Using a Nook as a portable weather display

General Chatter
1

Saw this morning that they have rooted the Barnes and Nobel Nook. This is one of the new eInk reader devices that you can load electronic books into.

The device is a computer with Android OS on it along with a “free” GSM Cell phone data connection, room for memory and enough battery to last a couple days.

Since Android is an open OS, you can get the development package for free, and it seems it would be easy to setup an app that fetches weather data from a website on a regular basis to display what it got.

Might even be possible to use it as a weather input device as well possibly.

Ref: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/12/nook-torn-open-hacked-and-rooted/

I’d play with one now during my Vacation, but I can’t get my hands on one until Feb.

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2

That’s the “Nook e-Reader” …try saying it fast #-o #-o #-o

I was going to get me one but flipped instead…

3

I suspect that the ‘free’ GSM connection will be tied back to a specific point of presence with all sorts of access controls on it. I can’t see anyone providing a free Internet connection carrying unknown quantities of data forever just for the price of a single purchase.

4

Found some more info in the GSM modem in both the Kindle and the Nook. The Nook is the one that was hacked. The unit has WiFi abilities as well.

http://www.wifinetnews.com/archives/2009/10/barnes_noble_puts_wi-fi_hspa_in_nook_ebook_reader.html