I was considering this avenue as well. Would be something between good and
perfect, but the cost is prohibitive :(
Also, there are security concerns with multi-purpose devices, as they are
more complicated and more prone to exploitation; secure devices should
have as few functions as possible without impairing the usability.
Another concern is the ease of use. PDA interface is for high-tech-skilled
users. A secure telephone shouldn't be significantly more difficult to use
than a standard telephone.
If a device has to be mass-accepted, it has to be simple and cheap. Which
is why I look for cores for embeddable computer cores, like the PXA one.
Thanks a lot for the suggestion, though. Implementations running on Zaurus
could be a way to cover another segment of the secure telephony market. :)
On Wed, 7 Jan 2004, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> A much better choice would be a Sharp Zaurus C860... see specs here:
>
> http://www.dynamism.com/zaurus/
>
> Has 64 meg of RAM, a CPU as fast as the one mentioned below, and a Linux
> distro based on Debian. also built in standard 2.5mm headphone out
> and an EXTERNAL mic in hard to imagine a better platform for
> SpeakFreely.
>
> If you want to get fancy, throw in a small form factor CF bluetooth card
> (the 860 has a CF slot) and you could bond to a Bluetooth cellphone
> Speakfreely without wires :)
>
> Moe
>
> Thomas Shaddack wrote:
>
> > http://www.hw-server.com/test/sld_hws.html
> > Take a look at the DIMM modules.
> >
> > Looks like a good candidate for a battery-powered portable VoIP/GSM
> > encrypted cellphone. Add a GPRS modem or a cellphone (or, for landline
> > version, a modem), a small display/keyboard, and eg. SpeakFreely with
> > suitable session key handshake, stir, serve warm.
> >
> > Does it look like an usable way to have open and reasonably cheap
> > ($160+cellphone+some parts around) portable secure telephone platform?
> > Does anybody here have any experience with embedded computer hardware,
> > who could confirm or deny this kind of hardware as bearing hope for this
> > application?
