Intel to Make Cheap Flash Laptop 202
sien writes "In a similar vein to the One Laptop Per Child computer Intel have announced that they intend to produce a similar cheap laptop using flash storage.The entry of Intel and the declaration that Microsoft intend to get Windows running on the One Laptop Per Child machine suggests that there may be a general market for a cheap, robust laptop without hard drive or optical storage."
Strange new world. (Score:4, Insightful)
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CF-based systems and swapping (Score:3, Interesting)
I've often wondered how CF or other limited-write systems handle swapping and memory-management. It seems like it i
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Windows CE License: $4 or $15 (Score:3, Interesting)
Flash cheap? No? Yes? (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes: look at PDA memorey requirements, or PCs just for Mail, Web and a bit of letter writing - there 1 GB is plenty. And in Flash still cheaper than the cheapest HD (80GB or where is the cheapest HD nowadays?)
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Another thing to look at is the ease of repair. I'd much rather replace a CF chip than a hard drive, wouldn't y'all?
The upgrade path would be a bit cheaper as well, one would think.
I have to say, I like the whole idea of giving a bunch of cheap, limited hardware to kids (regardless of socioeconomic status). I have visions of the Genius Colonists in Fredrick Pohl'
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Robust? (Score:4, Insightful)
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In my experience, the 2 weakest links are the disk and the hinges of the screen. Personally, I've only had disk problems, but looking back at the company laptop problems I've seen, the hinges (that is: including the electrical connections inside) probably come close in second place.
In terms of "what can you do about it that the customer is willing to pay for", the disk is by far at the top of the list. Apart from the complete newbies, customers do understand that there are major risks involved in disk f
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Re:Robust? (Score:4, Funny)
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Amongst the weakest links are such diverse elements as the disc, the screen hinges, the battery, the keyboard and the nub thingy pointing device.
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Third computer offered by India (Score:2)
And what computer is being offered?
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As much as I don't like Microsoft cruft they deserve a chance to get into these markets as much as anyone else, so long as they don't get into these markets by using illic
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It is good to see others attempting to join the market for enabling the worlds kids.
LoB
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I think it's too expensive. (Score:3, Insightful)
Plus, it's too big to be a PDA, too small to be a usable laptop. Maybe a decent movie player, but that seems about it.
My point... (Score:3, Insightful)
400 dollars is still 400 dollars, whether for a scaled down laptop or for a full-blown laptop.
Cheapness aside.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Cheapness aside.... (Score:4, Funny)
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So what, you normally use around 20.2GB?
Aikon-
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I replaced the drive in my D640 with a 100gig seagate low power 5400 rpm model and the laptop runs cooler and I get longer run times. Also you cant hear the thing spin anymore. You used to almost burn your hand on the spot where the hdd was now it's only warm to the touch.
Upgrade to a decent laptop drive with current tech. Most laptop makers shove low grade crap in there to keep profits up. (dell certainly does as well a
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16GiB IDE flash drive for $500.
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I have not had a problem with hard drive noise. My notebooks hard drives are nearly silent if they make any noise audible to me at all. The CPU fans are a little louder, but still that's not very loud.
Excellent idea! (Score:2)
Of course, to be really innovative, they could add wireless and connectivity to the cell high-
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No sense. (Score:4, Insightful)
As a third world country, why should I buy this for $400 when I can buy OLPCs for like $150?
As someone in a first world country, why should I buy this when I can buy a REAL laptop for $400 or under thanks to sales, rebates, the used/refurbished/surplus market, etc?
As for the optical drive, this made be think that I use mine for two things: ripping CDs and installing software. I can see why someone wouldn't need on in an OLPC type situation (or where they want to sell these), not to mention that they are fragile (relative to flash memory and other parts of the computer).
Makes a lot of sense to me. (Score:4, Informative)
engadget [engadget.com]'s review from 2 months ago.
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Well, actually :
a)"The Classmate PC is also now being labeled as "sub $300," From your link. (My bold)
b)"Although the final price has not yet been determined, Intel says that it will probably start selling them at about $250, and reduce the price to $200 as the volume of orders increases." (My bold) My link [arstechnica.com]
c)It has 256MB RAM as standard and 1GB Flash. Intels product brief [intel.com] [4 page pdf
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Yeah, I can get a luggable for $400. Big screen, no battery life, delicate. Don't mention the hassle of rebates, which is so bad I don't even factor them into prices when I'm making purchase decisions. A truly portable laptop costs at least a grand. I'd like a OLPC-like device myself. Very rugged, and powerful enough to run vim on (perfe
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Imagine a Beowulf... (Score:2)
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Handheld Industry (Score:2)
Ah, so *there* is where our handheld industry went! And with all seriousness, I have been horrified with all of the handhelds since the Palm first came out. I can't understand why they don't build general-purpose cheap and fully-functional small computing devices -- that aren't obtusely designed and super fucking expensive.
