Cybiko Wireless PDA / Game

With a small LCD screen, keypad, and an RF link to other units and the internet, Cybiko was a commercial precurser^ of the One Laptop Per Child project. Donald Wisniewski and David Yang created the Cybiko as a portable computer for tweens (ages 10-12) and teens (ages 13-17). It was designed to fill a niche left between the Palm Pilot and Nintendo Game boy. It uses a Hitachi H8S uC running a ByteCode interpreter in a half meg each of RAM and FLASH wtih an Atmel AT90S2313 for io processing.

Why do we care? Because they are commonly available for pennies on the dollar and very easy to program. For a few dollars (literally a few, as in $10) and a download (or for a limited time, a CD included with each unit), you can have a portable wireless logger / controller running your C, BASIC, "ASM" or Logo code. User interface, file system, data link, API, everything... 416039 Schematics

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Computer magazines present information about computers in a predictable fashion. Chances are, there is a table with processor, ROM, RAM, mass storage columns, then some other columns, then, of course, price. Presented that way, Cybiko computer's specifications will probably make you think were a throwback to the old days of Personal Computers. Indeed, Cybiko computer has 512k of RAM, 512k of flash memory, a 11-MHz processor, and a 4-color LCD display with 160x100 pixel resolution. You have to understand that Cybiko computer is not like other computers. Cybiko is a pocket-size, handheld, wireless computer. Two-way wireless communication is built into the design. The aim of this manual is to reveal the programming details to get you started writing applications for Cybiko computer so you can harness its unique features. This manual will explain what it takes to write your first "Hello, World!" program, what it takes to get the most out of the 11-Mhz processor, and what it takes to stuff your 1-megabyte masterpiece into our modest 512k. Hardware specifications

Main Processor: 32 bit, 11 MHz Hitachi H8S/2246
Coprocessor: Atmel AT90S2313, 4 MHz
RAM: 512 KB
Flash disk: 512 KB, extendible up to 1 MB
LCD display: 160x100 dots, 59x40 mm, 4 level grayscale
RF transceiver: RF2915
Expansion cartridge slot: 68-pin
PC connection socket: RS232 serial port
Size: 5.7" x 2.8" x 0.86"
Weight: 4.3 oz

Features and figures

If you've programmed a wide range of computers (that is, not just PCs) then you probably can point out a counterpart of almost each and every feature of CybikoTM computers (with the exception of the wireless connection and the very way computers communicate). But Cybiko computer, and programming for Cybiko computer, is unique.

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Finally, the heart of the SDK is its C compiler, capable of producing very tight, and quite effective, code. The unique feature of the underlying virtual machine is its ability to operate upon registers (vs. "top of stack" for virtually any other vm, including that of JavaTM); this adds significant gain to overall performance. You may learn more about the Cybiko bytecode interpreter, as well as about the C compiler (that produces respectable code), in other sections of the manual.

Since cybiko changed mail servers, the Virtual cywig software hasnt been working. trying to insert the new server address will bring no joy as it is 1 letter too long for the box. There is a way to get round this. All you need is the IP for the new cybikomail server (cybiko-web.cybikomail.com) which has been 213.248.62.124

All you have to do with this is load cywig (xtreme or classic), once its loaded right click the taskbar icon, and click connection settings. Delete the mail1.cybiko.com text and replace it with the IP address of the new server. Quit and reload virtual cywig, and it will be working fine!

To go into suspend mode in the old version cybikos, hold fn and the escape key.

To mute your cybiko without going to the system options, hold fn and the desktop button at the top.

fn and the application button at the top, turns on/off the alarm.

fn and the communication button at the top turn of/off the vibration.

pressing a on the desktop shows how much battery you have left

pressing h on the desktop, tells you the system information

To make sure people can view your profile, cypage, and business card; make sure there is a eyeball in front of each section. To change it, keep moving to the left. An X means it invisible.

To reload the firmware in the Cybiko and reset it to default, use AutoUpdate.exe the last version is 1.3.57 for USA.

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