ChumbyGuts
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Chumby One gets the iFixit treatment, greets world with a cute hidden message
We've already played with the Chumby One and fell for it, so it did hurt a bit when our friends at iFixit decided to rip this cute device apart. Actually, it wasn't as heartbreaking as we thought, especially when the hackers spotted a cute message below the Kingston 2GB microSD card -- containing the firmware -- on the logic board, courtesy of Andrew "bunnie" Huang, VP Hardware Engineering and Founder of Chumby Industries. Other notable discoveries include a Freescale i.MX233 processor, Hynix 64MB DDR RAM and a removable "Ralink-based RT2571 USB Wi-Fi dongle" (note: extra USB port!). Feel free to check out the guts after the break -- just promise you won't cry or faint.
Chumbophone proves that even Chumby can go retro (and like it)
For the seasoned DIYer, there's hardly anything that can't be done with a set of Chumby Guts. For a seasoned DIYer with a set of Chumby Guts, an old clock, a few brass horns and a Dremel tool, there's absolutely nothing -- save for spare time and determination -- standing between him / her and a homegrown masterpiece such as the one you're peering at above. Etsy member AbrahamBook's latest creation is a WiFi-enabled widget monster that is shoved within a half vintage, half steampunk-styled enclosure. The Chumbophone doesn't actually seem capable of making calls via the integrated horns, but we'd sure love to see a version that was. Not that we're trying to force any ideas down your throat or anything...
Chumby Guts kit lets you build your own Chumby device
Chumby may now finally be branching out with a few less cuddly products of its own, but it looks like you can now also expand your Chumby options yourself with a few basic DIY skills -- or you could if you were lucky enough to get in on the first batch of Chumby Guts kits. Offered exclusively through the Maker Shed, the kit includes all the necessary "guts" to let you build any sort of Chumby device you like, and has apparently proven popular enough to sell out before the first shipment even arrived. Those hanging on for that Chumby toaster of their dreams won't have to wait too much longer to get their fix, however, as the second shipment is set to arrive in late November, and will run the same $99 as before.
