The inexpensive Video-Phone project

Happy new year!!!
After my adventures trying to build Android from source, I want to explain the reason for that.
As I live very far from my fathers and they’re elder, I’ve been thinking for a long time how to have a easy way to make videoconf with them and share photos… The usual things you know?
The main problem was that they’ve never used a PC and the newest gadget they have is a Nokia X2


So I decided to try a Tablet, I bought a very inexpensive tablet (Ainol Torandos), which is not available now (replaced by that one for example).

At the beginning my intention was to run inside the tablet:

So I will have complete access to the Tablet either by ssh & vnc trough VPN.
The main problem was that Ainol release the kernel without the TUN kernel module (that was the reason for trying to build the android source).
The solution? Install the custom firmware available and develop a pseudo-vpn-like script which will launch reverse tunneled connections through SSH (I will provide under request).

I used the “ssh tunnel BETA” cause it has the native openssh client binaries (with Reverse tunnel+pubkey auth ops ;-))

In the launcher section I decided to use Big Launcher (the reason is obvious), the result was great! Just replacing the “Android Call” application by skype in the launcher, and the SMS’s by GMail, not much more (15minutes).

And you’ll ask me… The internet connection? Well I decided to use my super-hacker knowledge, I select Social Engineering as the attack method, add with my Charisma punctuation in a 2d10+5 launch (LOL) and get the wifi password from my parent’s neighbour :-) (instead of using the common airodump+aireply combination :-P)
Knowing that they have a 10MB/1MB ADSL connection a skype video conf will not cause a loss of time while downloading their pr0n :-P

The whole cost of the project was:

  • Tablet: ~63€
  • Big Launcher: 8€
  • 12 hours of dev/engineering: 0€ :-P

That is, about ~70€ and you’ll get a VERY USABLE system which you’ll easily control, the perfect Christmas gift!
You’re elder fathers will be very happy seeing you and some shots of your day-to-day lifetime :-)
Cheers!

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