Panasonic CF-W7 with Ubuntu

While spinning real fast, I managed to acquire Panasonic Toughbook CF-W7 for traveling computer. With 2 G memory, small form factor and integrated 3G module.

I think hardware is great, but as Panasonic and Novatel cannot support Linux, I ended up again into hacking things up. I noticed that vendor and product id's of integrated Expedite EU870D module are like: 1410:2420. I can access module with minicom in Ubuntu after I load usbserial module with: "modprobe usbserial vendor=0x1410 product=0x2420" - but still, I think Novatel sucks a lot.

It cannot support any AT command which I happen to know and responses from Panasonic and Novatel are like; "Give us an NDA and we reveal more". Hey, I just want my computer up and running!

But anyway, I noticed that community is doing great job. They already included new product and vendor id's into usbserial module option.c and forthcoming kernels can do tricks once again and without any NDA crap from Panasonic and Novatel. (I also wonder how it ended, Novatel's recruiting for Linux expertise which was on their site a year ago?). And to make story perfect, I have not heard a thing from Novatel support about the Linux and AT command support (submitted at 21.2.2008).

But one thing keeps me happy and it's Finland toughbook team. Great guys with good attitude!