├── README.md ├── 2022-08 ├── August 26th 2022 side A.md ├── August 26th 2022 side B.md ├── August 19th 2022 side A.md └── August 6th 2022 side A.md └── 2022-09 ├── September 16th 2022 side A.md ├── September 9th 2022 side A.md └── September 23rd 2022 side A.md /README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # About 2 | 3 | This repository contains archive of most Flipper Zero Question and Answer sessions. 4 | *Note that archival is a community effort.* 5 | 6 | # When 7 | 8 | We do Question and Answer session every week on Saturday, 01:00 and 13:00 (GMT) 9 | 10 | | Time zone | Side A | Side B | 11 | | :------------: | :-----: | :-----: | 12 | | GMT/UTC | 01:00 | 13:00 | 13 | | Pacific (PDT) | 6:00 PM | 6:00 AM | 14 | | Mountain (MDT) | 7:00 PM | 7:00 AM | 15 | | Central (CDT) | 8:00 PM | 8:00 AM | 16 | | Eastern (EDT) | 9:00 PM | 9:00 AM | 17 | | China Standard | 09:00 | 21:00 | 18 | | India Standard | 06:30 | 18:30 | 19 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-08/August 26th 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### August 26th 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08262022-a](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08262022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Week in review: 9 | > - Released 0.65.2 firmware (Includes new RFID protocols). 10 | > - New provisioning system is being rolled out to factory. 11 | > - ELF plugin loading is almost ready to release. 12 | 13 | ### Where is the company based out of? 14 | > Head office: US DE, production office is in Shenzhen China, R&D in Europe and Asia. 15 | 16 | ### How is Flipper Zero programmed? 17 | > Firmware is based on FreeRTOS and written in C. It's open source and can be found on GitHub. 18 | > - Some bits are still C++, but it will be deprecated before version 1.0 19 | 20 | ### What can the WiFi board do? 21 | > It's intended to act as a wireless debugger, as an alternative to an ST-Link. 22 | > - You can also write your own firmware for the WiFi board to do other stuff 23 | 24 | ### Does this mean factory firmware is going to be upgraded? Have you considered shipping a minimal firmware that prompts the user to update via qFlipper or the mobile app? 25 | > Yes, out-of-box firmware will be upgraded, such that Sub-GHz transmission won't be usable until the region is provisioned. A minimal firmware isn't required since you're already prompted to update upon first start. 26 | 27 | ### What is the Flipper team's near to mid-term roadmap for SubGhz and 125kHz modules? 28 | > Adding protocols to NFC, RFID, and Sub-GHz has been made more streamlined. In the near future, RFID's C++ code will be rewritten in C. 29 | 30 | ### Has there been any progress on deciding new BadUSB language? 31 | > A discovery was made that a tiny JavaScript interpreter can be packed in to the firmware. It's still in the research stage, but it seems like a promising path. 32 | 33 | ### Is there any reason I shouldn't replace (940)nm IR LED's with (850)nm IR LED's? 34 | > It would decrease overall power output, but some devices prefer (850)nm LED's. 35 | 36 | ### if I get the Flipper Zero, how can I open a garage door without having the garage key? 37 | > If you know the protocol of your garage, you can generate a new key on the Flipper and tell your garage to learn it. 38 | 39 | ### How common is it for Flipper to get damaged in shipping? 40 | > Only ~10 out of 60,000 shipments have been damaged beyond the point of use so far. If your order is damaged, open a support ticket for replacement. 41 | 42 | ### Any updates on ELF (SD-card apps) loading? 43 | > Yes, it will be rolled out in the next firmware release. After that, the API will be finalized and UI/UX work will be done. 44 | 45 | ### Can/will RAM be expanded? 46 | > Hardware wise, no it's not possible. However, software measures are being taken to reduce overall RAM usage. 47 | 48 | ### Can the consumer replace the battery should it start having charging issues in the future? Or is it sealed in there? 49 | > Yes, the device can be disassembled and the battery can be replaced. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Flipper+Zero+Teardown/151455 50 | > - Contact Flipper Support for exact replacement battery, however most of similar size and spec should work. 51 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-09/September 16th 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### September 16th 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09162022-a](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09162022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Week in review: 9 | > - FAP (SD card) app loading has been merged into the firmware! 10 | > - Build tool updated to support compilation of apps. 11 | > - Automated API versioning system added to guarantee app compatibility. 12 | 13 | ### When will Canada get a restock? 14 | > October. 15 | 16 | ### Is there documentation for the SD card filesystem structure? 17 | > Generally speaking all apps work in the folder with the same name, and inside of those the assets folder typically holds settings. 18 | 19 | ### When I plug in the WiFi dev board, the LED turns red. What's going wrong? 20 | > This is intentional. The dev board ships with debugging firmware, and the red lights indicates it's ready to start a debugging session. If you want to use the WiFi dev board for other purposes, check out community resources. 21 | 22 | ### What was inspiration for Flipper Zero? 23 | > Why carry many devices in your backpack when you can just carry one? 24 | 25 | ### Whats the manufacturing cost of the device? 26 | > Depends on what to include into manufacturing cost. 27 | 28 | ### In the future, are you planning to bring out a second revision? 29 | > There's plans for a Flipper Zero Rev 2, Flipper One, and Flipper Nano. 30 | > - Nano will be announced in Winter, but didn't I just announce it here now? 31 | 32 | ### Is it worth waiting for the second revision of the Flipper Zero? 33 | > Mk.2 is still under development and won't be ready for around a year and a half. 34 | 35 | ### Is there a visible roadmap anywhere for future releases? 36 | > Yes, it's located in the main firmware repository. Additionally, there's numerous Miro boards that visualize future plans. 37 | 38 | ### WIll the PayPal interruptions affect shipping? 39 | > No. 40 | 41 | ### At any point in the near future, is the Flipper Team interested in social media promoters? 