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Message: 3 Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 12:54:15 -0800 From: Edward Cherlin cherlin@pacbell.net Subject: Simputer FAQ
This is a draft FAQ for the Simputer, meant for anybody to e-mail to their friends who inquire what the Simputer is, and for new members of this list. Further questions and answers welcome.
Simputer FAQ
1. What is the Simputer? 2. What features make Simputers suited to use by poor people? 3. What are Simputers for? 4. Where can I get a Simputer? 5. What software runs on Simputers? 6. Where can I find out more about the Simputer?
1. What is the Simputer?
Although the Simputer (Simple, Inexpensive, Multilingual Computer) looks a lot like a PDA, it was designed primarily for use by poor people to provide access to health, education, information, and other services. As a Linux handheld with unequalled connectivity at an unheard-of low price, the Simputer turns out to be a platform well-suited to Free Software, commercial applications, and embedded systems of many kinds. The basic model starts at US$206.00.
The Simputer has the following connections built in.
Infrared (IrDA) SmartCard reader/writer USB master USB slave Sound I/O 56K modem Serial port Compact Flash connector External power
Simputers can be connected to anything supported by infrared, USB, or Compact Flash interfaces, a serial port, or a modem. This includes wired and wireless LANs, the Internet, data acquisition systems, GPS, Flash storage devices, hard drives, CD-ROM and DVD drives, mouse, keyboard, external monitor, wired and IrDA printers, and most other computer peripherals and communications systems.
2. What features make Simputers suited to use by poor people?
The Simputer is designed with multilingual capability, including Text-to-Speech conversion for several languages of India. Voice recognition will be added later, and voice capabilities will be expanded to other languages.
A very large pool of no-cost software can be put on the Simputer.
Simputers can be shared using inexpensive SmartCards for private storage. This reduces the cost per person greatly.
Simputers use 2 AA batteries for power, or an external transformer. Lithium ion AA batteries can be recharged using solar or human power in areas where there is no electric supply.
3. What is the Simputer for?
Applications of the Simputer are in development in many areas. Applications directed especially at the needs of the poor include health, education, government services, microbanking, access to information, and general communication. Other applications include inventory management, agriculture, scientific and government data acquisition, financial services, construction, and many more.
4. Where can I get a Simputer?
Simputer development systems are currently available. This includes a monochrome Simputer, a color Simputer, and the Simputer SDK on CD-ROM, all for US$1500.00. The Simputer SDK includes all of the tools needed to compile applications for the Simputer on any supported Linux system, or on Windows.
Simputers are not in retail distribution. Some potential development partners are in discussions with Encore Technologies, the principal manufacturer, about retail versions. FCC approval is being sought in the U.S., and similar efforts are under way for other markets.
5. What software runs on Simputers?
The Simputer comes with standard Unix utilities, a hardware "control panel" set of utilities, and the following applications and demonstrations.
E-mail Notepad Address book (seven languages) Calculator Web browser File browser Unix terminal running sh shell command interpreter MP3 music player Image file viewer IrDA printing utility
Banking demo Billing demo Land survey demo Meter reader demo SmartCard reader/writer demo Text-to-Speech demo
There are thousands of Unix/Linux applications that will run on Simputers. Many have been compiled for the StrongARM processor in the Simputer, and are available for download. Others can be cross-compiled from source code on any system running the Simputer SDK, and then downloaded to the Simputer.
A Java system and several APL systems are being ported to the Simputer. Programming languages currently available for Simputer development include C, C++, Perl, Python, and LISP. There are Integrated Development Environments supporting all of these languages together with GUI development tools and numerous libraries.
6. Where can I find out more about the Simputer?
The Simputer Trust (originators of the design) http://www.simputer.org
Encore Technologies (manufacturer) http://www.simputerland.com
Picopeta (manufacturer) http://www.picopeta.com
The Showcase section of simputerland.com lists a number of applications and tools in development, and a number of partner companies working on Simputer development.