TuxMobil: PDA Accessories and Linux

Scanners/Bar Code Readers

Genius GS-4500

This is a device driver for the Genius handheld scanners GS4500 and GS-4500A . It also works with the Highscreen Greyscan 256 scanner. Two simple scanning applications are included.

The :Cue:Cat is a little barcode reader that RadioShack distributes for free with their new barcoded product catalog. It connects on a PS/2 keyboard, mouse, or USB port (directly for USB CueCats, or through a CueCat USB adapter with regular PS/2 CueCats) and sends codes when it scans a barcode successfully. The CueCat driver is a driver for Linux that supports a standard PS/2 CueCat connected on a PS/2 keyboard port or a PS/2 mouse port, a PS/2 CueCat connected on a USB port with a CueCat USB converter or a standard PS/2 -> USB converter, and the rare USB CueCat. It intercepts CueCat scancodes in the normal keyboard or mouse scancode flow, decodes them, correct them for errors and sends them in clear to a regular character device file. A userspace utility is also provided to test a CueCat without patching the kernel, and plans to make a cheap serial pod for the CueCat are included as well.

Braille Terminal

Stephane Doyon wrote at the "iPAQ mailing list: "We (Nicolas Pitre and myself) have successfully ported BRLTTY to the iPaq and tested the setup by interfacing with a BrailleLite 18 through the serial port. BRLTTY is a program that allows access to the Linux text-mode console using various brands of Braille displays. The BrailleLite is a small electronic Braille notetaker device which can act as a small refreshable Braille display. It also has keys so I can not only read but also type. So there's just the iPaq and the BrailleLite device (with a horrible cable in between) and that's all I need to fully use the console on the iPaq (in text-mode). A pretty powerful setup, yet very small. At the Ottawa Linux Symposium in July [2001], using a network card in my iPaq and borrowing the internet connection they supplied, I was actually able to logon to the net and go read my E-mail, using ssh, pine and lynx! It should be possible to duplicate this setup with other Braille display models or other PDAs."

Keyboards

Twiddler

The Twiddler is a combination keyboard and mouse that weighs 4 ounces and fits in the palm of your hand. The Twiddler2 is an enabling technology of wearable computing and made by HandyKey . See man page of gpm for driver information. twiddled is a userspace driver for the Twiddler 1 chord keyboard. It uses the uinput interface.

Targus Stowaway, Pocketop Wireless, HappyHacker, Fellowes (ThinkOutSide), IBM-AT Keyoards

There are foldable keyboards (e.g. the Stowaway(TM) from Targus ), the Pocketop Wireless Keyboard and mini keyboards (e.g. the HappyHacker^(tm) from PFU America Inc.) available. For details about getting them to work with the iPAQ see the mailing list archive .

A HOWTO (in German) to get an IBM-AT keyboard working with the PalmPilot.

PDA Accessories and Linux