Joggler - programmable Linux alarm clock?
Discussion
I've got a couple of Jogglers and a bunch of custom Linux distros on dedicated fast USB flash drives (one is even on a small SSD connected via USB, and is easily faster than any of the 'keydrive' type flash storage sticks).
Running Linux on them is easy enough, and apart from being very limited by the random I/O speed of the drive you connect, everything is stable and works well. Thumbdrives / keydrives / etc. are the slowest, since most have a very basic flash controller so random I/O (especially rewriting 'used' flash blocks) is very slow, occasionally introducing large, OS-blocking pauses. Connecting a proper hard drive by USB is best, though using a mechanical drive sometimes requires more power than the Joggler USB port can provide (and also loses the point of the thing, since it will then make a whirring noise). The fastest performance I've managed involved using a SATA SSD, though that's beyond overkill for virtually everyone. However I *do* have an 8 GB SSD that came in my Dell Mini 10v that was swapped for a larger capacity drive. That must have been cheap (Dell netbook == cheap) and it's perfect for the Joggler, silent but 8 GB is enough for a decent Linux implementation.
So a silent, touchscreen Linux box with a good screen and a dedicated stand (like a digital photo frame) - seems to me that one of the potential 'appliance' applications would be to run as a programmable alarm clock. Like the iPhone Alarm Clock app - display the time and allow multiple alarms to be programmed in, with the ability to play MP3s, internet radio, or normal buzzer noises.
Does anyone know of a Linux app that does exactly that? Ideally something that can be controlled from the touchscreen. I don't mind compiling and installing manually, though the most Joggler-specific Linux distro is a form of the Netbook Remix and presumably uses an Ubuntu / Debian style packaging system.
I'd prefer the app to use the whole screen, and allow different brightnesses of the clock display. That's the basic requirement. Additional stuff like weather displays are all nice-to-have, but have to be able to be turned off.
I quite fancy getting rid of my iPod dock DAB clock/radio and all the other random electronic clutter on my bedside table and replacing it with one Joggler, running Linux and allowing a bunch of programmable alarms (my girlfriend and I get up at different times, different days are different alarms often, and having alarms only sound on weekdays is always useful). I could program one myself, but know nothing about programming *graphics* on Linux.
So can anyone help me out? Either point me towards an app that someone has already written that will do the job, or point me towards some resources that will let me learn quickly how to clear the screen, and draw simple shapes to it… GUI programming isn't something I've done much of *ever* since trying to write games as a kid more than 20 years ago.
Running Linux on them is easy enough, and apart from being very limited by the random I/O speed of the drive you connect, everything is stable and works well. Thumbdrives / keydrives / etc. are the slowest, since most have a very basic flash controller so random I/O (especially rewriting 'used' flash blocks) is very slow, occasionally introducing large, OS-blocking pauses. Connecting a proper hard drive by USB is best, though using a mechanical drive sometimes requires more power than the Joggler USB port can provide (and also loses the point of the thing, since it will then make a whirring noise). The fastest performance I've managed involved using a SATA SSD, though that's beyond overkill for virtually everyone. However I *do* have an 8 GB SSD that came in my Dell Mini 10v that was swapped for a larger capacity drive. That must have been cheap (Dell netbook == cheap) and it's perfect for the Joggler, silent but 8 GB is enough for a decent Linux implementation.
So a silent, touchscreen Linux box with a good screen and a dedicated stand (like a digital photo frame) - seems to me that one of the potential 'appliance' applications would be to run as a programmable alarm clock. Like the iPhone Alarm Clock app - display the time and allow multiple alarms to be programmed in, with the ability to play MP3s, internet radio, or normal buzzer noises.
Does anyone know of a Linux app that does exactly that? Ideally something that can be controlled from the touchscreen. I don't mind compiling and installing manually, though the most Joggler-specific Linux distro is a form of the Netbook Remix and presumably uses an Ubuntu / Debian style packaging system.
I'd prefer the app to use the whole screen, and allow different brightnesses of the clock display. That's the basic requirement. Additional stuff like weather displays are all nice-to-have, but have to be able to be turned off.
I quite fancy getting rid of my iPod dock DAB clock/radio and all the other random electronic clutter on my bedside table and replacing it with one Joggler, running Linux and allowing a bunch of programmable alarms (my girlfriend and I get up at different times, different days are different alarms often, and having alarms only sound on weekdays is always useful). I could program one myself, but know nothing about programming *graphics* on Linux.
So can anyone help me out? Either point me towards an app that someone has already written that will do the job, or point me towards some resources that will let me learn quickly how to clear the screen, and draw simple shapes to it… GUI programming isn't something I've done much of *ever* since trying to write games as a kid more than 20 years ago.
todd69 said:
Yeah, but only for the initial OS install. Doh - they've got an apps section too, will check that out.Don't really want to run any of the original O2 software, just wondering if there was a generic Linux 'alarm clock' app that people use...
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