42 | > Yes. 43 | > - i.e. testimonials of good use, like returning a lost tagged pet to its owner. 44 | 45 | ### Will qFlipper allow updates via update packages instead of DFU? 46 | > It's possible. 47 | 48 | ### Will it be possible to write apps in different languages? (Such as Rust) 49 | > If you can get it working, then yes. However, it won't be officially supported. 50 | 51 | ### What will be included in future API's? 52 | > All of FURI, some FreeRTOS primitives (such as streams), and basically all libraries/services. 53 | 54 | ### Will I be able to write NFC in the future? 55 | > Yes, most types of NFC tags (Except DESFire and EMV) will be able to be written by Flipper. 56 | 57 | ### If I get someone's Tesla card, can I unlock their car? 58 | > No, the cards can not be cloned since they are EMV-based. 59 | > - Universal remote for AC is on the way 60 | 61 | ### Would it be possible to have the Flipper Zero act as a USB NFC scanner? 62 | > For the foreseeable future, no this won't be possible. 63 | > - ArduBoy games might be able to be loaded on Flipper 64 | 65 | ### Would it be possible to use the Flipper as a Thumb-drive via the USB? Is this on the roadmap? 66 | > Since the SD card is accessed in SPI mode, transfer speeds are painfully slow in USB use cases. The idea has been long abandoned. 67 | 68 | ### Is there a limit to how many times you can flash the flipper firmware? Will the flash chip wear out at some point? 69 | > Chip spec guarantees 10k write operations, however nobody (even heavy developers who flash constantly) have experienced any issues. A stress test of ~40k cycles has been conducted without issue as well. 70 | > - SD card app loading means you'll have to flash much less. 71 | 72 | ### Why do some NFC cards start a dictionary attack? 73 | > This occurs when reading a Mifare Classic. Just leave the device on the card and it will eventually complete. 74 | > - Potentially add a warning before dict. attack starts to inform user why its taking so long? 75 | 76 | ### What is diff between R01 R02 and R03? Is it firmware or hardware or software? 77 | > They used to be relevant before the new provisioning system was added, but now it's all obsolete. 78 | > - After September, all new devices will ship with R04 (international) but provisioning system will take over. 79 | 80 | ### How do I read a chipped pet's tag? 81 | > RFID App, extra actions, read ASK. 82 | 83 | ### Is it possible to brick a NFC implant while running a dictionary attack? 84 | > Not if it's NFC, potentially if it's RFID. 85 | 86 | ### Can the sending device be determined from a SubGHz or IR signal? 87 | > No. 88 | 89 | ### Is it possible to interact with FM/AM radio? 90 | > No, hardware only supports digital signals. 91 | > - Flipper one will have SDR 92 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-09/September 9th 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### September 9th 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09092022-a](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09092022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Week in review 9 | > - SD card app loading delayed until next release. 10 | > - RFID app has been converted to C. 11 | > - API's may change frequently until version 1.0. 12 | > - External libraries can be linked in apps. 13 | > - RFAL is being phased out in favor of FURI HAL. 14 | 15 | ### How is Mifare Classic emulation being worked on? 16 | > Due to NXP's closed ecosystem, the NFC chip doesn't have native hardware support for Mifare Classic emulation. Instead, all the emulation has to take place via software in Flipper's firmware. 17 | > - Flipper is doing the best it can to emulate. 18 | > - Typically emulation issues are due to the reader being off-timing. 19 | > - If emulation isn't working, consider sending your debug logs/pcap file to one of the NFC developers. 20 | 21 | ### Is it possible to fully and save and emulate a credit/debit card in any way, shape, or form? 22 | > No. What you see when scanning one is the extent of what Flipper is able to read from it. 23 | > - Technically speaking, those cards are micro-sized computers. They only talk to payment terminals. 24 | 25 | ### News on September restocks? 26 | > Every month brings 2 store restocks, production is running 24/7. Next restock is close to the end of September. 27 | > - Flippers are coming to Amazon soon™ 28 | 29 | ### Can AirDrop's be sent from Flipper? 30 | > No, for many reasons that are too complicated to explain here. 31 | > - Long story short: The reason it doesn't work on Android is the same reason it's not possible on Flipper. 32 | 33 | ### What is PicoPass? 34 | > It's a type of NFC tag produced by HID for their iCLASS readers. A separate plugin was made to read and write the tags. 35 | 36 | ### Are there any plans for official firmware to support saving rolling codes? 37 | > The official firmware can actually recognize rolling codes, however allowing users to save them presents a lot of issues. 38 | > - Besides the potential legal misuse, you'd probably desync your original keyfob. 39 | 40 | ### Could your turn off the motion sensor inside a Ring doorbell with Flipper? 41 | > Simply isn't possible. 42 | > - You might be able to break the lens glass if you throw your Flipper at it hard enough! (This is obviously a joke.) 43 | 44 | ### When is the Flipper One coming? 45 | > It's still in the prototyping stage, currently researching SDR options. 46 | 47 | ### State of SD card app loading? 48 | > Mostly working and ready, will be in release candidate very soon. 49 | 50 | ### Is support for other keyboard layouts coming to BadUSB? 51 | > There's a few pull requests that address this, but they're on pause until SD app loading is finished. 52 | > - It's not possible to auto-detect what layout a computer is using. 53 | 54 | ### Is RPC over hardware UART coming? 55 | > Can't be easily done, but it would be useful for future hardware modules. 56 | 57 | ### Have you seen any integration into an OBD2 port from Flipper? 58 | > Not possible using just Flipper, but a external module could implement the communication protocol. 59 | 60 | ### Why can't I access files located outside their intended folders from the mobile app? 61 | > This is a known bug, it will be fixed in some future release. 62 | > - Alternatively, use the mobile app's "File Browser" menu to manually browse Flipper's filesystem. 63 | 64 | ### On Flipper One and future hardwares, can we get mounting points for external modules? 