BlackDog
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 Original BlackDog | |
| Manufacturer | Realm Systems |
|---|---|
| Type | Plug computer |
| Released | 2005 |
| Operating system | Debian-based |
| CPU | Xilinx Virtex II-Pro FPGA containing a 400 MHz IBM PowerPC 405 Delta processor |
| Memory | 64 MB low power SDR SDRAM |
| Storage | 256 or 512 MB NAND Flash |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, MMC slot, Authentec AES3400 fingerprint reader, multicolor LED |
| Power | USB host-powered with small lithium polymer buffer battery |
| Dimensions | H×W×L: .50 in × 1.75 in × 3.5 in (13 mm × 44 mm × 89 mm) |
| Weight | 1.6 ounces |
| Successor | K9 |
The BlackDog is a pocket-sized, self-contained computer with a built-in biometric fingerprint reader which was developed in 2005[1] by Realm Systems, which is plugged into and powered by the USB port of a host computer using its peripheral devices for input and output.
It is a mobile personal server which allows a user to use Linux, ones applications and data on any computer with a USB port. The host machine's monitor, keyboard, mouse, and Internet connection are used by the BlackDog for the duration of the session. As the system is self-contained and isolated from the host, requiring no additional installation, it is possible to make use of untrusted computers, yet using a secure system. Various hardware iterations exist, and the original developer Realm Systems closed down in 2007, being picked up by the successor Inaura, Inc.
Original Black Dog & Project BlackDog Skills Contest
Identified as the BlackDog, the Project BlackDog, or Original BlackDog, the first hardware version was touted as "unlike any other mobile computing device, BlackDog contains its own processor, memory and storage, and is completely powered by the USB port of a host computer with no external power adapter required."[2] It was created in conjunction with Realm System's Project BlackDog Skills Contest (announced on Oct 27, 2005)[3] which was supposed to raise interest, and create a developer community surrounding the product. The BlackDog was publicly available for purchase from the Project BlackDog website in September 2005 for those who wished to enter the contest or to experiment with the platform. Production ended in mid January 2006 when the contest closed.
On 7 February 2006, the winners of the contest were announced for the categories: Security (Michael Chenetz), Entertainment (Michael King), Productivity (Terry Bayne) and "Dogpile" (Paul Chandler).[4] On Feb 15, 2006, during the Open Source Business Conference, San Francisco, Terry Bayne was announced the grand prize winner of the contest and received US$50,000 for his creation "Kibble," a tool for building integration solutions between the host PC and the BlackDog device using a SOAP-based RPC mechanism to send arbitrary LUA code to be executed on the host PC from the BlackDog.[5] At this conference, the second iteration of the BlackDog, the K9 was publicly announced.
K9
Identified as the K9 Ultra-Mobile Server, or K9, this version was announced at the Open Source Business Conference in February 2006 with expected availability in the third quarter of 2006. However, company turbulences (see Company History below) prevented the K9 from being sold until early 2009 by Inaura, Inc.
Promotional literature shows the form factor to be the same as the intermediate iD3 prototype a very thin chrome model resembling an iPod Nano, but all black with a rubberized exterior. Before Realm Systems shut down, there were working prototypes of the K9, the hardware design seemed to be finished, and the software was functional.
In terms of hardware, it differed from the Original BlackDog in these aspects:
- 128 MB RAM
- 1GB Flash NAND memory
- 60-pin Hiroshi connector replaces MMC slot (intended for a USB connection cable, as well as custom cables to support additional peripherals)
- OLED display replaces indicator LED of first version (1.1 inch display, 96x64 resolution, 4-bit grayscale Black and White)
- Dimensions, H×W×L: .50 in × 2.0 in × 3.75 in × 1.75 in (13 mm × 51 mm × 95 mm × 44 mm)
iD3
The iD3 was a variant of the K9, using the same hardware specifications, intended for corporate use with a matching management router/server identified as the iD1200. It was announced as being part of the iDentity product series and was, for instance, showcased on the Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose, CA (April 3–7, 2006).[6] The final Realm Systems iD3 form factor resembled a small Nokia cellphone.
Software
The software was originally based on Debian until 2008. The project switched to using Olmec Linux.
Debian Linux (pre-2008)
When plugged into a USB port of a Windows XP machine, the BlackDog initially presented itself to the host as a virtual CD-ROM drive. Via an autorun application the BlackDog then automatically launched the X Window system for Windows Xming and a software NAT router. Once those applications were running, the virtual USB CD-ROM drive disconnected, and the USB presented itself as a virtual Ethernet adapter, enabling network access. Without requiring any installations or user interactions, the user could access the contained applications and data from any Windows computer. With further configuration steps, it was possible to also run the BlackDog on Linux and Mac computers.
A short Engadget review stated that "it runs Firefox fine, and should be great for taking your own browser, e-mail, and chat clients for use wherever you are, though that will probably be about all this little 400MHz guy can handle."[7]
The first software version was based on Debian Sid running a 2.6.10 Kernel. It contained some sample default applications such as xterm, XBlast, and XGalaga and allowed installation of the Firefox web browser, an email client and other additional software available through official and community APT repositories hosted by the project.[8]
It was attempted to stimulate the creation of further applications and use cases for the BlackDog by building up a community. The project and discussion infrastructure, termed DogPound, used an installation of the project hosting software (SourceForge). A SDK with a QEMU emulator environment for Windows XP, Linux and Mac OS X was released to facilitate the creation and porting of applications to the BlackDog system.
Although most of the BlackDog software was free software, the device contained some proprietary technology and intellectual property developed by Realm Systems Inc., which was later transferred to Echo Identity Systems and finally ended up belonging to Inaura Corporation.
The official repository for the project disappeared in mid-February 2007 due to Realm Systems Inc. closing and was reactivated by its successor Inaura Inc. as of late-June 2007. (There does not seem to be a repository in Nov. 2011). Until sometime in 2009, Michael King (winner of the Entertainment category of the contest) maintained an independent backup of the official repositories and discussion groups as well as repositories for other developers at the now-defunct Saint Louis, MO based ArchLUG website.
The official website for the project www.projectblackdog.org still appears to be up as of December 2013, but has been defaced by several "quick cash" money lenders that have compromised the site via the WordPress content management system it uses. There does not appear to be any other original content remaining other than the homepage and the advertisements for the money lending sites.
Olmec Linux (2008 onwards)
Starting in late 2007, Olmec Linux was ported to the Blackdog and K9 devices.,[9] which is a Debian-derived Linux distribution geared for small embedded platforms such as the gumstix. When sold as part of the Inaura Inc. product offering, BlackDog/K9 was using the Olmec-based version.[10]