Phillip Pearson - Second p0st

tech notes and web hackery from the guy that brought you bzero, python community server, the blogging ecosystem, the new zealand coffee review and the internet topic exchange

2005-4-5

Compact Flash computer

Very nice: C Data Solutions, in the UK, has produced a compact flash computer -- a Motorola ColdFire-based computer in a CompactFlash card.

They also make a couple of interface boards (a backplane and a bus controller module to provide power and translate some signals) and an RS232/BDM header that lets you talk to the system from your PC.

It's fairly pricey, at US$200 for the PC module, but it seems they're aiming this at the consulting and prototyping market. Their $600 development system (PC module plus backplane, bus controller, BDM header) would be a great start to many consulting projects.

That said, you could go a long way with a PC104 system -- there's a bit more competition in that market so you should be able to get a cheaper deal. Some of them are small too: here's a little 40MHz 186 system for $129, for example.