65 | > The GPIO soldered joint is pretty strong, but this question will be taken into mind. 66 | 67 | ### What can the CLI do? 68 | > If you connect to Flipper over serial, you can access a command-line interface. It's also where logs can be found. 69 | > - It's not Bash or any other typical shell, it's Flipper-specific. 70 | 71 | ### Can I buy individual replacement parts/components for Flipper Zero? 72 | > Plans are in the works, could be ready in a few months. 73 | > - It will probably be sold through a site like iFixit. 74 | > - If your device is currently broken, contact support for replacements. 75 | 76 | ### Why aren't pull request getting merged? 77 | > They're mostly delayed until SD app loading is merged. 78 | 79 | ### How will SD apps be distributed? 80 | > The most important apps (like PicoPass) will be merged into official firmware distributions, while an official app repository will be opened for everything else. 81 | > - It will integrate with the mobile apps. 82 | 83 | ### If I have a radio license, can I unlock transmission on extra frequencies? 84 | > Officially, not yet. Flipper was designed to follow regulations first. 85 | > - The introductions of provisioning files might allow this in the future. 86 | > - Work is being done on allowing more transmission frequencies by default in some countries. 87 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-08/August 26th 2022 side B.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### August 26th 2022 (Side B) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08262022-b](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08262022-b) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Are there any plans of releasing replacement parts on iFixit or similar sources? 9 | > In the future replacement parts will be sold via an online shop, but currently replacement parts can be purchased by opening a support ticket 10 | 11 | ### i think this was asked before, but as far as i remember there should be a Flipper Zero MK2 in future – how much of a hardware difference would be between MK1 and MK2? 12 | > It's going to be the hardware equivalent of a bugfix. Functionality and firmware wise, nothing should change. 13 | 14 | ### Is ELF loading the same as SD card apps? 15 | > Yes, ELF is the technical name. 16 | 17 | ### is there any talks of updating the iButton app to support other models of Dallas iButttons like the DS1994? 18 | > Currently nobody is working on the iButton application. If enough people request more protocols, then some work might be done. Alternatively, a pull request could be opened. 19 | 20 | ### The newest firmware supports raw RFID read. Can you tell a bit on how to look into the generated files? 21 | > It's a passive system that was intended to help the developers implement support for reading more tag types. 22 | > - It's a binary format with specially packed integers, support to view such files are coming soon. 23 | 24 | ### I saw some playground with JavaScript. Will this be supported in the FW? 25 | > Yes, it will probably be the new BadUSB language. 26 | > - JS was chosen because a tiny interpreter was available. 27 | 28 | ### What can we expect from the “Speedup SD card & enlarge your RAM” change? 29 | > The Pull Request makes more efficient use of memory between the CPU's Cores. As for the SD card, reads will be cached as blocks to make future retrieval quicker. Currently no write cache. 30 | 31 | ### Are Bluetooth/WiFi attacks that potentially use the ESP expansion board out of scope for the main firmware? 32 | > (Insert limitations of Bluetooth stack and having to write your own ESP firmware here) 33 | 34 | ### What exactly goes over the subghz external debug pin and why did you add it? 35 | > Sometimes when working on new tools, internal tools might not be enough. Thus, this was added to allow for external tools to analyze signals. 36 | 37 | ### Could someone explain the pins on the flipper. Are they soldered or do they sit in place? 38 | > They're soldered pogo pins, and can be replaced if needed. 39 | 40 | ### What's the AMAP process that was recently added to GH Actions? 41 | > AMAP is a static analysis tool that tracks how much space is allocated to code. PVS Studio analyzes potentially dangerous code. 42 | > - Currently all reported issues by both tools are being worked out. Once done, PR's will have mandatory checks under these tools. 43 | 44 | ### Is there any project of integrating a magnetic strip reader on the next Flipper? 45 | > During last year's hackathon, someone actually made one. However, putting it into a portable external module was difficult. 46 | > - Magstrip emulation is unofficially possible with RFID coil. 47 | 48 | ### Any plans on clear case? 49 | > It's coming, but no specific date yet. 50 | 51 | ### Since you said JS would probably be used for scripting. What can be scripted? Could I for example send various sub files after each other with it? 52 | > Most likely yes, since it will have FFI bindings. 53 | 54 | ### with dynamic app loading, do you think it may be possible to reduce the size of the fw enough to have space for the the Bluetooth+Zigbee radio stack? 55 | > Unfortunately no. Zigbee by itself is really big (500 kb) and full Bluetooth stack takes 200 kb. Since the firmware already takes up 600 kb, it's nearly impossible to include both. 56 | 57 | ### other question about dynamic loading: (except for background services) will it be possible in theory to have all apps offloaded to SD? or are some features/API calls requiring some app code to be in the fw? 58 | > Currently some apps are coupled to firmware libraries and can't easily be put to SD card, while others can. 59 | 60 | ### would it be illegal to break this core 2 protection? 61 | > (Go back and listen to recording) 62 | 63 | ### Many STM controllers have a FMC interface that lets you map external devices into your memory map. Does the current MCU support that maybe so you could add an external flash on further iterations? 64 | > Flipper's CPU has this capability, however there's no free GPIO pins to map for this purpose. 65 | 66 | ### Ever thought about a mini version in a smartwatch form factor? 67 | > Without huge compromises, this isn't possible. 68 | 69 | ### What are the purpose of the new files on internal flash? 70 | > The internal flash stores mainly settings files, but also your Flipper's region-provisioned file (Necessary for Sub-GHz transmission) 71 | 72 | ### Now that region file is in internal flash, are you going to prevent external apps to prevent writing to it? 73 | > There's not going to be any documentation on the file format. 