Hak5 on Unlocking Linux on the Zipit Z2

Hak5 Technolust is a tech show covering topics like network security, open source, and DIY modding. In episode 615, the 1st and certainly not the last I watched, Shannon Morse, Jason Appelbaum, and Darren Kitchen cover Google Chrome OS, Google Voice SMS scripting with Java and J-Bomb, and unlocking Linux on the Zipit Z2.

The Zipit Z2 is a small instant messaging device created by Zipit Wireless. It is powered by a Marvell XScale PXA270 312MHz processor and comes with 8 MB Flash memory, 32 MB SDRAM memory, WiFi 802.11b/g support, a QWERTY style backlit keyboard, an integrated SD card slot, and a 320x240 TFT LCD screen with 256K colors.

The Zipit ships with a Linux based OS, but the end-user is locked out of the unit. This is were OpenZipit comes in, a project that aims to provide a usable and customizable Linux operating system for the Zipit.

To learn how to build an image of the Debian based Linux distribution under Windows and install it on the Zipit Z2 watch this Hak5 show and check out the OpenZipit Z2 Development page for details on how to set up OpenEmbedded on your Linux box and building an operating system image for the Zipit.