[morcheeba], who you should remember from CVS camera hacking, picked up a Peek and took some pictures while tearing it down. The Peek is a $100 QWERTY device with a simple OS designed only to check email. The device is being sold by T-Mobile with a $19.95/mo data plan. There’s nothing too spectacular to see other than 16MB of flash memory and a TI OMAP processor.
[via Make]
inb4 tethering comment
Posted at 12:18 am on Sep 16th, 2008 by modrak
nothing too spectacular?
what’s this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8728129@N05/2861989140/in/set-72157607274454694/
some sort of debug connector which appears to be usb.
this is totally hackable and interesting why wouldn’t you mention that?
Posted at 2:03 am on Sep 16th, 2008 by bob
any word on if the sim card would work with a cellular modem?
Posted at 8:53 am on Sep 16th, 2008 by jimxugle
What happens if you put the sim in an unlocked cell phone? do you get any service?
Posted at 11:36 am on Sep 16th, 2008 by tomas316
the real question is: can it run linux?
Posted at 11:20 am on Sep 18th, 2008 by flaunt_dzx
TI OMAP not too spectacular? Been to openpandora.org? Handheld running Ti OMAP that is much faster than a PSP, clocks to 800+ Mhz!!
Maybe you should mention the type of OMAP :P
If it can’t be purchased for $100, don’t say that it is $100. If that includes $20 service for a year it is a $340 device.
(This is the same premise as a $200 iPhone, that charges you $2,560 over 2 years, IE $300 more than the old iPhone. When purchased seperately it is closer to $600)
Posted at 12:28 pm on Sep 18th, 2008 by nubie
I see, it is a “embedded 104Mhz ARM7 that is part of the Texas Instrument Locosto chipset”
That doesn’t seem very nice (well for $100 it is OK).
Well, if this could be useful, but I doubt it, QVGA display is low.
Does it have push email? That would be neat. Nothing stopping it from browsing the web in the same poor fashion as other mobile phones.
How long until somebody sets up a “browsing” server that renders the web to emails? you will see the unlimited emails a month offer be rescinded post haste.
Posted at 12:33 pm on Sep 18th, 2008 by nubie
It is $100 solid, $20 monthly for service according to the peek.com website.
That isn’t terrible, but they do say right on the page it is not for hardcore techies, so why is it here? It hasn’t been hacked yet.
Posted at 12:35 pm on Sep 18th, 2008 by nubie
@Amol – RE: “we thought about the super-famous and cool cvs-camera-hacking when we made the peek” … I’m so totally honored, thank you!
@nubie – I like your browsing server idea!
This device is here because it’s an attractive hack candidate – acceptable cost in a great little form factor. Hacks have to start somewhere :-) Plus, the pictures are useful info – a TSOP flash would have been much easier to probe, so hopefully knowing that it’s a tiny BGA might help someone decide if they should buy it for hacking.
it can run linux – but someone has to figure out how
and we’d be glad to help
Correction – the Peek wasn’t developed by T-Mobile, isn’t sold by T-Mobile, or supported by T-Mobile, it just uses T-Mobile’s data service. It is sold by Peek company in big-box consumer stores (well, Target so far) and is intended for folks who want easy online email anywhere without any complexity.
So why not get a, say, Blackberry?
Because at $99 the Peek is about $250 cheaper then a Blackberry, sans 2 year contract. Also the Peek only does email, so users can ignore every other bit of functionality of a smartphone. Yeah – there a folks who really do want less then more.
Who?
Well I’ve a buddy whose parents retired to a life on the road. His Mother used a Peek-alike (her device required being held up to a pay phone to send/receive it’s emails) for years. She loved her device – quick easy communication for very little cost or effort from anywhere.
I imagine there are some good number of folks who are similar – they want a little box that does one thing, email, somewhat cheaply and reasonably well. Think WebTV. No, not a mindset geeks get into but a possibly a viable market nonetheless.
Posted at 10:53 pm on Oct 3rd, 2008 by Maggard
I’m really curious as to whether this thing could get a bit of a speed boost by cleaning up code or whatever. Maybe get someone who worked for Palm a few years ago to work on the project…my old pre-OS 5 Palms ran great on even a 16 MHz processor. They even had a few models with color screens on 33 MHz procs…
A few other suggestions:
1. IM/text-via-IM support. Granted, it’ll take more battery power but it would take very little data to pull off and would net you guys tons more users. You could make a deal with Google, who already has the infrastructure in place, and AOL…so if you added a GMail or AIM/AOL Mail account you’d automatically have IM capability.
2. Push e-mail. Once IM functionality is in place, all you’d have to do is send an IM to the device when an email comes in, and the device downloads the email. Should use less power than polling for people who do’t get a lot of e-mail, too.
3. IMAP. I know, this creates issues with large mailboxes, but all you’d have to do is have a search function that will check to find certain messages, then pull them down as needed…
4. Archive option for GMail. With IMAP this is easy to do.
5. Quick-jump for emails. Search-as-you-type would be awesome and logical for something like this, but just typing in a letter to jump to an email would be much appreciated. I’m supposing there’s a “sort by” menu option anyhow so again logical progression.