74 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-09/September 23rd 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### September 23rd 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09232022-a](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-09232022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Week in review 9 | > - SD card app loading finally released! 10 | > - SDK currently supports C language, C++ is coming. Rust may or may not be supported in the future as well. 11 | > - C++ has been completely removed from the main firmware. 12 | > - Work on a universal AC remote has begun. 13 | > - Certain NFC transit cards can have their balance read. 14 | > - PicoPass app has been added to official firmware distribution. 15 | > - Basic dummy mode has been added in a MVP state. 16 | > - qFlipper has been natively ported to M1 Mac. 17 | > - qFlipper can update with bundles in addition to DFU's. 18 | 19 | ### How do we know when Flipper accessories are in stock? 20 | > Unfortunately, you'll just have to check the page frequently. 21 | > - Stock notifications might be added to the Flipper Discord bot. 22 | > - Sometimes stock might be posted in the #updates channel. 23 | 24 | ### Any plans on releasing a qFlipper Flatpak? 25 | > Currently no, but you're welcome to open a request issue on the qFlipper repo. 26 | 27 | ### Any tips for compiling applications? 28 | > Read the docs included in the official firmware repo: https://github.com/flipperdevices/flipperzero-firmware/blob/dev/documentation/AppsOnSDCard.md 29 | 30 | ### Any plans on making Flipper available in more countries? 31 | > Main Flipper store restocks twice a month on average, but regional vendors are being partnered with to offer Flipper via other sites or even in stores. 32 | > - Official reseller for Europe is Lab401. 33 | > - Flipper Zero will be sold on Amazon once enough units are stocked up. 34 | 35 | ### Is Flipper region-locked to the country of purchase? 36 | > This used to be the case, but now region provisioning occurs based on your current location whenever you update your firmware. 37 | 38 | ### Is there a web UI for Flipper? 39 | > Yes! my.flipp.dev works on Chromium-based browsers (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera/Opera GX, Brave, and Vivaldi) 40 | > - If you also have qFlipper installed, make sure it's closed before opening the website. 41 | > - Also try https://flippermaker.github.io, it's community-made and works on mobile. 42 | 43 | ### Are SD card apps updated alongside firmware? 44 | > Yes, official apps are updated when you update the firmware. Of course, you can also update them manually. 45 | > - Official 'app repo' will be coming soon. 46 | 47 | ### Any plans to add a frequency spectrum analyzer? 48 | > It's a topic of interest, but low priority. Pull requests are welcome! 49 | > - Existing apps miss some edge-cases. 50 | > - Hardware limitation makes it difficult to scan ranges of frequencies. 51 | 52 | ### Does the flipper have a optimal frame rate for animation? 53 | > Nothing specific, just keep in mind pixels can't switch on and off instantly. 54 | 55 | ### Any updates on JS BadUSB interpreter? 56 | > Still in backlog. 57 | 58 | ### When will the next US shipment go out? 59 | > Next week. 60 | 61 | ### Should precautions be taken with using Flipper in extreme heat? 62 | > Same general precautions as any other device with a battery, don't leave it in the sun. 63 | > - Battery circuit has over-current, under/over voltage protections in place. 64 | > - Also direct sunlight can damage the screen. 65 | > - Internal temperatures can be read via the CLI command `power info` 66 | 67 | ### How's the battery life? 68 | > It can last between a few days and a week depending on usage. 69 | > - Hardware low power mode is being looked in to, which could improve battery life up to 3x. 70 | 71 | ### Any plan to store BadUSB exfiltrations on the SD card? (Mass storage emulation) 72 | > Flipper interfaces with MicroSD via SPI, which is much slower but more power efficient than normal SD. While it's possible, proofs of concept have shown transfer speeds are extremely slow and thus won't be implemented. 73 | > - Alternatives: Plug in a flash drive alongside Flipper, or utilize cloud storage. 74 | 75 | ### Is it possible to make a Flipper key logger? 76 | > No, it can only act as a USB client. 77 | > - Just buy an OMG cable or something. 78 | > - Might be possible with wireless keyboards and NRF24 module 79 | 80 | ### How far can various signals be transmitted? 81 | > - For IR expect 1x to 2x the distance of your normal remote. 82 | > - SubGHz averages 30-50m, max observed is 100m. 83 | > - BLE is approx 50m. 84 | > - NFC has to be within a few inches/centimeters. 85 | > - RFID is similar to NFC, perhaps a bit further in a few cases. 86 | 87 | ### Can a Bluetooth keyboard be paired for CLI use? 88 | > No, CLI takes place over USB serial protocol. 89 | 90 | ### Will there be more Tamogatchi features in the future? 91 | > Currently, the more use use Flipper the more you level up. Each of the 3 levels unlocks new desktop animations. 92 | > - Flipper isn't legally allowed to use names like Tamogatchi. 93 | 94 | ### Can the CLI be used over GPIO instead of USB? 95 | > No, USB is the only way to access the CLI currently. 96 | 97 | ### Why is Ameebo misspelled in the NFC app? 98 | > It isn't. The 'typo' is very intentional, because Ninendo are in deep love with copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-08/August 19th 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### August 19th 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/httpsarchive.orgdetailsflipperzero-qa-08192022-a](https://archive.org/details/httpsarchive.orgdetailsflipperzero-qa-08192022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### Week in review: 9 | > - Very successful week 10 | > - Deployed region provisioning (More granular than old 3 regions) 11 | > - RFID redesign finished (Now supports animal tags) 12 | > - SD Card app loading is scheduled for next release 13 | 14 | ### How does this new region provisioning affect old Flippers? 15 | > The old system will be overridden and will work like new devices. Your flipper region will be updated according to your real location. 16 | 17 | ### How do I change my device's region? 