Tux Droid delivers a very Merry Linuxmas

happygeek 0 573 Views

Although it could be argued that your average fanboy has already got the present they wanted this xmas in the continuing growth of Linux in terms of both actual deployment and media popularity, or maybe the arrival of the Linux server for Unreal Tournament 3 or even the fact that the BBC iPlayer is now Linux compatible. But no, believe me, when they see the dancing plastic penguin that announces the arrival of new email all that will change.

Anyone into weird and wonderful geeky gadgets will probably recall the manic WiFi rabbit that was and which could tell you when you had new email by waggling his ears or read you the contents of a live newsfeed for example. Well now Linux users have got their very own version in the shape of the Tux Droid which promises to kick some robotic robot ass.

Tux Droid is essentially an open source version of Nabaztag so there are no subscription fees, and the software used is totally customizable should you wish to make it do pretty much anything you like. Oh, and as the name suggests, this is no manic rabbit but rather a large and intelligent plastic version of the Linux mascot, Tux, itself.

Suitably enough, the Tux Droid does not work with Windows so you'll need to be a Linux fanboy already and have a free USB slot to stick your small plastic fish in. This is getting a little surreal now, but yes the wireless transmitter does resemble a small plastic fish I am afraid. Once that's done, the real fun begins as you can configure Tux to dance when your email arrives, or operate as your VoIP phone (just don't let anyone see you talking to a penguin.) Get your hands dirty with the open source Python software included and you can code your own applications to exploit the sound or touch inputs, the blinking and flashing eyes, swiveling base, flapping wings and so on.

Tux is rechargeable, supports Linux Kernel 2.4 or later, and incorporates Atmel AVR RISC microcontrollers (code is compiled with GCC and AVR-LIBC) with 4Mbits flash memory for onboard sound. It comes complete with an integrated microphone, infrared receiver, light sensor, switch sensors in both wings, and even a 3.5mm mono audio socket but I am not telling you where…

Dani AI

Generated

Great thread — echoing , and : this thing is fun. Quick reality-check and a practical answer to : Tux Droid was originally a Linux-only toy at launch, but the official software later expanded (TuxBox 2.0) and community mirrors host installers and firmware. (arstechnica.com)

Short answer for OS X: there was never an official macOS build. Practical workarounds that people have used are (a) run a Linux guest (VirtualBox/Parallels) and pass the USB receiver through to the VM, or (b) run the Windows TuxBox in a Windows VM or compatibility mode — community reports show this works sometimes but can be flaky (USB passthrough and driver/compatibility quirks are the usual pain points). Expect to prefer a native Linux host if you can. (web3.lu)

If you’re on Linux: use the community download area for TuxBox, voice packs and firmware, install the .deb or tarball for your distro, enable ALSA/Pulse access and start the tux daemons. The control UI exposes a local web interface and a Python API; a minimal Python connection looks like this:

#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
sys.path.append("/opt/tuxdroid/api/python")
from tux import *
tux.daemon.connect()
print(tux.status.battery_level())
tux.destroy()

(Adjust paths/python version to match your install.) Official/community packages, TTS files and firmware are available from the Kysoh/community archives. (tuxdroid.tounepi.com)

Troubleshooting tips: plug the USB receiver into a direct port (not an unpowered hub), add a udev rule or run with appropriate privileges if USB access is denied, and back up any gadget/plugin files since the original online depot and store are no longer reliable. Community archives and the Kysoh download mirrors are the best place to start. (web3.lu)

Member Avatar for blud
blud 82 Linux Reject

I want one >.<

Member Avatar for Sturm
Sturm 270 Veteran Poster

Awesome

Member Avatar for uniquestar
uniquestar 26 Posting Whiz in Training

Will it work on OS X?

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