doublethinkco‘s first project is bringing Light Client support for Ethereum to mobile Linux platforms.   That includes eth (the C++ client) and geth (the Go client).

Having a working light client implementation is critical for bringing Ethereum to mobile, wearable, IoT and embedded devices.   There is already an Android port of ethereumj (see it running on Samsung Galaxy S6 and inwatchZ).  That client code can either run as a full-node or in a mode where the Android client communicates with a full node over json-rpc.

Full nodes are probably too heavy-weight to be practical for smartphones, let alone for smaller devices.   Jarrad Hope and co are going to be looking at a full light client implementation for ethereumj too.   We are collaborating on Gitter, now working directly with the go-ethereum team.

Initial targets for the go and C++ Ethereum light clients are likely to be some of the following devices:

• Tablets
  • Jolla Tablet (Sailfish OS)
• Smartphones
  • Samsung Z1 (Tizen OS)
  • Samsung Z3 (Tizen OS)
  • Jolla Phone (Sailfish OS)
  • Intex Aqua Fish (Sailfish OS) – Announced, not released yet.
  • Meizu MX4 Ubuntu edition (Ubuntu Phone OS)
• Smartwatches
  • Samsung Gear S2 (Tizen OS)
• Single Board Computer / IoC
  • Raspberry Pi 2 (Raspbian OS)
  • ODROID-XU3 (Ubuntu OS)
  • BeagleBoard Black (Debian OS)
  • Intel Edison (Yocto Linux)

Resources

• Light Client Protocol wiki page
• Generalized Merkle DHT wiki page
• Ethereum ÐΞVcon-0: The Path to the Ethereum Light Client video
• Ethereum Wire Protocol wiki page
• Trie Usage section of the Design Rationale wiki page.
• RLPx: Cryptographic Network & Transport Protocol markdown document.
• State Tree Pruning blog by Vitalik, 26th June 2015
• Light Clients and Proof of Stake blog by Vitalik, 10th January 2015