18 | > Currently it is done during while upgrading the Firmware from qFlipper or mobile app. 19 | > - When upgrading firmware from SD card, nothing is changed. 20 | > - Factory reset will wipe region provisioning 21 | 22 | ### Do VPN's affect region provisioning? 23 | > Yes and no. Data is acquired from multiple sources (SIM card region, IP geolocation, Phone region, etc.) 24 | > - Most VPNs will not be counted as a valid source. 25 | > - Precise location is NOT used. 26 | > - Decision and region file generation done in companion app. 27 | > - No private data exposed to us. 28 | 29 | ### Is there a getting started guide to control GPIO? 30 | > Official documentation & SDK is coming after version 1.0. 31 | > - In the mean time, [https://github.com/mfulz/Flipper-Plugin-Tutorial](https://github.com/mfulz/Flipper-Plugin-Tutorial) is a good guide on how to make an app. 32 | 33 | ### As someone coming from TikTok, what is the stance on people opening Tesla charging ports and similar things? 34 | > It's not endorsed nor condoned, yet end users won't be stopped from doing it. 35 | 36 | ### Is Flipper illegal? 37 | > No. The device has certifications and stock firmware is compliant with local regulations. 38 | > - Think of it like a knife: You can use it properly to cut food, or illegally to stab someone. 39 | 40 | ### Will devices be shipped to South Australia? 41 | > Yes. Australian Customs were causing some delays before(vet control), but should be fine now. You can order flipper in our shop. 42 | 43 | ### Is there a possibility of adding Rust as a supported language? 44 | > There is no such plans. In the beginning it was considered, but in the end C was chosen for being more efficient. 45 | > - However it is possible to use in third party firmware/apps 46 | 47 | ### When will mfkey32v2 (Mifare Classic reader attack) be part of firmware/mobile app? 48 | > It's scheduled for the next sprint (2 weeks) and should arrive some time after that. 49 | 50 | ### How does the companion app interface with the Flipper and what are the benefits of it? 51 | > RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is used to send commands and responses between devices. 52 | > - This API will be opened up to developers 53 | 54 | ### What kind of usage data is pulled from the app, and how specific is it? 55 | > General anonymous metrics (what parts of the app are being used, what caused the app to crash) are sent. 56 | > - Again, region provisioning doesn't send location and private data back to Flipper servers. 57 | 58 | ### Looking into new LF RFID system GUI and part of app still in C++, but recently Infrared app was rewritten in plain C. So is there a reason why it should stay in C++ or rewrite is planned for next time, after this PR merged and protocols got all testing? 59 | > After the current pull request is merged, the app will be rewritten in C. (Update .66 or .67) 60 | 61 | ### How does Flipper to Flipper communication work? 62 | > Currently, this is only done as part of Sub-GHz chat over CLI. 63 | > - A system like the 3DS's StreetPass is slowly being worked on. 64 | > - Antenna isn't very powerful, 20-30 meters at best. 65 | > - Flipper One status: 66 | > - Baseboard is being designed 67 | > - It will have an SDR radio, probably LoRA too. 68 | > - Current challenge is managing power and dissipating heat. 69 | > - More time will be spend after FZ 1.0 firmware is released. 70 | 71 | ### Can 8-byte NFC UID's be emulated? 72 | > No, it's impossible. It's unsupported by (current) Flipper's NFC chip. 73 | 74 | ### What about NFC-V? 75 | > Should be possible to read and write, but not emulate. 76 | 77 | ### And Felica? 78 | > Support is being looked in to. 79 | 80 | ### When it came to choosing SMT32 M4, what made it the chosen one? If the RP2040 was available in the beginning, would you have chosen it? 81 | > STM32 was chosen due to "madness." It was a bargain between new chips (and their black-box radio stack) and L4 series chips. Overall, there were not many other good options besides WB series. 82 | > - In hindsight, WB wasn't a good choice due to locked down radio stack firmware. 83 | 84 | ### Will duckyscript be updated to 3.0? 85 | > Flipper was designed before DS 3.0 when there was no licensing policies to use DS 1.0. Internal communications are going on to either license DS 3.0 or fork 1.0 with Flipper's own changes. 86 | > - Ideally, there will be one scripting system for the whole (Flipper) system. More to come after FZ Firmware 1.0 87 | > - Several extensions have been added off-spec from DS 1.0 via community pull requests. It's becoming more usable, but less compatible with spec DS. 88 | 89 | ### Will the (Flipper's limited) parts eventually become available to buy so people can replace them if they break? 90 | > Yes. Currently, there's not a storefront (there will be) but you can open a support ticket to order specific replacement parts instead. 91 | > - Secure Enclave key is very difficult to replace 92 | > - If you fuck up the option bytes, documentation is coming on how to fix them. 93 | > - It's very hard to accidentally brick Flipper software wise, and there is slight voltage protection (up to 5V) on GPIO pins. 94 | 95 | ### Will there be a specific IDE for writing plugins? 96 | > No. Everything needed is distributed alongside the firmware repository and can be compiled on multiple platforms. 97 | > - There's a preset for VSCode that adds debugging configurations. 98 | > - All tools to compile (besides git) are included as part of a toolkit bundle downloaded when building firmware. (x86 only) 99 | > - Avoid using API's outside of FuriCore and FuriHAL! (Like libc) 100 | 101 | ### Is there going to be support for shared objects? (Multiple apps that use the same library) 102 | > Probably not. 103 | 104 | ### Will there be support for loading background apps/services from SD card? 105 | > Currently no, due to several technical limitations. Technically possible, but probably won't be added. 106 | > - Main limitation is limited memory and trusting third party apps to manage it efficiently. 107 | 108 | ### Will there will be support for python for plugins/flipper applications. Or should I just bite the bullet and learn C 109 | > Python is too large, compiled C is the most viable. 