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K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger
Wireless Instant Messenger

New MessageK-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) wireless
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K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=2_1/qid=1095139879/ref=sr_2_1/601-7062401-8919326?asin=B0002ZYJ78&qid%5F=1095139879&qid%5F=1095139879

Looks kinda cool. Much like the IMFree device from motorola but more independent.

09-28-2004 10:53:27

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) gogetone
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The Other...

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_f/601-7062401-8919326?asin=B00012BVGO

GoGetOne
09-28-2004 11:07:59

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) Mikem42
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This does look very interesting - has anyone managed to get one and possibly take it apart? I'd love to see some pictures of what the insides of this little device looks like. It would be very, very interesting if it could be reprogrammed to support ssh, note taking or even basic PDA functionality. A sub $100 portable wifi device with a thumbboard/keyboard is extremely compelling to me (I don't know of anything similar besides the Motorola IMFree, which is propritary wireless to USB).

I've been scouring google and yahoo trying to find more details on the hardware/software, but I haven't managed to find anything yet, just announcments of the product and "buy it at target" or "buy it at amazon". I'd be interested in what other people have learned about the device so far and it's "hacking potential"

- Mike

10-26-2004 17:39:01

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) dspyder
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I hate to register just to pump my own site, but hopefully you guys will find this interesting.

I have indeed disassembled the Zipit:

http://www.elkgrovewireless.com/zipit

I didn't like the tied nature of the IMFree... and since I eventually hope WiFi will be everywhere, I think that's the right way to go. Currently the Zipit is limited to instant messaging only, but there's certainly more than enough power in there to do basic web browsing as well.

We have a 2 meg .bin file that we assume to be the firmware if anyone would like to take a shot at it. Chip is a Cirrus EP7312 if anyone has any experience with it.

--D

12-21-2004 11:48:38

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) codeman
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Can you post the rest of the chip numbers ?? flash ram ect ..

codeman

12-22-2004 11:54:16

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) dspyder
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Have a peek at my scan and see if you can read anything. I didn't see any obvious flash in there, but since there's only 20k on the chip and the rom is 2Mb, there has to be somewhere. I'll try to do a more high-resolution scan tonight but I didn't want to eat up all my bandwidth for mass distribution.

Re: JTAG ports. Comparing the FCC filing docs (search for FCC id PPQ-WL100BA51, can't direct link) to my scan I have posted here:
http://www.mylo.net/~darren/zipit/zipit1.jpg
it looks like they removed the easy access JTAG ports from final production. However you might be able to tell where the traces end up and hook in there (tiny pins though).

A couple people emailed me from here and as much as I can appreciate the desire to hardware hack this thing, it looks like there is a super-easy way to update this using software only so we're going down that road first. As I replied to a few people, we're trying to keep this slightly under wraps to give us time to see what we do or do not have before the company changes anything. Email me for details if you have ARM disassembly experience, I'll send you the URL to the bin.

Who actually owns one of these things already?

--D

12-22-2004 14:45:39

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) codeman
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ok the hynix part is the sdram 128mbit so 16mbyes and the mx part would be the flash ..

codeman

12-22-2004 15:40:10

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) ZipItPet
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> Can you post the rest of the chip numbers ??

BIG CHIPS:
+ Cirrus EP7312-CR-90 (CPU)
+ Agere WL600114LY (and shielded radio)
+ Hynix HY5V26D (16MB SDRAM, 16 bits wide)
+ MX 29LV160ATxBC-70 (2MB Flash ROM)
+ LPC915 (8 bit uP, with 2 A->D, for digitizer ?)
+ WM8751 (stereo DAC)
+ several smaller ones

OTHER HARDWARE:
The phone plug output has a stereo headphone jack (1/8") that can be used instead of the speaker.
There are 4 contacts on the side (in funky connector) for future features I assume (2 act like switch inputs, 2 like outputs or ground? -- need more probing, just got mine)

There is a very obvious "DBG" / "GND" connection in the middle of the board. Appears to be an input switch (short it and the device boots differently - exactly how TBD)

As mentioned, no visible JTAG connector. A JTAG grab of the initial 2MB Flash ROM would be much appreciated for those that have JTAG hardware.

All for now

--ZipItPet

12-22-2004 18:21:00

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) dspyder
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I have created a Yahoo! group to bring together a few people that are working on hacking the Zipit. I've posted all that we know so far to bring everybody up to speed at once.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zipitwireless

Thanks,
--D

12-23-2004 10:47:00

New MessageOGO ATT Wireless version of the K-Byte (modified 0 times) Wildsong
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I've been having all sorts of ads pointed at me today of the ATT version. Its works off the ATT wireless network. Right now they're selling for 50 dollars, and 18 dollars for the account a month. It looks that one could buy it without paying the monthly fees and open it up, but I haven't tried.

The maker of the Operating System has this to show.
http://www.ixi.com/

12-30-2004 21:27:00

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) m_bed
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I don't do IM, and pointing out that it's client-server exhausts about 50% of my knowledge of the subject

Is it feasible to set up your own local IM server, and have the Zipit link to that? That might be interesting to people who'd like to get some "alternative" use out of one, while keeping it usable for its original purpose.

If you could stream audio to it (I saw that mention of it having a stereo DAC), one of my current projects (making a DIY variaion of the WML11B using old iPaqs) might be obsolete...

Ran

12-31-2004 15:37:52

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) m_bed
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Some interesting news:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zipitwireless/message/51

It's already running Linux, and one owner got a friendly-sounding reply to his request for the source to the GPL'ed parts. Note the implication that the ZipIt folks like the idea that people might want to hack them into something else (Which would, of course, sell more widgets).

Meanwhile, someone's already made a good start on hacking it:

http://www.aibohack.com/zipit/


Ran

02-01-2005 07:18:30

New MessageMotorola IMfree Personal Instant Messenger Starter Kit, $35 (modified 0 times) shavenwarthog
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at Computer Geeks: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MX240A-N

As noted above, the IMFree connects to a USB dongle on your Windows-only(?) computer, and works within 150ft. Not 802.11 -- it uses the 900MHz band.

hack attempt: http://teknikill.net/?IMfree

review: http://www.palmtops.about.com/od/otherpdaoperatingsystems/fr/IMfree.htm

user's guide: http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/IMfree/downloads/IMfree_User_Manual_E.pdf

Motorola's site on the product: http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/IMfree

02-06-2005 14:39:05

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger - Hacks/Mods (modified 0 times) gmeader
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Lots of info on how to hack/mod the Zipit is at:

http://elinux.org/wiki/ZipIt

03-01-2006 13:05:56

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) zipitwireless
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We SOOOO need to start a thread dedicated to the zipit wireless. be cool to see where we can get to and go with these things.
I've seen a bunch of post's so far on varing things but there is soo much more :) quick someone get ahold of CODEMAN!!!
03-02-2006 10:02:20

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) kmac
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"We SOOOO need to start a thread dedicated to the zipit wireless"

There already is one, you can find it here => http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zipitwireless/

03-02-2006 11:12:52

New MessageRE:K-Byte Zipit Wireless Instant Messenger (modified 0 times) zipitwireless
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ya but thats only got a few hundred people as far as I can tell, linux-hacker bbs has hundreds of thousands of people going over the threads posting new info as they go along!
Besides I've noticed that little tiny yahoo thread seams to be dominated by only a few people.
03-13-2006 20:02:19

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