6. PIM maybe?
With the above modifications to the device, the Peek could truly be a poor man’s BlackBerry. Sorta reminds me of the old days of Palm.net, except this device has a faster data connection than the pager-powered Palm VII, VIIx and i705 did. Lots of potential here, and honestly this is oe of the device types where a lot can be learned from Palm.
Looking forward to advancements as time goes on…
Posted at 11:53 am on Dec 6th, 2008 by Ian Littman
If anyone is interested I just picked up a couple Peek from my local Target store for $12 in the bargain bin. So naturally I wanted to see what else I could make them do, which is how I came across this page.
Posted at 3:21 pm on Apr 23rd, 2009 by John
this is essentiall an unlimited data plan for 16 bucks a month — slap linux on that and you have a bargain.
Posted at 4:20 pm on Apr 23rd, 2009 by binaryloc
Im with josh and binaryloc. I just got one at target today for $12. I was hoping to get access to tether it to a carputer. Then i could get web access wherever i go. From what i see the chip isnt that fast so getting some form of linux on there might be a bit much for it no? Maybe I’m wrong and i would love to get something more out of this but who knows.
Posted at 9:09 pm on Apr 26th, 2009 by tom
i just got one for 12 bucks also.
Posted at 4:24 pm on May 2nd, 2009 by andres
I just picked up three at Target for $6.98 each…Let the hacking begin!
Posted at 1:09 pm on May 4th, 2009 by deerfreak
If you purchased from target you should know that the aim in your device will not activate without contacting peek. I’ve been trying to get mine running for over a week now with no success an little help from peek customer service. I may have to send it in and get it reflashed with the new is
Posted at 1:18 pm on May 4th, 2009 by Tom
“If you purchased from target you should know that the aim in your device will not activate without contacting peek. I’ve been trying to get mine running for over a week now with no success an little help from peek customer service. I may have to send it in and get it reflashed with the new OS” sorry i meant the SIM not aim. Stupid ipod spell check.
Posted at 1:27 pm on May 4th, 2009 by Tom
i just bought the pronto, works great but i agree that linex would be a great addition. . but i kinda think this was meant to be a simple device, like the “anti-blackberry” for those who just want the emails and texting and not the complicated stuff, or those who arent very tech savvy.. i LOVE advanced technology and this pronto is still fun for the price n all. . plus i agree, there could be some fun researching involved in this, thus. . let the hacking begin.
Posted at 2:05 am on Jul 17th, 2009 by chianne
I wonder if putting other carriers SIM cards into the PEEK would let you use their service? I could “borrow” my mom’s SIM card and…
Posted at 6:42 am on Aug 23rd, 2009 by Jay
@jay: I tried two different At&t SIM cards that are both active. The indicator lights up but you get a message to contact customer service because it can’t contact the company’s server.
I bought 5 of these with version 1.04 today at Target for $7.47 apiece. I ordered a serial cable for it as well. I do wonder about the red X over the antenna while the Tmobile SIM is inserted. Has anyone tried another activated Tmobile SIM?
Posted at 10:53 pm on Sep 2nd, 2009 by AMediumPace
just picked one up for $10 at target. Looking for a hack for it.
Posted at 11:42 am on Sep 20th, 2009 by kuyote
I picked one up a few months back, and just recently put the SIM into a G1 I bought off someone.
It does text! (but not email)
Works for me, since I have a phone threw work. $20 texting + wifi is better then $80 G3!
Anyone have some idea on how to get the peek email on another phone?
Posted at 11:24 am on Sep 22nd, 2009 by John
I just picked one up for $4.99 at target.
Posted at 2:21 pm on Oct 5th, 2009 by charliex2
there not 100 anymore i got one at target yesterday for only $3.73 so there like dirt cheap now me and my brother got one just for the hell of it.
Posted at 4:41 pm on Oct 6th, 2009 by Brennan
Anyone know if you can part this out? I paid 3.73 and that is a pretty cheap screen and keyboard. I have quite a few arduinos…could I connect the screen from the peek to a arduino?
Posted at 9:05 am on Oct 8th, 2009 by bikehikeclimb
Thinking abouting picking one up for 5 bucks in hopes of hacks.
Posted at 10:12 pm on Oct 13th, 2009 by msarge
anyone knows if they made a linux os for the peek?
Posted at 9:55 am on Oct 14th, 2009 by monkey dork
@Brennan or @bikehikeclimb which target was that I’m looking to purchase a couple?
Posted at 6:57 pm on Oct 15th, 2009 by dom
I was able to put the T-mobile SIM from peek in my Nokia E63 and use the data plan (Text and Email/Browse the net). Does not permit me to make/receive calls though.
Only works on Edge network, not sure if it is a T-mobile limitation or Peek limitation.
Posted at 4:25 pm on Nov 7th, 2009 by Sri
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I wanna know whos paying 20 dollars a month just to check their email.
Posted at 9:54 pm on Sep 15th, 2008 by Aaron