click for the full specs

the bug is a linux based modular computing platform. you buy the bugbase and then you snap on various modules to add either a touch-screen lcd, gps, a camera, or an accelerometer…. and you can even mount the bug on a tripod!

there bug is set release in march, but early adopters can pre-order 01/21. the retail price for the bugbase is $349 and the modules range from $59-$120. bug also plans on releasing 16 new modules a year, 4 each quarter. so there will hopefully be a nice library of modules you can snap onto the bug.

it will be interesting to see what people will be doing with the bug and what kind of applications will evolve from the modular, standardized hardware. since applications development is done in eclipse you won’t even have to switch development environments if you’re dorking around with developing android apps.

linux might have some issues conquering the desktop market, but i can pretty much bet 2008 is going to be huge for diy’ers and linux.

i wonder how hard it would be to make a bug nas ( network attached storage) with a nice gui interface for the lcd module so i can check data/network stats w/out touching a pc… and toss on a few battery modules in case of a power outtage.

i thought of doing a mythtv frontend, but i didn’t see any dvi/vga/video output options at this point. it still might function as a mythtv backend… there’s a mpeg4 encoder/decoder standard on the bug, and i’m not sure how much of a pita it would be to compile mythtv.

[ buglabs | bugblogger.com | bugwiki | bugforums | bugapps | from: geek & engadget ]

i finally got around to ordering the pet upgrade for my roomba… still waiting for it to arrive, but hey… it was free shipping so it can take an extra day. i really don’t do more with the roomba than hit the ‘max’ button and walk away. when the roomba has run out of juice, it goes right on the charging stand and that’s about it. i think i need to get a scheduler remote just so i don’t have to remember to turn the silly thing on.

eventually i’d love to hook up an ir-blaster to my mytht box and control the roomba via mythtv and a remote. right now. i’ll gladly spend $25 on a remote just so i can set it and forget it. i’d also love to teach my roomba to chase my dogs around and be an electric guard… that way i wouldn’t have to deal with a baby gate at all… just keeping the roomba charged.

maybe it was a little harsh to say the cox universal remote sucks donkey balls! i finally got around to moving the tivo out into the living room instead of having it in the office and i was able to turn off the samsung tv with the tivo remote after only entering 3 codes! it was 0092 that worked for the ln-s4692hd. [img]

i figured it was worth a shot to play with the cox remote again and i was actually surprised it worked this time. funny enough… it was the very first code, 0060, that worked. [cox manual pdf] good thing i just tried setting up both remotes, i was really going to go out and find a jp1.1 cable to program the remotes.
i kept seeing ‘STB‘ in the samsung’s menus, really had no clue wtf that was referring to. quick wikipedia search… STB = set top box. ah ha!

for the most part all my remotes can control the tv input and sound. the tivo remote is having some issues though, it’s entirely way too difficult to increase the volume quickly. it doesn’t seem to auto-repeat/send too well and you have to mash the VOL+ button 1-5x’s before it raises the volume +1.

misc samsung ln-s4692hd links:

• avs forums : Official Samsung LN-S4692D Owners Thread
• fixya : Problems with Samsung LN-S4692D 46 in. HDTV LCD Television?
• dvrchatter : Can the Motorola DCT3416 remote work with the Samsung LN-S4041D?