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Author Standalone network(able) POP3 notify-er?
pow
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Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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   20th Oct 10 at 09:36   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Hey guys,

Basically looking for something quite simple but not sure if it exists. My grandma uses a computer for emails, little bit of web surfing and generally staying in touch with her guest-house guests and friends around the world. Thing is, she often 'forgets' to check her emails on a regular basis - which I can understand as she doesn't use a computer each day and without turning the computer on and sitting down and checking them which takes her a little while bless her.

Is there some sort device I could plug into her router/connect via wifi (IE. so it has internet connection) that would just poll the pop3 server every x seconds/minutes and just light up/show an LED/flash whatever when there is a new message?

If not, I can see a project coming on!

Thanks
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 09:52   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-Email-Notifier-POP3-Mail-Skype-MSN-Hotmail-/290488053381?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item43a26fee85

But standalone - IE the computer doesn't have to be switched on, it's 802.11 wireless or plugged into an network socket
Brett
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20th Oct 10 at 09:53   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
I saw this thing in the Firebox catalogue yesterday

http://www.firebox.com/product/2595/Chumby?via=cat
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 10:25   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Looks good but I little to coomplicated!

Thanks anyway thought Brett
Brett
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20th Oct 10 at 10:30   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
lol after you posted that other notifier I thought what I posted wasn't what you're after However, I like that little one you found. Might get one for £2.50 delivered from Hong Kong and wait a couple of weeks.
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 10:41   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
I want one that doesn't rely on a computer though, Grandma really doesn't want hers on all the time lol!
Brett
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20th Oct 10 at 10:52   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Yeah, that is an issue

I thought it might be handy for me to stick near the media centre to easily see when a mail has arrived. Totally pointless because I'm always on the laptop but I want one for some reason They're not too intrusive at just over 7cm wide I thought.

[Edited on 20-10-2010 by loafofbrett]
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 10:58   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Thinking about it technically, the most difficult bit would be finding/programming some hardware.

You could setup a webpage somewhere that is quite simply a 0 when there's no email and a 1 when there is email. Just get the device to point to that, IF 0 then no light, IF 1 then light. It's the network connectivity that would be difficult!
Brett
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20th Oct 10 at 11:11   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Is there such a thing as a wireless USB bridge?
Russ
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20th Oct 10 at 11:14   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
What about Joggler? Couldnt that be used? (sorry if I'm talking shit)
stubs
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20th Oct 10 at 11:36   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by loafofbrett
Yeah, that is an issue

I thought it might be handy for me to stick near the media centre to easily see when a mail has arrived. Totally pointless because I'm always on the laptop but I want one for some reason They're not too intrusive at just over 7cm wide I thought.

[Edited on 20-10-2010 by loafofbrett]


Windows Media Centre? ...don't they have any plugins available to save you the money?
stubs
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20th Oct 10 at 11:36   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Russ
What about Joggler? Couldnt that be used? (sorry if I'm talking shit)


That sounds like a good call.. and they're quite cheap
John
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20th Oct 10 at 11:43   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
There are loads of diy solutions to this pow normally on hackaday involving an arduino.

I can't find any that don't need a computer now I'm looking

[Edited on 20-10-2010 by John]
Brett
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20th Oct 10 at 11:52   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by stubs
Windows Media Centre? ...don't they have any plugins available to save you the money?

You can still run outlook in the background so it'd work fine.
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 11:53   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
John, if you stumble across one can you link me up?
stubs
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20th Oct 10 at 11:55   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Hmm, and me please. I have a mate that would like one of these.
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 11:56   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
http://hackaday.com/2009/09/05/arduino-email-alert/

Hello
John
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20th Oct 10 at 11:59   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Knew there was one with an ethernet shield somewhere.
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 12:03   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Ohh now I'm gunna get obsessive over this project lol!
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 12:20   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
http://opensource-torchris.blogspot.com/2009/09/arduino-pop3-email-checker.html

Looks very plug and play, might pack it up into one of those envalope things that I linked to on ebay... I'll have to price up stuff to do it!
Dom
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20th Oct 10 at 14:33   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Problem with Arduino shields and boards is that they're pretty expensive, eg: Ethernet Shield is £25 (old model, newer model is £35) and the Arduion is around £20 (although look at Seediunos which are exactly the same, run same bootloader/code etc and cheaper).

Personally i'd look at the Joggler route (condsiering they're £50 anyways) as i'm sure there are email widgets for it, otherwise install ubuntu and knock something up on that.
pow
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20th Oct 10 at 15:03   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Next problem: Google's POP servers are SSL
VrsTurbo
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20th Oct 10 at 15:46   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
just get the old wench to turn on her laptop to check every so often
John
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20th Oct 10 at 17:26   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
Can get an arduino dueminlova 328 off ebay for about £15.
Bart
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20th Oct 10 at 19:26   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote
pics of your said Gran?

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