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Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

en.qi-hardware.com

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Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#11

Post by keeganpoppen »

Auguste wrote: post #8
lukeschlather wrote: post #7

I'd really like a similar device with a full sized keyboard. This certainly replaces a little pocket notebook, but personally I don't use pocket notebooks. I'd like something to replace a full-sized notebook: easy to type on, basically just good for text, sort of a portable digital typewriter. Anyone know any good resources for larger screens? I'm curious if you can get 7" + screens with slightly better refresh rates…

Have you taken a look at the ASUS Transformer Prime? It's not quite what you're looking for, but it might do the job. The keyboard dock gives it a total of around 18 hours of battery life. http://eee.asus.com/en/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/

man that website is... a bit much.

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#12

Post by zxcvvcxz »

That looks like a nifty product, but personally I'm waiting for the touch-screen device that can recognize changing input in under 10ms. The current touchscreens really aren't responsive enough (or fine enough in terms of digital ink thickness) to take decent notes.

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#13

Post by dvdkhlng »

I own a Ben Nanonote. Note taking isn't one of the things I'd to use it for. Pen and paper will be faster :) This thing comes with GNU Octave/Gnuplot, Emacs, MPlayer plus a host of script languages: python, lua, guile, tcl gforth, here's a (incomplete) list of applications including screenshots: http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/Applications

It won't compare too favourably to a modern smartphone, but I keep to think of it more as an open hardware platform/devboard than a consumer product. BTW for hardware hacking you can easily connect 6 I/Os (3.3V TTL) via the UBB (http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/UBB).

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#14

Post by ja27 »

phaus wrote: post #5

I used to own an Asus EEE PC 901, and while it is still one of my favorite gadgets of all time, I have to admit that small keyboards are absolutely terrible for taking notes. The keyboard on this device looks to be about half the size of the EEE PC 901, so I don't think it would be very effective without a full size keyboard connected to it.

I used to use Psion Series 3 "palmtops". One of the best thumb-typing experiences I've had and it ran for days on 2 AA cells.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_3

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#15

Post by dvdkhlng »

fidotron wrote: post #4
Auguste wrote: post #3

I seriously considered buying one of these six months ago, but the lack of Wi-Fi ended up being a deal-breaker for me, unfortunately. It is possible to add Wi-Fi using a microSD chip[1], but then I wouldn't be able to expand beyond the 2GB of on board storage. It still looks like a fantastic product though. I'm really looking forward to seeing a future Nanonote with Wi-Fi built-in. [1] http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/…

I'm exactly the same - this thing with WiFi in would've been much more successful. Even just an ethernet thing as standard would have helped. I look forward to a v2, but haven't seen/heard of any developments.

From what I heard the v2 (which would be called Ya NanoNote) lacks funding and is far into the future. Most efforts currently seem to be concentrated on the M1 http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/Milkymist_One , which may become the basis for any future NanoNotes. That'd imply the SoC moving to an open-source implementation (FPGA? ASIC?), too.

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#16

Post by duaneb »

Cieplak wrote: post #10
lukeschlather wrote: post #7

I'd really like a similar device with a full sized keyboard. This certainly replaces a little pocket notebook, but personally I don't use pocket notebooks. I'd like something to replace a full-sized notebook: easy to type on, basically just good for text, sort of a portable digital typewriter. Anyone know any good resources for larger screens? I'm curious if you can get 7" + screens with slightly better refresh rates…

The closest thing I can think of is a kindle with linux on it. You have a great product idea. Sort of like a netbook with an e-ink display.

Sure, but the kindle has the same problem: horrible keyboard.

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#17

Post by Cieplak »

duaneb wrote: post #16
Cieplak wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The closest thing I can think of is a kindle with linux on it. You have a great product idea. Sort of like a netbook with an e-ink display.

Sure, but the kindle has the same problem: horrible keyboard.

Agreed. This is certainly a niche that needs to be filled.

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#18

Post by Kerrick »

Cieplak wrote: post #10
lukeschlather wrote: post #7

I'd really like a similar device with a full sized keyboard. This certainly replaces a little pocket notebook, but personally I don't use pocket notebooks. I'd like something to replace a full-sized notebook: easy to type on, basically just good for text, sort of a portable digital typewriter. Anyone know any good resources for larger screens? I'm curious if you can get 7" + screens with slightly better refresh rates…

The closest thing I can think of is a kindle with linux on it. You have a great product idea. Sort of like a netbook with an e-ink display.

It's been mentioned before, but I don't know that it has enough of a market to be commercially viable.

Here's a tweet I wrote a few weeks ago about it:

> I'd really love to see a laptop running a linux command line environment with an e-ink screen. Programming on the beach, anybody?

Re: Ben NanoNote - tiny linux device perfect for notetaking

#20

Post by fluidcruft »

keeganpoppen wrote: post #11
Auguste wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you taken a look at the ASUS Transformer Prime? It's not quite what you're looking for, but it might do the job. The keyboard dock gives it a total of around 18 hours of battery life. http://eee.asus.com/en/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/

man that website is... a bit much.

Yeah, it's somewhat notorious. The usual course of action is to mock that suave guy using the keyboard dock like a tablet.
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