Template:NEXT/PDA

PDA
Make some sort of modular pda platform. Something that would encase an lcd controler, usb connector (w/ abillity to power/charge battery), a compact battery connector/controler, a 2x2 CF card array, and io for whatever else (microphones, speakers, headphone jacks, led indicators, IR).

NB: It's possible to charge a li-ion battery using the MAX1555. Little modification of the layout is required, it's even possible to hard-wire it on the audiostix-2. The only problem is that after the modification, only the battery can power the gumstix, the power source (AC / USB) are used exclusively to recharge the battery.

You could chop it up into two boards for clamshell designs, reduce it to 1 CF slot to make room for slim cellphone designs.

More on PDA
yeah, that would rock. I vote for PDA functions too, let me elaborate on everything I would like to see:


 * screen modules, having screens would be nice for a do-it-yourself PDA/Smartphone
 * from 176x220 to 640x480 (possibly more; personally, I would like to have a 640x360 16:9 touchscreen with a gamepad case ) EDIT: I found out current widescreen (non-HD)TV sets use 852x480 resolution, it may seem odd at first for a computer, but a portable media center which handles full TV resolution would be Good Thing, if small screens at these resolutions exist.
 * oddphone(the 176x220 one), 3:4, 16:9 and maybe 16:10 screens
 * with and without touchscreen
 * from BW to True-color
 * PDA case (think HTC) AND gamepad case (think PSP) with analog+digital thumbsticks, several buttons, universal slot which fits any gumstix screen
 * Maybe use Nvidia/Radeon chips for video acceleration (they have that closed driver issue though), or talk to the Open Graphics Project people and see if they will be able to provide a slimmed down OGP-Mobile design (they use a FPGA, but plan to do an ASIC after that). HW accel would probably stay on hold for later gerations though.