xlazyslothx wrote:I know it runs a modified linux, but can I run my own version of linux on it?

Simple answer is yes, it's open source and their website and wiki has tons of details that would be helpful to you.

A better answer would involve first understanding what you intend to do, and why. Do you want to install Android on it, for example? I'd be interested in such a hack. But a significant issue is that the gnomes at Chumby modified Linux for the device so it can communicate with their servers to download apps; the apps themselves are Flash-based and some of the modifications to the OS involve that. Overwriting the Chumby OS with your own version of Linux would mean that you lose that functionality, unless you took their source code (available) and hacked it into your version.

Other than possibly installing Android on it, I'd be satisfied with sticking with the Chumby OS and adding a web-browser and a few other tools, which is less drastic a hack than replacing the OS. But that's just me...

You might try this following link as a starting point for hacking the Chumby OS:
http://wiki.chumby.com/mediawiki/index.php/Hacking_Linux_for_chumby

auzroz wrote:One of the very reasons I got three. Going to develop such an App since very few seem to exist.

Yes, please do! It seems so PERFECT for that! allrecipes, myrecipe, etc. I set this up in my kitchen, and never print another recipe again! I'm in for one, and I'm counting on YOU!!!

I'm trying not to buy one, but dangit i look again today and it's still not sold out...

chefbooyadee wrote:If the software setup is anything like the previous chumby, prepare to have auto-cycling gadgets, including at least one advertisement gadget that you cannot remove; if you try to remove it, another will take its place.

I gave one to my brother as a gift, and we ended up returning it because of this; I had no intention of giving him an alarm clock that happened to be a direct channel for advertisements to his bedroom.

You're better off shelling out for a Sony Dash, which I think doesn't have the ad issue.

I have the same model of Chumby as what Woot is selling, and no there is no forced advertising. You select all of the apps you display on your different channels. I enjoy the heck out of mine and they just recently added the ability to have the FM radio be a selection for the custom alarms, before it was entirely just sounds or Internet radio options for some reason... Why they didn't allow an alarm to be the FM tuner I have no idea, but they do now.

crowbite wrote:Well, the first posts I read were talking about checking Twitter (I don't even have an account), reading the news (on my side, in bed... no thanks), checking local traffic conditions (around here, that would mean Amish buggies) and other uses that didn't seem at all useful to me.

However, I could use a more functional replacement for my present clock/radio. I wondered whether Chumby would be a candidate.

Alas, I had originally read a review that said Chumby didn't have any audio output jack. That would have made the audio quality - from a single 2" speaker -unacceptable. But I later found out that info was incorrect... it does have an output jack. So, with that knowledge, I can play it through better speakers. That make it worth considering.

So then I posted three specific questions, which addressed things I can not do with my present Sony Dream Machine, or with any other traditional clock/radio I've found.

Another poster (sorry, I cannot see the name while typing this) was kind enough to send detailed answers. In fact, it seems the Chumby will be able to do all three things that I want to do (which I can not do presently). So I'll give it a try as a bedside alarm/audio device.

As far as ordering two... well, I always order two, just in case I really like the thing, or else to have a spare. Don't you? Doesn't everyone? ;)

Thank you for taking me through your thinking process. I'm convinced even more now that one of the problems Chumby has in marketing their product is in getting customers to understand what it can and can not do. Propeller-heads/hackers/hobbyists get right away that the Chumby is easier than most consumer products to mod and tweak to do what they want, but I suspect that the vast majority of consumers who want a simple and complete out-of-the-box experience probably have a harder time grasping "what is it good for?" -- or worse, have a frustrating time once they get one.

p.s. Forgot to mention, I believe it's lotussama who deserves credit for answering your three questions with a thumbs up.

p.p.s. If you like the Chumby and want to get another one, you might give the Sony Dash a look... it adds streaming NetFlix and a larger screen to the mix. Or if streaming video isn't important but a larger screen is, I expect Chumby will come out with their 8" version sometime soon.

AOTS Review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No-3sJwu0Ho

I think if it's not sold out by the end of the day, I'll pull the trigger. Would be nice to have at the office.

Think I'll park the pair of Mobi speakers from Kid's Woot next to my Chumby.

fxfuji wrote:The device does not have an AM tuner, only an FM one, but if the AM stations you want to listen to offer a streaming feed over the Internet, the Chumby should be able to capture that and play it for you.

there is a app call Iheartradio that will play most AM stations...

eastcobbler wrote:I'm trying not to buy one, but dangit i look again today and it's still not sold out...

I feel/share your pain.

