We'd like to inquire more info about the Carambola nano.

We're currently developing against the Roving Network RN-171. We're evaluating the Carambola, but the nano is very intriguing to us because it has the same form factor as the RN-171, which means we won't have to change our board much.

However, we can't develop with speculation. So if you can provide more info about the nano, it would be great. We'll continue to work on the Carambola, but we need to know if we can use the nano for production. Information that we're keenly interested are:

1. Price
2. GPIOs - how many?
3. Antenna options - chip/board/ufl?
4. Release date

If you can't divulge information publicly, please contact me directly. Thank you.

If I remember correctly I read somewhere in another post here that development on the carambola nano was halted because the SoC they used isn't supported by OpenWRT.

Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Is OpenWRT support a requirement? If the Linux kernel supports it and there's a compiler for the platform, it should be usable. Am I missing something? I think the Carambola nano would be a better choice for deep integration into another system, where it running OpenWRT doesn't make much sense, it would probably have a very specific (and specialized) job.

Openwrt is not a requirement. As long as I can develop my own firmware, it's fine. In fact, Ralink does provide an SDK with 2.6.21 kernel which is what's running on most Ralink based routers right now.

The nano is attractive because of its form factor. There are lots more options to integrate into our board. All we need is a minimal wifi SoC with I2C and GPIOs, and the nano seems to be just that.

Any comment from 8devices folks?

We're currently developing against the Roving Network RN-171. We're evaluating the Carambola, but the nano is very intriguing to us because it has the same form factor as the RN-171, which means we won't have to change our board much.

Form factor is not 100% like RN-171 because Carambola Nano has GPIO pins instead RN-171 analog inputs.Also Carambola Nano has additional Ethernet interface.

However, we can't develop with speculation. So if you can provide more info about the nano, it would be great. We'll continue to work on the Carambola, but we need to know if we can use the nano for production. Information that we're keenly interested are:

1. Price

15 Eur -25 Eur

2. GPIOs - how many?

11 ?

3. Antenna options - chip/board/ufl?

One of pin of QFN package

4. Release date

If we will decide to run mass production probably 2012 Q4
BTW current consumption of Carambola Nano will be much higher than RN-171

Also we are working on Carambola Pico module.
Based on GB96362G WiFi SIP module:
http://www.ampak.com.tw/product.php?id=21
Main CPU will be Cortex M3 STM32F107 + open source OS Ethernut or FreeRTOS .
Package something like RN-171 or little bit smaller.

Cool. I assume I2C is there just like the carambola?

We don't expect the nano to be exactly the same size as the RN. We like it for its size, which gives us many options to integrate it onto our board. Power is not a problem because our product is wall plugged.

Please sign me up as soon as it's available. Even at pre-production.

Dear gedass,

Any more news from the nano (or Pico...) Carambola ?
I just got a great idea!

Thanks
Anthony

I have only 1 nano module and 1 motherboard.
How many modules you need ?