Bitcoin Forum

Other => Beginners & Help => Topic started by: Pipesnake on September 02, 2011, 12:53:02 AM



Title: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Pipesnake on September 02, 2011, 12:53:02 AM
Somebody needs to develop a hardware device whose only purpose in life is to connect to a network and send/receive/store bitcoins.  Don't cha think?


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: NothinG on September 02, 2011, 12:54:43 AM
FPGA boards?


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 02, 2011, 12:56:27 AM
lawl

how about you do it then?


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 02, 2011, 01:29:02 AM
No offense, but this idea is like the first things you think about when "making a product about bitcoin".
Yeah it's gonna come but that isn't something somebody would invest their money in right now, but when it will be feasible there will be plenty of such devices & competition will be huge. But this gonna take time probably after the second hype cycle when it becomes clear that client on smartphones are as insecure as online-wallets.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 02, 2011, 03:23:45 AM
Dual FPGA X6500
http://fillwithcoolblogname.blogspot.com/


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: JohnnyCashout on September 02, 2011, 03:39:33 AM
I don't mean a miner.

Something to transfer and store bitcoins.  A little gizmo with wifi or satellite connection that can safely do btc transactions and nothing else.


you can do this now with an android device, an unused phone for example.  without cell phone service you just can't make calls, apps still work fine via wifi and there is already a functional bitcoin wallet for android


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 02, 2011, 03:43:24 AM
Right On Johnny, good thinking.

I don't mean a miner.

Something to transfer and store bitcoins.  A little gizmo with wifi or satellite connection that can safely do btc transactions and nothing else.


you can do this now with an android device, an unused phone for example.  without cell phone service you just can't make calls, apps still work fine via wifi and there is already a functional bitcoin wallet for android


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: nmat on September 02, 2011, 03:43:44 AM
See here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=34200.0 and one project here http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=24852.0


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: datascape on September 02, 2011, 03:44:28 AM
The Raspberry Pi or plug computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug_computer) might be suitable for this.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: memvola on September 02, 2011, 04:48:26 AM
Somebody needs to develop a hardware device whose only purpose in life is to connect to a network and send/receive/store bitcoins.  Don't cha think?

Apocalypse-proof solid state Bitcoin wallets nodes could solve our Internet dependency, e.g. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=8540.0

There are some ideas for utilizing a mesh network for Bitcoin if you search the forums. I even remember someone talking about using Bitcoin to pay fees automatically for long-range high-bandwidth connections. I had an idea to pay the node device owners as well but didn't have time to draft yet. ;)


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Stephen Gornick on September 03, 2011, 01:34:10 AM
Depending on the risk tolerance, these will vary from air gap-only dedicated systems to hybrid ewallet services like BitcoinJS / Webcoin.

A bootable USB configuration with any old PC seems to be a decent solution at this point.
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=36663.0


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 04, 2011, 09:56:18 PM
What about those prepaid sim cards? You can even get them for free with some carriers.

The flash rom on there could be used to store the wallet, should be fairly easy to develop something like this, it wouldn't be apocalypse proof but it would provide enough privacy for regular use and could even utilize tor.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Stefanie Andrea on September 04, 2011, 10:00:37 PM
you can use a WiFi tablet, if you want


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: JohnnyCashout on September 06, 2011, 08:56:45 PM
Quote from: JohnnyCashout
you can do this now with an android device, an unused phone for example.  without cell phone service you just can't make calls, apps still work fine via wifi and there is already a functional bitcoin wallet for android
Do you have an idea which Android device is ideal for this?

Which device is the most 'bare-bones'?

It will ONLY be used for btc transactions and storage.


this one looks good - a wi-fi only android "smartphone", but with no phone components included so its sort of an android mini-tablet
http://www.gadgetking.com/2011/09/06/samsung-set-to-release-wi-fi-only-galaxy-s-3-6/


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: travistouchdown on September 06, 2011, 10:32:42 PM
Android Tablet with a App designed for this would probably be the best. With Apple it would get taken off the marketplace in a heartbeat.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 06, 2011, 11:39:28 PM
this one looks good - a wi-fi only android "smartphone", but with no phone components included so its sort of an android mini-tablet
http://www.gadgetking.com/2011/09/06/samsung-set-to-release-wi-fi-only-galaxy-s-3-6/
Until somebody makes a bitcoin-only device, thats perfect!

