Tentative steps. Smartbook linux

Decided I would have a little look at if this is possible.

Being the devices size is lovely as a laptop replacement and I feel the speed actually in part comes from hardware I thought I would have a little look if it was possible.

At moment I am looking at hardware details. I know in past it was mentioned SA1111 companion and some Hitachi chip was the hardware base but neither of those appear to be the case.

There is a strongarm CPU, MQ200 grfx, ram, flash, a programable gate (like a fpga), a lan chip, sound chip and another chip (guess it is some sort of UART or CF bridge).

Also from looking at tracks it looks like grfx, sound and ram have direct connections from CPU. I can identify keyboard connector coming through fpga like chip and guess maybe LAN and CF etc. may go through it as well.

Anyway my first task is to find a suitable loader and compile a strongarm kernal and see how it goes.

I may also look at some of the tablets that had Strongarm and MQ200 to see if I can find one with the closest harware match and try it.

not sure how far I will get but will start out and I have been offered direction and help on IRC from kristoffer on jlime so may at least get somewhere. Shame about the fact it only has one CF as that will make wi-fi and linux at same time the only issue but will see how we get on first.

John

PS not sure how many of us smartbook users are left on here but I am fairly sure a reasonable number were sold worldwide as mobile telco's in UK and europe did sell them. And the 3 other makes they sold under must be one or two left in use.

Hmm ... I'm not sure if I get that ... I'm confused, I'm not quite sure what the situation is.

My ViewSonic Airpanel 100 has an SA-1110 CPU and also has MQ200.

Yeah I noticed them. Also some of the simpads. However do one or both of them not have an SA-1111 companion chip.

The SB doesn't (maybe it is a SA1100) as it has DRAM memory controller, LCD interface, USB slave, Phillips 1200 sound codec etc.. etc. in the SA1100.

SO really need to find a device with SA1100, MQ200 and has a linux kernel or full build that I can steal.

John