How about someone gets a Sharp Zaurus Sl-5500/5600 or and iPaq and and install Linux on it? The Zaurus comes with a Linux based OS on it and you could make it better with Openzaurus which is even closer to the real thing. That way, a Linux dashboard or whatnot could be created on a PC and then recompiled for a handheld (with some unit specific modifications obviously). With that much out of the way, someone would just need to create a driver for the I/O port on the Zaurus to be used for the serial connection. It shouldn't be that hard, and the Zaurus is a very dependable unit... it even has a nifty little hidden QWERTY keyboard under the lower face... heh...