I wonder if one of them camera memory cards that connect to WiFi to upload your pictures automatically can be re-engineered.
A literal wallet device with an RF scanner that can read the new bar codes so users wont need to type in the btc address just point, scan, give a number to send and click.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: nmat on September 06, 2011, 11:49:30 PM
I'm still rooting for a Bitcoin Watch (http://www.wimm.com/index.html)  8)


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Surawit on September 07, 2011, 12:09:37 AM
BitCyanide capsule. Communicates with MtGox servers via wireless internet connection. Kept in the mouth at all time, with optional suppository version. When the price drops below a certain value - Say, $0.1 -  it releases the contents and you die quickly and painlessly. This will let thousands of spergs avoid the shame of admitting that bitcoin was a worthless ponzi scam all along and not the currency of the futureTM


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 07, 2011, 03:17:23 AM
I'm still rooting for a Bitcoin Watch (http://www.wimm.com/index.html)  8)

Neat
http://www.wimm.com/platform-approach.html


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: CoinLab on September 07, 2011, 11:43:59 PM
You should check out this thread about creating a Bootable USB Wallet.  Basically, you plug it into your computer and you boot up into a different operating system which is isolated from the normal one the machine runs (read: secure).  You can plug this USB into any machine, yours or a friends, or a public terminal, restart, and it works the same.  I haven't used it, but it looks like a step in the right direction.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=36663.0


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 08, 2011, 02:23:45 AM
You should check out this thread about creating a Bootable USB Wallet.  Basically, you plug it into your computer and you boot up into a different operating system which is isolated from the normal one the machine runs (read: secure).  You can plug this USB into any machine, yours or a friends, or a public terminal, restart, and it works the same.  I haven't used it, but it looks like a step in the right direction.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=36663.0

Right! I actually have an offline wallet using a similar method (different distro though) I have linuxcoin on my list of things to check out.

Now what would be needed is a micro computer about the size of a thumbdrive that runs the software dedicated to sending bitcoins. It would need wifi or bluetooth and a method of input to tell how many to send (and password entry). Voice activation would be the bees knees.

Long story short we take a smart phone and make it dedicated.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: deepceleron on September 08, 2011, 03:18:02 AM
Somebody needs to develop a hardware device whose only purpose in life is to connect to a network and send/receive/store bitcoins.  Don't cha think?

Something that has 1GB of storage, internet connectivity, a CPU, input device and display, but can only do one thing? Can I carry it around along with my phone, day planner, calculator, alarm clock, gameboy, CD player, camera, camcorder, GPS, and dictation machine? Wait, that's the 90's.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Uhlbelk on September 08, 2011, 05:33:12 AM


Something that has 1GB of storage, internet connectivity, a CPU, input device and display, but can only do one thing? Can I carry it around along with my phone, day planner, calculator, alarm clock, gameboy, CD player, camera, camcorder, GPS, and dictation machine? Wait, that's the 90's.
[/quote]

If only we could find a way to slip it under our skin...


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 08, 2011, 05:36:04 PM
Something that has 1GB of storage,
microsdcards are cheap

internet connectivity
gprs, wlan or even bluetooth while probably the most expensive part still doesn't cost enough to make it invalueable.

a CPU
A cortex-m3 is like 3$
input device and display
Doesn't have to be fancy, the cheapest option would suffice. Look at those cashless supermarket terminal boxes. Something like that in a smaller formfactor would be appropriate.

Wait, that's the 90's.
You are dealing with a device which would need to provide security, smartphones, tablets and the like are all prone to the same security risk you have on a desktop machine, in magnitude possibly between a windows box and *nix desktop.
That's not good enough.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Mjbmonetarymetals on September 08, 2011, 05:59:00 PM
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/1973mb1973/762236f1.jpg


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 08, 2011, 11:49:28 PM
Mjbmonetarymetals, that looks awesome  ;)


But I just had an inspiration of how such a device should rather work and much easier.

Imagine a tiny, fast, but very efficient microprocessor consuming only 10-20 milliwatt. Provide it with a rfid antenna and one button.
Lets say you want to use bitcoins for instant payments. You get your bill and hold your device against the rfidterminal, the chip powers up, connects to the bitcoin network and sends the required amount provided by the host.

Such a device would cost only cents when mass produced and would be as simple to operate as it can get while providing the most security possible. The only hurdle would be to get the machine to be efficient enough to run as a passive rfid client and a mechanism to rapidly send bitcoins in such a way to get some form of instant confirmations.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: Boyne7 on September 09, 2011, 04:02:36 AM
what exactly is stopping someone from stealing the so-called mobile bitcoin wallet?

@electricmucus, and how per se would such a device "connect to the bitcoin network"? you're adding in some type of network connectivity now


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: ElectricMucus on September 09, 2011, 04:20:55 AM
what exactly is stopping someone from stealing the so-called mobile bitcoin wallet?

@electricmucus, and how per se would such a device "connect to the bitcoin network"? you're adding in some type of network connectivity now
network connectivity would be provided by the shop, I think there is some extension to the rfid specification which makes 2-way communication possible. SSL could be used for additional security (would increase the power usage of the device though)

About theft of such a device, well as it would be a replacement for cash you would need to take care of it and never keep all your savings in it. A pin code could be employed but wouldn't stop a skilled and well equipped thief.


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: NothinG on March 25, 2012, 11:15:46 PM
Where are we at with this?

Any dedicated bitcoin storage hardware yet?
We are at stand-alone hardware that doesn't reline on a local blockchain. ( http://ecdsa.org/electrum/ )


Title: Re: Standalone Dedicated Bitcoin Device
Post by: NothinG on March 25, 2012, 11:35:27 PM
Any dedicated bitcoin storage hardware yet?
I meant software.