Log in

View Full Version : Secure Linux PDA by IBM and CDL


Janak Parekh
01-16-2003, 07:13 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/story/20470.html' target='_blank'>http://wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/...tory/20470.html</a><br /><br /></div>"An innovative PDA created by IBM and Consumer Direct Link promises to reduce the risk of unauthorized entry into the offices, facilities, manufacturing sites or warehouses of businesses and government agencies.<br /><br />The Paron MPC converged device combines the functions of a Linux-based PDA and mobile phone, with the notable additions of a biometric fingerprint-recognition application and security-oriented hardware/software architecture, in addition to Bluetooth wireless capability."<br /><br />I did a quick Google search and found the following <a href="http://www.cdlusa.com/products/paron_mpc.shtml">unit on CDL's website</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/paron_mpc.jpg" /><br /><br />Looks like a pretty typical ARM/Linux-based PDA, except for that hardcore-looking biometric scanner and the combination of both GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth (which no one else has to date, if I'm not mistaken). The device is slated to cost $500.<br /><br />Interestingly, this makes me believe that, despite recent predictions of convergence between PDAs and cell phones (or the supplanting of PDA's with smarter cell phones) in the consumer market, PDAs in their existing form factor will still exist in the future for many business and governmental applications. PDAs as handheld computers have a tremendous value proposition.

heov
01-16-2003, 08:16 PM
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4905

Brad posted on this 2 months ago if anyone is interested in more discussion...

Either it's really big or the screen is really small... to boxy and "ugly" for me...

vincentsiaw
01-16-2003, 09:00 PM
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4905

Brad posted on this 2 months ago if anyone is interested in more discussion...

Either it's really big or the screen is really small... to boxy and "ugly" for me...

hmm i have the same felling with you !

T-Will
01-16-2003, 09:04 PM
It looks like they even made the hardware buttons secure by putting random shapes on them that don't mean anything to a non-user.

sfjlittel
01-16-2003, 09:21 PM
I think i have seen this device about a year back somewhere on www.linuxdevices.com. I could be wrong however.

Janak Parekh
01-16-2003, 09:45 PM
Oops :oops: I usually do a search for duplicates, but evidently I missed one.

--janak

freitasm
01-16-2003, 11:07 PM
And $500 for a 16MB RAM device, 206Mhz proc? A little expensive, uh?

seanturner
01-16-2003, 11:26 PM
That finger print scanner looks really similar to one a friend of mine developed under a company called Veridicom. They went under but sold the technology to several OEM's and that really looks like their chip design...

Kirk Stephens
01-17-2003, 12:57 AM
It looks like they even made the hardware buttons secure by putting random shapes on them that don't mean anything to a non-user.

Looks like the symbols on a playstation controler :lol:

heov
01-17-2003, 03:04 AM
It looks like they even made the hardware buttons secure by putting random shapes on them that don't mean anything to a non-user.

Looks like the symbols on a playstation controler :lol:

that's exactly what came to my mind too :)

Pony99CA
01-17-2003, 10:12 AM
Looks like the symbols on a playstation controler :lol:
that's exactly what came to my mind too :)
And wouldn't it be totally cool if it could run Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? :lol:

Steve