110 | > - Flipper one will support other languages 111 | 112 | ### Are there plans for more “modules” like the wifi module to say add more memory or processing power and/or support for antennas. Related, any plans for a rudimentary SDR? 113 | > It's not possible to directly extend Flipper's CPU power or RAM, but co-processors (like the WiFi board) could be used to extend some functionality. As for an SDR, it's not possible to extend Flipper's internal antennas. You would need to add an antenna to your own module board. 114 | 115 | ### Will you sell flipper "shells" (like the white and black) separately in different colors? 116 | > Besides a limited transparent shell, probably not, especially not black ones. 117 | 118 | ### Is there ever been questions of doing official support for companies who may be want to use flippers in their workplace such as a security company. 119 | > Flipper isn't targeting enterprise, but they're open to discussion. 120 | 121 | ### How would you view it if someone published a whitepaper with the use of a Flipper as the source of much of the qualitative data in the research? 122 | > No problem! 123 | 124 | ### With the advent of the Flipper one whenever that may be, is there going to be a another Kickstarter or are you simply going to go with what you currently have for funds selling the flipper zero. 125 | > Yes, however this time production will start at the same time as the kickstarter campaign. 126 | 127 | ### What is the schedule of these Q&As? 128 | > Every Saturday, 1:00 AM and PM GMT. 129 | > - Session hosts alternate between Flipper developers and community members every week. 130 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /2022-08/August 6th 2022 side A.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Flipper Zero developer Q&A 2 | ### August 6th 2022 (Side A) 3 | 4 | Audio: [https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08062022-a](https://archive.org/details/flipperzero-qa-08062022-a) 5 | Recorded and transcribed by [`djsime1`](https://dj.je). 6 | **NOTE:** The transcription of questions and answers may contain errors, take it all with a grain of salt. 7 | 8 | ### What's the official warranty? 9 | > 1yr, all factory defects replaced. 10 | 11 | ### What was the biggest setback during Flipper Zero's development? And the biggest unexpected win 12 | > Setback: Not having enough developers at the beginning. Win: Being able to update firmware directly on the device 13 | 14 | ### Will Flipper and accessories be sold on Amazon? 15 | > Likely through authorized re-shippers Q3 or Q4 16 | 17 | ### Is there anyway through a hardware “expansion” module to over come a lot of the current limitations? 18 | > Potentially, though GPIO may not have all needed MCU blocks available. 19 | 20 | ### When is SD card apps coming? 21 | > Next couple sprints for beta version and finalized at Version 1.0.0, ETA is Q3-Q4 22 | 23 | ### When will I be able to write cards? 24 | > It's being worked on and will be release in the near future 25 | 26 | ### How can SD-Card apps be distributed? 27 | > - There will be an official "gallery" for apps 28 | > - You provide source code (no closed-source) and the apps are automatically compiled 29 | > - Likely coming to mobile apps 30 | > - There will be no paid apps. 31 | 32 | ### Status of file transfers over Bluetooth? 33 | > There are some physical limitations: slow speed and big delay. It may be uncomfortable to transfer some files. 34 | 35 | ### Will qFlipper (PC app) support Bluetooth communication instead of USB? 36 | > A lot of the supporting behind-the-scenes code exists, it is theoretically possible to implement, but potentially very problematic because of unstable OS level BLE support. 37 | 38 | ### Will docs be updated? 39 | > Yes, as for developers documentation it will be vastly improved before firmware 1.0, but currently it's hard to keep up with the constant beta firmware changes. Also we do update and improve user documentation. 40 | 41 | ### Can the community contribute to official docs? 42 | > Currently not directly. User-focused docs are the main focus now, while developer docs will come later. 43 | 44 | ### Why has the NFC redesign broke support for reading certain cards? 45 | > It was done in order to heavily improve user experience. This extra functionality will be brought back eventually in a separate menu within the NFC app. 46 | > - Felica and NFC-V are being looked into 47 | 48 | ### Where can I get a textured 3D model of the Flipper? 49 | > While not textured, there are exact models available on GitHub: https://github.com/flipperdevices/flipperzero-3d-models 50 | 51 | ### Is it possible to copy-protect a RFID or NFC card? 52 | > It majorly depends on the type of card, among many other factors. Generally speaking: 125khz RFID no, NFC yes. 53 | 54 | ### Is it bad/not recommended to use SD cards over 32GB? 55 | > They will work fine, but you'll have a lot of wasted space. 56 | 57 | ### Are there websites, articles, documentations would you recommend to someone trying to start, understand and grasp NFC, RFID, etc.? 58 | > A good place to start is https://blog.flipperzero.one/rfid/. Beyond there, look up "Intro to NFC" on YouTube. 59 | > - https://blog.flipperzero.one/tag/classroom/ 60 | > - https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pn532-rfid-nfc/mifare 61 | 62 | ### Would it be possible to scan for BLE devices from Flipper Zero? If yes, would it be possible to send commands to a BLE device from Flipper Zero? 63 | > Officially, no. The firmware comes with a lightweight radio driver that doesn't support BLE scanning. A full radio stack exists, however it takes up a lot more (internal) storage, meaning certain applications would have to be removed and others rewritten to support the different API's. 64 | 65 | ### What is the point of having the "detect reader" feature in the NFC menu? 66 | > It's still being worked on and will eventually be used in "online" attacks where the reader is present. 67 | 68 | ### Roughly how many core devs are there? wondering like what the dev split looks like from 'official flipper devs' working in sprints and all vs open source contributors 69 | > Approximately 6-7 working on firmware, others work on mobile apps, testing, docs, etc. Teams work in 2-week sprints. 70 | 71 | ### What kind of hardware modules would the team be most excited to see? 72 | > If we talking about modules in general: any. If you want to mass produce and sell it throw official shop then marketable. 73 | 74 | ### Is flipper suffering from chip shortage? 75 | > No, it has been resolved. 76 | 77 | ### How is device region provisioning changing? 78 | > - Previously there were 3 models of Flippers being produced, one per region. 