Any day now, you'll be able to install Android OS on this little box.
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=3854
Just sayin'...

Question for the chumby employee:

I've been looking for a small controller with a USB host port and a touch screen so I can write some custom software (I'm a c++ programmer) for controlling my Nikon D3100, specifically I want to use it for loading presets and doing bracketing.

Is it possible to install a gcc compiler and write my own app to run on it?

robbinandmike wrote:Any day now, you'll be able to install Android OS on this little box.
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=3854
Just sayin'...

OOOH!! I can't wait!

xlazyslothx wrote:I know it runs a modified linux, but can I run my own version of linux on it?

http://www.openminddev.net/projects/wiki/4/Debian_on_a_Chumby

No Netflix? I'm NOT in for one. Whew, saved some money... yay.

Got the last call tweet and finally caved. the chumby is replacing my alarm clock.

EDIT: I only had the option to buy 2, is that a new feature for when the buy button is bouncing?

LAST CALL!

I want to pull the trigger on this... but I'm still not sure!!! ARGHH!

chumzster wrote:(chumby employee) - You sure can. Here are some available apps just for that purpose: http://www.chumby.com/guide/search?sort_by=score&query=recipe&x=0&y=0

I just wanna say thanks for bein' cool enough to hangout and answer all our Chumby-related questions :D

Not sure if I'm actually gonna get one at this point - but I want one heh

kpexea wrote:Question for the chumby employee:

I've been looking for a small controller with a USB host port and a touch screen so I can write some custom software (I'm a c++ programmer) for controlling my Nikon D3100, specifically I want to use it for loading presets and doing bracketing.

Is it possible to install a gcc compiler and write my own app to run on it?

(chumby employee) - Yes this should be possible. When in the command line just type in "gcc" and it should prompt you to download.

grabbed two happily... been looking at these for a long while and at $50 a piece you cant miss... currently $130 each from Chumby.com

Wootsack Tracking Link for 3/9/11 BOC

devyanks90 wrote:Got the last call tweet and finally caved. the chumby is replacing my alarm clock.

EDIT: I only had the option to buy 2, is that a new feature for when the buy button is bouncing?

No it bounces when they're about to sell out, which might be why you got the last call tweet.

DrChops wrote:I just wanna say thanks for bein' cool enough to hangout and answer all our Chumby-related questions :D

Not sure if I'm actually gonna get one at this point - but I want one heh

(chumby employee) - Anything to help a fellow chumbian or in your case "future" chumbian ;)

same here. even after ordering "only" one the wifey says she's gonna get woot blocked by our ISP. It's my fifth woot this week =)

indigokid wrote:I'm in for one, based on all the descriptions I read, this looks like a fine internet clock radio, which is what I've been wanting to get for some time, but unwilling to spend over $100 on one.

I thought about getting two or three, then backed down to one again, so my wife doesn't get too upset with me.

mcameron wrote:No it bounces when they're about to sell out, which might be why you got the last call tweet.

I understand that. Last call is at 10% left which is when the buy button starts bouncing. I was more confused about only being able to buy 2 when people previously bought 3.

devyanks90 wrote:I understand that. Last call is at 10% left which is when the buy button starts bouncing. I was more confused about only being able to buy 2 when people previously bought 3.

Ah gotcha...sorry I am clearly of no help on the matter then...haven't heard about that occurring before.

heyker wrote:Yes, please do! It seems so PERFECT for that! allrecipes, myrecipe, etc. I set this up in my kitchen, and never print another recipe again! I'm in for one, and I'm counting on YOU!!!

That's exactly why I just grabbed one for myself -- kitchen recipes -- so I don't have to get my phone or netbook all dirty.

fxfuji wrote:Propeller-heads/hackers/hobbyists get right away that the Chumby is easier than most consumer products to mod and tweak

I've been a techie since I dismantled my dad's reel-to-reel when I was 7 years old. I spent much too much money on audio gear, before PCs existed. In 1980, after I got tired of discrete logic devices, I used compiled BASIC; when I got tired of that I started writing 6502 machine code. I've taught adult evening courses covering basic electronics, computers, and HTML. I've designed websites with HTML, JS, Perl, and SSIs, etc. I do not fear technology.

However, I don't want to read the NYTimes on a 3" screen laying on my side. I'm not interested in Facebook... if someone doesn't have enough time to write an EMail to me, saying something that will interest me, then I don't want to read that person's Facebook page as if they are a celebrity. So I think a lot of "clever" apps are written just as mental exercise, without having any "redeeming social value" to me.