I'd love to get my hands on one of Negroponte's OLPC laptop thingies. If Microsoft is ge
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It's a simple business reaction (Score:4, Interesting)
1. can't afford to take chances when there's even slight chance a startup may become a viable competitor
2. can afford money-wise and resource-wise to react to even the silliest of those potential competitors
I'm not saying OLPC is silly, but I'm just saying: don't make a big deal of it. Intel/MS just want their options covered.
Let's not forget that cheap computers for poor countries were made long before OLPC (and all failed) and will continue to be made. The least thing: it'll be fun to watch the development in this "market".
More likely (Score:2)
Why? The return is so great on the investment. It would probably cost less to offer tens of thousands of these things that to pay for their name to be favorably placed in major markets around the world.
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It doesn't matter that they're not competitive on price, or even whether the device will ever actually appear.
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LoB
$400 is not cheaper than $100... (Score:4, Insightful)
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It wasn't long ago there was an article here about a 20GB flash drive being $750-$1000. If an entire laptop containing one is now estimated at around $400, these things will be cheap quite soon.
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I'm not making the final judgement yet, I haven't even seen the complete tech specs for it, or results of the trials.
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Unfortunately, this doesn't scale out to all countries but will work in the largest of markets. You know, the ones that'll have the most press potential. Interesting plan..
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Intel apparently sees a commercial profit in something like this. I happen to agree - it's basically what I've been looking for in a computer for years.
If 3rd world countries want their own computers, they should build the infrastructure to have a use for them, not expect 1st world countries (that is, the US) to come up ways for them to use inexpensive computers. We're doing them a disservice anyway - they need things like domestically-initiated agriculture, industry, and commerce, not more
Ahhh... (Score:2)
No? India and other countries are already miffed that the U.S. has tried to foist substandard hardware on their "poor" populations to make technology more accessible.
While the intentions of OLPC program are commendable it really ignores the fact that basic education and literacy - a prerequiste for computer use, and power are fundamental components that are not readily available in developing areas
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Er, no, actually its aimed at exactly the problems of basic education and literacy (content aimed at that is as much part of the project as the hardware), and a big part of the design was aimed at making it usable independent of power infrastructure.
Your charges
A. Portable thin client for under $100 (Score:2, Interesting)
Q: What do I really need in a laptop?
I figure NX, vnc, GoToMyPC or one if its friends, or any other remote-screen system will let me get to my office or home PC from the road or around the campus and really, that's all I need in a laptop. Of course, it should have local audio/camera for videoconferencing and local printing for when I need it.
As far as truly local/disconnected operation goes, I need lightweight viewers for Microsoft Office so I can read and print files and
*profitable* Market? (Score:3, Insightful)
Microsoft/Intel cannot lose the Windows mindshare, marketshare, niche market, quarterly analysis, exposure, or allow the embarrasment of missing a potentially revolutionary nascent technology or low-budget competition.
How much is the exposure worth? Brand imprint? Visual or Process (how to do things) imprint? Said to be lots.
They would do the project(s) at a loss.
Things Could Get Interesting (Score:5, Insightful)
If that actually happens, and then if, by some remote chance, refunds for the Microsoft Tax were suddenly made mandatory (by a state's law, say, Massachussetts). Wowee-Zowee. Free laptops for everyone, courtesy Mr. Gates!
(I'm not holding my breath)
MjM
What's cheap about flash? (Score:2, Insightful)
I like the idea of a cheap laptop for the world masses, I just don't see how this fits the requirements.
Cheers,
Paul C.
