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Classroom Computer Brought Back to Life With Linux

Submitted by Rianne Schestowitz on Tuesday 27th of July 2021 01:31:16 PM Filed under
Linux

Readers of a certain age may remember the SMART Response XE, a handheld computer released for educational purposes in around 2009 but since discontinued. Currently available very cheaply as a result (we’ve seen the opportunity to buy a box of 32 units for less than $300) they are becoming good targets for experimental hacks. Ingenious hacker chmod775 has turned an XE into a fully functional Linux terminal computer, as highlighted by Hackaday.

The idea of the SMART Response XE was that teachers could compile a test or other assessment on a host PC (a Pentium 4 was required, or an early Intel Mac) then distribute it to a fleet of XEs via IEEE 802.15.4 low-power wireless, the standard used these days in Zigbee and other home automation standards. The XE probably has more processing power than a Hue lightbulb, but its ATmega128RFA1 microcontroller and wireless transceiver unit isn’t exactly going to run Crysis.

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Classroom Surplus Becomes Linux Powerhouse

Submitted by Roy Schestowitz on Tuesday 27th of July 2021 07:55:04 PM.
  • Classroom Surplus Becomes Linux Powerhouse

    The SMART Response XE is a handheld computer that was originally sold for use in the classroom as a terminal for pupils taking tests. It’s now cheap enough on the surplus market to have become a target for experimenters, and we’ve seen them with a variety of cool hacks. We particularly like what [chmod775] has done with it, putting a VT100 terminal emulator on the device and hiding a NanoPi Neo Air single board computer in the battery bay. Powered from a USB battery bank, it gives a fully-featured Linux terminal in the palm of the hand. We see it running an Ubuntu LTS version, and it’s clear that it’s a functional and usable device.

Discontinued classroom hardware hacked for use as a handheld

Submitted by Rianne Schestowitz on Tuesday 27th of July 2021 08:46:42 PM.
  • Discontinued classroom hardware hacked for use as a handheld Linux terminal

    The Smart Response XE is a simple handheld device that was designed for use in classroom settings (teachers could send questions to students over a local wireless network and then collect responses). It was discontinued years ago, but hardware and software hackers have been picking up user devices on eBay and finding new uses for the old hardware.

    One interesting project? Hacker chmodd775 has turned the Smart Response XE into a handheld Linux terminal by giving the little device new brains, but keeping the keyboard and display.

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