Coincidentally, I really have been looking, for over a year, for the kind of heavily programmable clock/radio I described: multiple alarms, multiple stations, multiple sources, the ability to play a single MP3 track and then drop into "alarm" mode, rather than looping that track forever. Damned few clock/radios even have an SD slot or USB port. (They are all designed around the iPutz platform, and I refuse to buy into that because I believe in "open platform" philosophy.)

I was honestly thinking of buying a car radio (with the correct ports), and programming a PIC (with some opto isolators) to control the radio and handle the alarm functions. So it sounds as if the Chumby will do just what I want... except for playing CDs.

Now if we design a USB-to-IR interface, and write some code, the Chumby could control an external CD player (or any other device)... then I wouldn't need to rip my CDs in order to hear them on the Chumby.

Well... nuff said. Have a great day!

Alright, after going back and forth all day, I finally caved on this. In for one.

Hopefully this doesn't lead to buyer's remorse! Please be awesome, Chumby!

auzroz wrote:One of the very reasons I got three. Going to develop such an App since very few seem to exist.

Looking forward to your app -- Recipe Fetch seems to be somewhat limited in terms of the recipe websites that it scrapes. If you can access more sites, you will have a winner.

make it 10 bucks then I will consider getting one. Nope not that froogle crap, nothing personal. Just think about it. little 3.5 inch touch screen packed with apps so One could get in touch with tweets, facebooks and games.

Isn't that what nowadays cell phones are made for ?

If you want to do something a little different the Maker Shed sells just the guts of this for a bit more, but looks like fun if you're into that kind of thing....

http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKCH1

robbinandmike wrote:Any day now, you'll be able to install Android OS on this little box.
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=3854
Just sayin'...

Thank you for the link... that's the one OS I'd consider installing on the Chumby to replace the OEM one.

Jatravartid bouncy button. I had to see for myself how fun it is... I am actually curious how many of those woot had.

what is the chumby? here ya go...

http://www.hulu.com/watch/123253/attack-of-the-show-chumby-one-review

The Chumby is an extremely sharp product.
I picked up a couple when Best Boob had them (the Insignia Internet Media Display) on sale for $39.99 2 months ago.
Got them for our elderly great aunts and uncles, as they did not want computers.

They are pretty happy with these and were able to use and figure out the easy apps that we had on there for them.

I would get a few more if Woot had them for $39.99 as well.

I just got one as couldn't miss the price its sold for.

Yup, but for that price, you could get three of these and disassemble them.

somewhiteguy wrote:If you want to do something a little different the Maker Shed sells just the guts of this for a bit more, but looks like fun if you're into that kind of thing....

http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKCH1

Sold out!

Was gonna' pull the trigger too. Oh well. I'll keep an eye out for future Chumby deals.

crowbite wrote:
However, I don't want to read the NYTimes on a 3" screen laying on my side. I'm not interested in Facebook... if someone doesn't have enough time to write an EMail to me, saying something that will interest me, then I don't want to read that person's Facebook page as if they are a celebrity. So I think a lot of "clever" apps are written just as mental exercise, without having any "redeeming social value" to me.

Coincidentally, I really have been looking, for over a year, for the kind of heavily programmable clock/radio I described: multiple alarms, multiple stations, multiple sources, the ability to play a single MP3 track and then drop into "alarm" mode, rather than looping that track forever. Damned few clock/radios even have an SD slot or USB port. (They are all designed around the iPutz platform, and I refuse to buy into that because I believe in "open platform" philosophy.)

I was honestly thinking of buying a car radio (with the correct ports), and programming a PIC (with some opto isolators) to control the radio and handle the alarm functions. So it sounds as if the Chumby will do just what I want... except for playing CDs.

One of the more interesting hardware hacks I found for the Chumby is bunnie's one for replacing the 3.5" LCD QVGA screen with a full VGA LCD. That might make it large enough to use it comfortably for reading.

I'm not sure of the benefit of hacking it to control a CD player, other than the 'cool, it works' factor. If I have to change the CD in the player anyway, it's not that difficult to hit play on it too. If I don't need to change the CD because I'm playing it all the time (e.g. for the alarm), it seems simpler to just convert the tracks I want to MP3 format and play them with the Chumby. The only usage model I can envision in which it would be simpler to have the Chumby control a CD player is if I want to pick a random CD out of my collection every evening for the next day's alarm. Even then, the time to convert the tracks I need is probably less than the time it'd take to develop a CD controller hack.

Chumzster,
Thanks for all your support. I'm sure it helped sell this product on Woot as well as offering good information and tips on it. I'm excited to receive mine and play with it.