Today our good friends over at Woot! are selling the Leapfrog Didj, a low cost educational toy aimed at little kids. Lucky for hackers out there, the Didj is actually a linux device, and gaining serial console access is as easy as soldering two wires. The documentation out there is a little outdated, with a number of broken links and stale wikis, but $25 for a portable linux device is a hard deal to beat. A list of sites which might be helpful are listed after the break, as well as the hardware specs of the Didj.
Let us know if you have played around with hacking the Didj before, and if you have any tips for other readers. Don’t forget to tell us what you do with the Didj as well!
Thanks to [Mark] for the tips and the hardware details.
(Possibly) Useful links:
- Embedded Linux Wiki Page
- GP32x Forums mention the device
- GP32x tries to hunt down the chip ID
- Good overview on hardware, etc
- The Didj is also available on Amazon for $49, but unlike Woot’s sale, will be around after tomorrow.
Hardware Specs:
* Processor: 393 MHz Arm 9
* Display: 320×240 resolution
* One 24-bit 2D layer (no hardware acceleration)
* One 16-bit 3D layer
* One YUV video layer (no hardware acceleration)
* Graphics: API OpenGL ES 1.1–A reduced instruction set version of OpenGL for embedded systems
* Main RAM: 32 MB DDRI 131 MHz
* NAND Flash: 256MB for data storage/download content
* Media Cartridge: 64MB
* System Software: Brio–Firmware is built on an abstraction layer called Brio to make OS and hardware transparent to developers. This means all software must be ported to Brio to run on this device.
* Screen LCD: 3.2 inches, 16.7-Million Color TFT
what would happen if i put movies or mabey mp3 on it?
to answer myself nothing. if you put a emulator and a game in the programs file it turns on but the game in your slot wont work.
@Awesomenesser
I’ve updated the wiki with some a early revision of a SD and UART cartridge and it’s Eagle files. I’ve also added the dimensions of your diagram to the library you posted and uploaded it to the wiki as well. I’d like feedback about the design from anyone. I think it’s sight but more eyes = better.
Now I wish I had had the money to buy the Rovio, this could’ve been hacked into a receiver/controller. (with the addition of a transceiver added to the card-slot, ofc)
Didj is on Woot again today, now only $14.99
Question: Love the Linux part – is it AT ALL possible to make this a wireles device for connection to a server to actually play against a computer?
almost anything is possible. what matters is how much time you put into it.
I am Thinking about making this into a MicroPC of my own, with WiFi, full qwerty keyboard, 1GB RAM, 200GB Hard Drive, 2x USB 2.0 ports, Trackball Mouse and Projector
& Maybe a Mic and WebCam
April fool’s day was yesterday ;)
and?
Necroposter here, Got one of these for about six bucks.
It’s closer to a GP2x than you’d think
I don’t understand the video system (sorry, my ARM experience is routers and pi :D) but 32khz cirrus logic sound chip is *plenty* enough to blast Noisia and Chaka Khan.
the SD GPIO is easy enough to solder to, just -match the pins- to a microSD to SD card reader adaptor, and glue it to where the cart slot comes out.
I might add I just took off the original cart slot.
anyway, I figure it’s time to call it a night
I gave mine away to a younger relative this past summer. Where did you find one of these things for six bucks?