79 | > - The goal is to have one where location info is provisioned before shipping. 80 | 81 | ### What's the focus of development right now? 82 | > - Region provisioning 83 | > - Apps SDK and loading from SD 84 | > - RPC API is coming for applications, making it easier to control the device with mobile companion apps. 85 | > - It's summer for the Flipper team, and some of the members are on vacation. PR's will be merged when they're back. 86 | 87 | ### Is it possible to only record RAW Sub-GHz above a certain RSSI? 88 | > Yes and no. Flipper is not SDR, and part of the transmission would get cut off if it only started recording after a certain RSSI is reached. 89 | > - Use https://my.flipp.dev plotter. Eventually it will be able to split and save segments 90 | 91 | ### Flipper was left in 88* weather, and the screen broke. How long is the RMA process to get a new screen? 92 | > It depends on the provider and shipper. 93 | > - Flipper's screen is produced exclusively for the device 94 | 95 | ### Will there be some official way to read or edit files in text form directly inside flipper? 96 | > It's possible, but editing the file directly on the Flipper can be challenging given the limited screen space. Ideally this would be done by the mobile companion apps. 97 | 98 | ### Will replacement parts be sold on the Flipper website? 99 | > Yes, eventually. 100 | 101 | ### What capabilities will plugins (SD card apps) have? 102 | > Currently it only supports adding complete applications, not tapping into existing apps. (Eg. Adding a new Sub-GHz protocol) 103 | > - There's no technical limitations preventing the ability to extend existing apps, but lack of dev interest means it isn't being worked on. Alternatively you could recompile the entire apps 104 | > - External apps are linked in a special way meaning not all app-specific API's will be accessible 105 | 106 | ### Can you share details about how the new region provisioning will work? 107 | > Flipper will not be able to TX until you apply a firmware update* for the first time. Then, your region info will be sent to Flipper servers and a profile will be generated on your device. This profile is also stored on the flipper and dictates which frequencies can be TX on. 108 | 109 | ### Would it be possible to implement some way to mount the flipper as a mass storage device, for editing files on the as card? 110 | > Flipper interfaces with MicroSD via SPI, which is much slower but more power efficient than normal SD. While it's possible, proofs of concept have shown transfer speeds are extremely slow and thus won't be implemented. 111 | 112 | ### Is there a way to remove the frequency regional "block" 113 | > Due to legal regulations, this can not be done by the Flipper team. 114 | 115 | ### Will RFID be able to write to more chips besides the T5577? 116 | > Yes, it's being worked on right now. 117 | 118 | ### What's the status of the Flipper One? 119 | > It's being prototyped to improve upon everything Flipper Zero has. It's still being decided whether or not it will use commonly available hardware (Such as NXP/Qualcomm/Mediatek) or more custom hardware (Zynq/AD to enable features like an SDR). 120 | 121 | ### I found a tutorial for custom firmware, but it's using docker. I heard it's deprecated. Can you please forward me to updated one if it exists? 122 | > Docker still works, however FBT is preferred. https://github.com/flipperdevices/flipperzero-firmware/blob/dev/documentation/fbt.md 123 | 124 | ### Are there maybe going to be new revisions of the flipper zero? I saw e.g. PR for different radio chips than the cc1101?. 125 | > We do prototyping, of different block. Some of them may be included in Fipper Zero mk2 or Flipper One. 126 | 127 | ### is flipper-one going to be on Kickstarter as well? 128 | > Yes, it's great for determining demand levels. 129 | > - It will be launched with working prototypes 130 | 131 | ### Will we be able to emulate a bank card for Apple/Google pay? 132 | > It's not possible. Card chips are very secure, and the private keys required to authorize transactions never leave the card. 133 | > - Even if it was possible, Flipper team is not interested in implementing it. 134 | 135 | ### I guess there won‘t be a way to update to the mk2 other than buying a second flipper one? 136 | > Yes, you'll need to buy a new device. 137 | 138 | ### what choices lead to have the saved as ascii instead of raw bytes/words? 139 | > Binary files can be difficult to interface with for humans. Most flipper files are meant to be human readable. 140 | 141 | ### Is there a timeline for doing more work on the wiki and maybe introducing a streamlined way for the community to add to the wiki? 142 | > There's a dedicated documentation writer on the Flipper team currently working on the wiki. Feedback can be given via GitHub issues, and the ability for users to contribute is being worked on. 143 | 144 | ### How hard is it actually to replace the display cover of the current flipper zero? 145 | > The plastic screen is bound to the casing, thus this is impossible to do without destroying the casing as well. 146 | 147 | ### small question, are we going to get a search function in flipper? 148 | > It's very difficult to do this on the device due to limited resources, however it will be added to mobile companion apps eventually. 149 | 150 | ### Is there a timeframe for writing to NFC being added back? 151 | > Yes, it will be worked on within the next couple of sprints. 152 | 153 | ### Can the WiFi dev board pull passwords from SSID? 154 | > It's not that straightforward, but there are third party firmwares compatible with the dev board that can do this to a degree. 155 | 156 | ### What's the Bluetooth chip and would it be possible to get Ubertooth-like functionality? (sniff, send arbitrary packets, listen for beacons, spoof beacons…) 157 | > Possible to some degree with alternative radio stacks. 158 | 159 | ### Will there be an encryption for files on SD card available? 160 | > While there are hardware-accelerated encryption API's on Flipper, full disk encryption will not be implemented due to high computational resource requirements. 161 | 162 | ### is it possible to set auto-password-lock for Flipper when in standby? 163 | > Auto lock with PIN is something that will be added. 164 | 165 | ### Should I transfer files via companion apps/qFlipper or via swapping the SD card? 166 | > Swapping SD cards is much faster for large files, but both should work without error. 