+ battery pack (1W 
or less power consumption).

I've been looking around for a single-board computer or PDA with:

* enough speed to run Squeak (probably on Linux though I'm going to be using 
VNC rather than X as a server) (though we may have to forego using Morphic)
* 64Mb of memory
* a USB MASTER (_not_ client) connection OR at least 4 serial ports (I can 
use USB-serial adapters)
* an Ethernet connection
* a hard drive interface
* less than 3W of power consumption (I'd prefer 1W, but...)
* sound capabilities would be nice

Note that a 2.5" notebook hard drive, depending on the kind, can easily 
require over 2W when running; the IBM microdrive takes 825mW when running and 
66mW when on standby, so I've already got quite a power hit here.

The usual PDA model of "take it home and charge it up" won't work here, as 
it's an entirely battery powered system that depends on solar to recharge 
batteries on a good day (we have 400W peak solar capability, but the 
Northwest isn't noted for being constantly sunny). However, this also has to 
be able to run for a few days in the dark (we have big storage batteries, but 
5W is quite a load).

Many of the available ARM SBC's seem to be aimed at the PDA or "internet 
appliance" market; their USB is always of the client flavor, rather than 
master. And  they also typically don't have 4 serial ports.

Any suggestions?

-- 
Ned Konz
currently: Stanwood, WA
email:     ned at bike-nomad.com
homepage:  http://bike-nomad.com