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The WP 43s: Is it dead?
01-25-2017, 09:37 PM
Post: #19
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead?
Speaking of resurrecting dead projects... does anyone know of an LCD about 25cm (10 inch) wide by 7.5 - 10cm (3 - 4 inch) high? Touch screen preferred but no essential.

One of the many threads mentioned how a calculator needs to justify the space it consumes on a desk. The smallest keyboards I know are the 60% series like the POK3R and HHKB, which have no function keys (you use a key combination to emulate them). If I can find the right sized LCD, I could start designing a Zero Client Terminal.

Stay with me here, it gets relevant.

  1. For everyday use (Hub Mode), this device would act as a USB Hub, and sit just at the top of your keyboard of choice.
    The screen, if a touch screen, would act similar to the Touch Bar in the new Apple laptops, OR the menu buttons the 43S used to mention. USB mouse and / or Flash memory could also be attached
  2. Got a Raspberry Pi, or similar? Is it plugged into some remote area? Are you reluctant to carry around a highly expensive laptop, to connect to it?
    As a Zero Client (Terminal Mode), the screen can give you a few lines of text. With battery support, it would be possible to support Ethernet.
  3. (Calculator Mode) is where the 43S background really comes in. A quick key combination puts the machine into calculator / spreadsheet mode, allowing you to crunch numbers.
    While generally for offline use, this could also be helpful if the host PC is doesn't have a suitable app installed (or you are plugged into that dev board)
  4. If you are going to support data crunching, you may as well include a (Text Mode) text editor as well.
  5. (Secure Mode) is actually based on a suggestion from the Hackaday website.
    The Intel Management Engine has complete access to the innards of a PC, which makes users nervous.
    If actual encryption / decryption is handled externally, on this device, the PC never sees the plaintext version of an encrypted message.

I think those are enough applications to justify the desk space just above a keyboard.

There are several zero client designs around. Ones with LCD monitor aren't so common. Monitors the dimensions of a 60% keyboard have, to date proved mighty hard to find: it's an odd aspect ratio. Any suggestions?
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Messages In This Thread
The WP 43s: Is it dead? - MDBarrett88 - 02-17-2016, 07:17 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Luigi Vampa - 02-17-2016, 09:56 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - walter b - 02-26-2016, 10:45 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Briancady413 - 12-30-2016, 04:56 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - d b - 12-30-2016, 06:17 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Paul Dale - 12-30-2016, 09:31 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - rprosperi - 12-31-2016, 01:14 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Paul Dale - 12-31-2016, 02:32 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - dylanmc - 01-14-2017, 06:41 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Dave Britten - 01-16-2017, 11:35 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - d b - 01-16-2017, 05:35 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Dave Britten - 01-16-2017, 06:55 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Paul Dale - 01-16-2017, 09:58 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - d b - 01-17-2017, 08:34 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - Paul Dale - 01-18-2017, 01:00 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - d b - 01-18-2017, 03:52 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - sa-penguin - 01-25-2017 09:37 PM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - BarryMead - 01-26-2017, 04:35 AM
RE: The WP 43s: Is it dead? - sa-penguin - 01-26-2017, 09:02 AM



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