I don't have a particular fondness for the Vole or its CE "operating system"
but it'll probably work just fine since we're not planning to run additional
software on the system (are we?).
The two processors are almost certainly an ARM to drive the display and
whatever Futaba's using in its current radios. Its not meaningful to talk
about 'multiple processors', the things are so cheap anyway that it doesn't
make sense to combine the functions (especially as the "Futaba" processor
could do anything up to and including synthesize the radio signal).
I like the display -- a decent display has been long overdue on these
radios. I'd be concerned about breaking it, though (and it won't be cheap to
replace). They seem to be using a reflective liquid crystal as well, the
sort that may have a rather narrow viewing angle and a dislike of getting
hot (as in "I left it on the field in the sun while I was sorting out the
winch and when I got back to it the dislpay was unreadable"). There are
better display technologies out there -- I think the "organic LED" might be
the one that's the most robust but its too new to be in something like this.
Maybe this is truly a solution looking for a problem? After all, we don't
need the display when flying and we could just as easily program the thing
using an external computer, even using something as small as a PDA.
Martin Usher
PS. I like the Palm OS. Its quite capable of running a radio, it'll do a lot
more than two channels ("don't be rude"). I use both it and CE -- CE is
flashy but it does a relatively poor job compared to palm (you only have to
look at the new HP iPAQ, the $600 one, to see what I mean -- it looks really
good, and its a major letdown when you try to do anything with it). I
currently have a Nexio to play with -- a 5" screen, a $1200 price tag, a
battery life that's insufficient (and it runs down when the system is not in
use, losing useful settings in the process). Palms are not as flashy but
they're more functional, IMO. Neither are suitable for an embedded system
like a radio, though -- there are much better systems out there for that.
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