It's hard to believe that
BUG Labs has been helping tinkerers thinker for two whole years now, particularly when you realize that its BUGbase has been operating sans WiFi all along. At long last, after a
painful battle with the licensing overlords connected to WiFi and Bluetooth, BUG has finally received approval to ship the
BUGbase WiFi (which does BT as well) both here in the States as well as in Europe. Aside from those two huge additions, BUG also upgraded the device with a friction-fit docking connector and improved power management, not to mention a few subtle "under the hood" tweaks designed to make everyone's lives a little easier. Oh, and for existing BUGbase owners? A special BUGWiFi module will be shipping in a few weeks, and yes, all of BUG's other modules will be compatible with either base. Once you're done hopping around like a jovial schoolgirl, feel free to order your own BUGbase WiFi now for $449.
posted September 22nd 2009 9:23PM
Huh? I bought a Linux compatible wifi USB module that's smaller and $15.
The price does seem pretty dang steep, but I don't know much about Bug Labs.
The Bug is supposed to be a mobile computer, not a USB device you connect to an existing computer.
Engadget, you never mentioned what this thing does. You should always mention that in the first paragraph. I know this is just a blog but at least try to write properly.
I agree I absolutely did not understand what this white box is :)
It doesn't even sound like the author really knows what it is.
Let me shed some light on the "what is it?!" question. BUG is modular, component-based system that let's you build your own gadget by literally just snapping things together. For example you could build a wireless, motion sensing security device, that sends you SMS messages if motion is detected, in less than 5 minutes. If you also wanted a picture of the intruder you could just snap in the camera module. You could build a fully-programmable, geotagging digital imager in the same amount of time. The picture above is of our latest BUGbase which is the battery-powered, Linux-based CPU module with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth (other modules plug into this base). Everything about the system is open source, so you're also free to modify the entire thing to get exactly what you want. The point is, the BUG system puts the user in control of the hardware experience. Most of the gadgets on the market today are exactly like the Ford Model-T - you can have whatever color you want, as long as it's black. You get what you get when you buy the device. It's why there is such a vibrant community for jail-broken iPhones . BUG turns that model upside down and puts the user in the driver seat. Hope this helps!
what the hell is this thing i cannot for the life of me figure that out if i could the story may interest me a little more
This is the second time I've read some sort of article on here about a "BUGbase" and I still have no idea what the hell this thing is or what it does, a little help please engadget?
Just posted a hopefully-helpful post above.
Maybe this will help to explain
http://www.buglabs.net/
Or perhaps this:
http://www.google.com/
same here what is this?
and I thought I was the only one....
I have no idea what this is either, a quick explanation what it actually does would have been nice. I will check @lessthantito's link above now, but I am usually way too lazy to bother :)
Too expensive for my tastes..
If I was designing something like this today I would start with a generic device like a IPhone and just build a breakout/extension board accessory plus a software application to control the device.
For approximately the same amount of money I would have a much more versatile device.
/sanjay
Oh Sanjay, how much is a carrier Free iPhone?
Sanjay - let us know what you'd like to build and maybe I can get you a great discount ;)
What is IT, and where can I buy IT ?
This is the most poorly written article I've read on Engadget. Should the reader really have to visit the company webpage to figure out what the hell this thing is? Darren Murph is to writing as AOL is to Internet Service Providers.