167 | 168 | ### would it be possible to have a bootloader to load different firmwares from the SD card. or is this already possible? 169 | > It's already here, check updater target in source code. Though your firmware is loaded into ram and limited with 196kb RAM. Loading code directly from SD is impossible. 170 | 171 | ### There are various simple OOK protocols, based on length of symbols, preamble and so on. The rc-switch project can find some of them automatically with the cc1101. Will there be a protocol that can identify them and/or create them in .sub file? 172 | > It should be possible. 173 | 174 | ### Will be dumb mode available at V1.0? 175 | > Yes, definitely. 176 | 177 | ### is/will it be possible to use the CLI through BLE? 178 | > It's theoretically possible, but there's a delay that can cause issues for certain use cases. 179 | 180 | ### will it be possible to use the Sub-GHz chat function through the companion app? 181 | > There's a possibility it will be added, but it's not top priority. 182 | 183 | ### will it be possible to access RPC (specifically App subsystem) over GPIO for hardware modules to interact with apps? 184 | > Yes, a GPIO API is accessible to apps. 185 | 186 | ### how painful it will be to implement own rendering of the UI/screen drawing? 187 | > Without using the existing API, it will be difficult. 188 | > - Separate API may be added to directly communicate with screen 189 | > - Max FPS without ghosting is 15-20. 190 | 191 | ### What decision do you regret the most and which one are you happiest about? 192 | > Choice of chipset (Specifically `STM WB*`) has caused a lot of pain. On the other hand, everything else was great. 193 | 194 | ### Will there be any further development on the Tamagotchi aspect of the flipper zero? 195 | > The Flipper Team is looking for help from the community with this. Meanwhile we do plan to add new animations. 196 | 197 | ### Will there be a function to replay all Sub-GHz files in one folder? (kinda brute with all files out there in the map) 198 | > This would have to be implemented in a third-party app. 199 | 200 | ### is it possible for Flipper One to have an upgraded USB version (2.x, 3.x), compared to the one that is currently used in Flipper Zero (1.x, i believe)? 201 | > Yes 202 | 203 | ### another question related to mass storage -- would it be possible to use Flipper One for hosting .iso images of live Linux distros (or would it be functionally impossible and/or not worth it)? 204 | > Yes, it should be possible. 205 | 206 | ### Will Flipper One use an ePaper display? 207 | > No, it will use an LCD. 208 | 209 | ### What does LITE next to radio FW mean? 210 | > It relates to the capabilities of the BLE core. Lite excludes a bunch of uncommon functions 211 | 212 | ### will you sell the black case to change the white one to the black one? 213 | > There WILL be a limited transparent series, however there's no word on black case production. 214 | 215 | ### I understand flipper can emulate HID’s but can it emulate Network / ethernet adapters? 216 | > In theory it's possible, but flippers processor is pretty slow for this. 217 | 218 | ### is there a flipper GPIO documentation posted somewhere? 219 | > https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVO_LaYYI= 220 | 221 | ### Is there are a reason why pins connected to the buttons are exposed_ 222 | > Button pins aren't exposed, marking are related to interrupt controller(EXTI) which got usage limitation. 223 | 224 | ### would Flipper One use SPI (like Flipper Zero does) or is there a chance for SDIO to be used instead? 225 | > Flipper One will definitely use SDIO. 226 | 227 | ### What range of frequencies will Flipper One's SDR support? 228 | > Probably 60 MHz to 6 GHz. 229 | 230 | ### Can we get an alarm clock in the clock app? 231 | > This can be done with a third party application, the hardware has 2 RTC alarm clocks. 232 | 233 | ### so for more Tamagotchi features, are you open to merge community designed "fun features" like hunger/sleep etc.? & if yes, is there a possibility to communicate with the graphics department to better integrate them? 234 | > Yes, though more planning is needed. If your idea is fully developed, you can reach out and the Flipper Team will help provide resources. 235 | 236 | ### If I let Flipper scan Sub-GHz for a whole day, does it damage the device? 237 | > No, it won't damage the device. If reading raw, make sure your SD card is big enough/ 238 | 239 | ### is there some documentation which lists all the hardware peripherals currently used by FURI HAL and services, 240 | > - and eventually which peripherals would be currently unused and free to directly be used from apps ? 241 | > There's no complete documentation currently available, but apps will have certain hardware and subsystem APIs. 242 | > - https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_l1XZfbw=/?share_link_id=606281650151 243 | 244 | ### once the SDK is released, would it be possible to run apps in the background? 245 | > Yes 246 | 247 | ### Is there an emulator for development, where do I sign up to help out. Issue triage, UI development etc. 248 | > There's no emulator, though it's planned after 1.0. Contributions can be made on GitHub 249 | 250 | ### Is there an estimate when BadUSB will support international keyboard layouts? 251 | > Yes, there's a pull request currently waiting to be merged that will add support for alternative keyboard layouts. 252 | > - Should arrive in next sprint or two 253 | > - Person in charge of BadUSB is on vacation 254 | 255 | ### Any plans to appear on podcasts like Embedded.fm, TheAmpHour or UnnamedRE? 256 | > If we get invited, why not? 257 | 258 | ### How the frick have you been able to manufacture during the chip shortage? Did you buy all the reels of parts some 2 years ago? 259 | > A lot of hardware changes had to be made to prototypes as production was being planned. 260 | > - STM WB series contract was secures long before shortage, while others simply disappeared one day. 261 | 262 | ### Are you planning on bringing (more) shortcuts/Siri shortcuts to the iOS app? 263 | > Yes, additionally widgets are planned to be added. 264 | 265 | ### Is it recommended to format SD cards with Flipper or PC? 266 | > Format it with Flipper for best results. 267 | > - Flipper can not verify integrity of filesystem 268 | 269 | ### Should I format the SD card with exFAT or FAT32 270 | > FAT32. 271 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------