Turn a Zipit Wireless Messenger into a cheap, slow netbook by installing Linux

openzipit The Zipit Z2 Wireless Messenger is a cheap (as in $50) instant messaging device that’s basically a single-purpose PDA designed to connect to WiFi networks and send instant messages over AOL, Microosft, and Yahoo’s instant messaging platforms.

It can also send messages to cellphones over SMS. The only catch is that you’ll need to sign up for a $10/month plan in order to use the Zipit… or at least in order to use it as intended.

If, on the other hand, you want to find a new use for this handheld device, you might be interested in running Linux, installing DOSbox, or maybe an NES emulator. The Zipit has a 300MHz XScale processor, 32MB of RAM, and a Mini-SD card slot for stroage. It has a 2.8 inch QVGA display and a 1000mAh Li-Ion battery. It connects to 802.11b/g WiFi networks. And if you follow a series of steps from hacker Hunter Davis, you can install a working Linux operating system with the Fluxbox window manager.

All in all, you end up with a pocketable device with a QWERTY keyboard, mouse emulator, and ability to run Linux applications including the open source MPlayer media player. For about $50.

You can check out a video of the Linux powered Zipit after the break.

via Hack A Day

Posted on Sunday, September 27th, 2009, 12:51 pm by Brad Linder

Leah

For the price, this is really neat, although it looks like getting everything set up would take a lot of work. If I didn't already have an iPod Touch, or if I had the slightest bit of Linux knowledge outside of my Eee, I would be very interested.
Pingback: Sander Scheepens (sandersch) 's status on Monday, 28-Sep-09 12:33:58 UTC - Identi.ca
Mikez

Hmm… Very interesting, based on OpenEmbedded:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/openzipit

A person would need a Z2, a micro-SD card, and some Linux knowledge.
For those without requirement #3 (Linux knowledge) -

Anyone want to team up to provide these things with OpenZipIt pre-installed?
Might even be able to get them listed at the “Brad Store”. Brad?
Mikez

More precisely, based on OpenEmbedded for the Beagleboard (got one of those):
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/openzipit…
Pingback: Claudio Miranda (claudiom) 's status on Monday, 28-Sep-09 12:58:52 UTC - Identi.ca
Pingback: Video: How to install Linux on Zipit Z2 Wireless Messenger
http://a1.blogspot.com EwanG

Umm… It's $49.99 with a one year service plan. I don't see an option to buy it for $49.99 by itself. I suspect once you add that price in, the iPod Touch becomes a more reasonable alternative.
Mikez

Just did a click-through check on that at both on-line retailers – -
The device purchase price is $49.99 – -

The one year service plan is only required to activate its communications features;
But you are going to replace the shipped kernel with an open alternative,
so why “activate” it (the service plan that is)?
The point of replacing the factory installed firmware build is (among other things)
so that it can be used **without** the ZipIt service plan.
Mikez

Even their own on-line store is that way.

I.E: They have it backwards – to achieve their intended aim of
recurring revenue to support the sales price, they should get you
to commit (money) towards the service plan **before** selling
the device – but they don't. Oops.
Pingback: Sander Scheepens (sandersch) 's status on Monday, 28-Sep-09 17:04:04 UTC - Identi.ca
Pingback: SURBER • US · Daily Digest for September 28th
http://listeningtoreason.com wanorris

I think they were originally $150 with no service plan, and I guess they weren't selling as fast as the company wanted. So hide most of the cost and hope they move faster, I guess.
Ghostmachine418

Holy Bee Geez. Since the article broke on Engadget and others, these stupid things are impossible to find now. I couldn't buy one if I wanted it except maybe from the official site.
Pingback: Hackers transformam gadget de US$ 50 em “netbook” « Training Tecnologia
Pingback: The Really Mobile Project » Blog Archive » The Reading List: Sat 3rd October
Pingback: [modding] Zipit Z2 transformando em nanobook Linux. Ficou show de bola! | TargetHD Gadget Blog
Pingback: The Reading List: Sat 3rd October | Ben Smith
Pingback: 50 dolarlık netbook: Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 | yenibisi.com - okumalı bişi!
Eric

I was looking at them when they were $150 ($50 for device $100 for a year of service) and said meh. Now they are just the $50, and it comes with a free year, then its $30 a year after that. The company itself actually supports the development of linux on the device. http://linux.zipitwireless.com
Eric

I was looking at them when they were $150 ($50 for device $100 for a year of service) and said meh. Now they are just the $50, and it comes with a free year, then its $30 a year after that. The company itself actually supports the development of linux on the device. http://linux.zipitwireless.com

Turn a Zipit Wireless Messenger into a cheap, slow netbook by installing Linux

Recent Posts

Featured Videos