3 ms·

Sure, but it would be a cool project to build up a nice phone environment using this module. If anything, this would be more akin to saying "I'm using hardware

by rtpg 14y ago

Sure, but it would be a cool project to build up a nice phone environment using this module. If anything, this would be more akin to saying "I'm using hardware features on my microprocs to do this neat thing". Not amazing engineering. On a related note, does anyone know if we can get these modules to do data? Or if there's a cheaper version of these modules?

abbot2 14y ago
I did a quick peek at their electronics schematics. Well, believe it or not, but it looks like designing a laser-cut custom wooden case for this phone took much more effort than the electronics part. So, returning to my analogy: you are building a DYI PC because you laser-cut a custom case for the off-the-shelf parts you purchased. If this is the level of DYI to be amazed of on this site, I'm completely confused.
- ryanmolden 14y ago
  I posted this not so much because I was amazed by the thing itself or thought it represented some pinnacle of "true" DIY, but more so because I like the idea of making things that were once far out of reach of anyone but serious hackers into something that a broader collection of people could feasibly tackle. It isn't quite there yet, but it is due to people like this that it will be, one day. You could nitpick all day about how most anything isn't truly DIY unless you mine/refine all your own materials and create your electronics from first principles, but that starts to get a bit silly. More generally, I am a believer in the idea I first read from Clay Shirky that as more people get involved in an area average quality goes down but innovation goes up a lot as you get lots of people trying lots of new things, which in the end is only goodness. Except, perhaps, for those that prefered it remain elite so they could feel special (not saying this is you, but I see this attitude in a lot of pioneers in areas that later become more mainstream).
dan1234 14y ago
The GSM module supports GPRS and TCP/IP via AT commands[1] so it should be possible to get some data going. [1]https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Cellular%20Modules/CEL-09533-TCPIP-APPNOTES-V1.1.pdf https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Cellular%20Modules/CEL-0...
- benjamincburns 14y ago
  Totally possible. I've built telemetry systems out of this family of devices. However rather than using the AT TCP stack, you're much better using the standard GPRS PPP mechanism that most USB cell modems use so that you can use your chip's or OS's TCP stack instead. For example device, see http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Opensource-hardware-club-ships-Gumstix-handheld/ http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Opensource-hardwar... For PPP info, see http://ernstagn.home.xs4all.nl/GPRS-HOWTO/ http://ernstagn.home.xs4all.nl/GPRS-HOWTO/ [EDIT:] It's been a while, but Telit was also pushing their embedded python interpreter pretty hard back when I was into all of this. I had need for an embedded micro for other parts of my application so I never bothered too much with it, but it looked pretty interesting.
fosk 14y ago
I would suggest the ADH8066 GSM module instead, which also includes a SIM socket on the back, and makes things a lot easier. And it's cheaper too. Edit: And you can easily use it for data.
benjamincburns 14y ago
I don't think this is about an individual's amazing engineering effort so much as it's about the ability for an individual to leverage the amazing engineering efforts of huge teams in the form of low-cost, low-quantity integrated modules. At least, that's what I find impressive about it.

by rtpg 14y ago

abbot2 14y ago

I did a quick peek at their electronics schematics. Well, believe it or not, but it looks like designing a laser-cut custom wooden case for this phone took much more effort than the electronics part. So, returning to my analogy: you are building a DYI PC because you laser-cut a custom case for the off-the-shelf parts you purchased. If this is the level of DYI to be amazed of on this site, I'm completely confused.

ryanmolden 14y ago
I posted this not so much because I was amazed by the thing itself or thought it represented some pinnacle of "true" DIY, but more so because I like the idea of making things that were once far out of reach of anyone but serious hackers into something that a broader collection of people could feasibly tackle. It isn't quite there yet, but it is due to people like this that it will be, one day. You could nitpick all day about how most anything isn't truly DIY unless you mine/refine all your own materials and create your electronics from first principles, but that starts to get a bit silly. More generally, I am a believer in the idea I first read from Clay Shirky that as more people get involved in an area average quality goes down but innovation goes up a lot as you get lots of people trying lots of new things, which in the end is only goodness. Except, perhaps, for those that prefered it remain elite so they could feel special (not saying this is you, but I see this attitude in a lot of pioneers in areas that later become more mainstream).

dan1234 14y ago

The GSM module supports GPRS and TCP/IP via AT commands[1] so it should be possible to get some data going. [1]https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Cellular%20Modules/CEL-09533-TCPIP-APPNOTES-V1.1.pdf https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Cellular%20Modules/CEL-0...

benjamincburns 14y ago
Totally possible. I've built telemetry systems out of this family of devices. However rather than using the AT TCP stack, you're much better using the standard GPRS PPP mechanism that most USB cell modems use so that you can use your chip's or OS's TCP stack instead. For example device, see http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Opensource-hardware-club-ships-Gumstix-handheld/ http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Opensource-hardwar... For PPP info, see http://ernstagn.home.xs4all.nl/GPRS-HOWTO/ http://ernstagn.home.xs4all.nl/GPRS-HOWTO/ [EDIT:] It's been a while, but Telit was also pushing their embedded python interpreter pretty hard back when I was into all of this. I had need for an embedded micro for other parts of my application so I never bothered too much with it, but it looked pretty interesting.

fosk 14y ago

I would suggest the ADH8066 GSM module instead, which also includes a SIM socket on the back, and makes things a lot easier. And it's cheaper too. Edit: And you can easily use it for data.

benjamincburns 14y ago

I don't think this is about an individual's amazing engineering effort so much as it's about the ability for an individual to leverage the amazing engineering efforts of huge teams in the form of low-cost, low-quantity integrated modules. At least, that's what I find impressive about it.