Sr Developer
http://www.jbilling.com/ [jbilling.com] - The Open Source
Hard drives are fragile... (Score:2)
For a device where it's not a simple matter of ordering a HD or popping over to Fry's or CompUSA for a replacement part, Flash, if used right is the right answer even if it's "more expensive" as the cheaper part is actually more expensive in the long-term sen
Newbie flash question (Score:2)
How about a flash drive in a shared student house firewall box? I've been running Ipcop on an old pc to support a house full of college students who probably all go on line for a couple of hours each day. It seems like overkill to have a big old pc consuming a lot of electricity for this simple job. I love the idea of swapping out the old pc for something a lot smaller and tidier running
Form Factor Form Factor Form Factor (Score:2)
There is something that I would carry with me contstantly. But do you
need a full Vista? Do you need a useable keyboard? How much 'disk space' do you really need?
If it had integrated wifi, cell/w bluetooth, media options, gps? And was LIGHT and COOL and
LOW POWER?
Maxi-Ipod-Mark-VI
How do we build these now? (Score:2)
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I've used a industrial PC with no HD as a primary computer in the field before. It worked well. Looked like a flat slab of metal connected to a screen though, with a half-size keyboard.
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e.g. http://www.sub300.com/port.htm [sub300.com]
no market (Score:3, Insightful)
Microsoft are just trying to establish/maintain a monopoly on schools software. They are trying to brainwash kids into the microsoft mentality so they've got customers for life.
prototype of Microsoft One Laptop Per Kid device (Score:2)
http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/videonowjr/ [hasbro.com]
LoB
Windows + Flash HD = early failure (Score:5, Insightful)
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If not I am sure that that you can turn off the swap if need be.
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How often is the registry written? Isn't it mostly on software install/uninstalls? I really don't see a person needing to install tends of thousands of programs.
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Nice FUD. You can disable [petri.co.il] the pagefile [petri.co.il] in Windows XP.
Mobile phones (Score:3, Interesting)
Heck, even as a software engineer the only reason I use a laptop is the lack of a proper Wifi, keyboard and screen for my phone.
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Microsoft's interest in this.... (Score:2)
I can imagine Bill going to various corrupt governments (look at Thailand right now for an example) and saying "We can run Windows on those things and make them useful for you, and the Foundati
Wil Shipley's Encounter with Nicholas Negroponte (Score:2)
This is the Intel Classmate PC (Score:2)
On the one hand, not as inexpensive as the OLPC, and it seems to lack some of the features like the mesh networking.
On the other hand, you might actually be able to buy one, and it should be able to play StarCraft.
Intel FTW!
A "real" computer? (Score:2)
Laptop price points (Score:2)
My question is this? With other players in the laptop market selling machines in the sub-$500 range, why not leverage some of those existing supply chains and commoditize basic laptops (let's set aside the typical supply-chain Wintel duopoly for this discussion), pushing thos
I already have one. . . (Score:2)
But it's possibly the coolest device I own. It's footprint is an inch or so smaller than a sheet of typing paper, but it has a full laptop keyboard, a big-enough screen and no moving parts. All Flashcard memory. The battery runs for twice as long as that of normal laptop. It has enough screen size to make itself useful where a palm-sized device is not. That is,
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Most of the OLPCs are going to countries where the people have shelter and food and water, but are in desperate need of decent education.
Plus I'd love a small laptop I could play simple games or read web-pages on while I had nothing better to do. I have a pocket pc, but software is lacking for it and typing on it is a pain. (I'm not a child btw)
There's this thing called the INTERNET, where... (Score:5, Informative)
Might I recommend the OLPC home page [laptop.org] for starters - which is where you end up if you type "one laptop per child" in pretty much any search engine (or your browser's search bar, if you have one)?
Take ten seconds to learn about something before commenting on it, and you will look like a genius compared to most people around here. Your question is answered in the WIKI [laptop.org], and probably about ten thousand other places already.
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One good thing about article submiters is that in addition to a link, they also give you a summary. You can learn enough to know whether or not to click the link, and sometimes the summary itself is good enough to tell you what you need.
It's nice that you to
Re:why? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:why? (Score:5, Insightful)
Very insightful comment. I wish I had mod points. (Score:2)
We fixed that part already... (Score:2)
Need food? Don't have any of that but here's a laptop.
thank you, moderators! (no really, I mean it) (Score:2)
Note that this got a funny mod. It is funny, because every time one of these stories comes up, someone makes a comment like that, and then we get a brand new flamewar about this topic.
I think an appropriate solution to comments like the parent is to alternatively mod them "funny" and "redundant", which to my mind, are both true. (Certainly the latter is.) Do it long enough and you can drive their karma into the basement :P
It would also be accurate to mod it flamebait but that one's harder to have com
Re:why? (Score:5, Insightful)
Those of us who actually want to help the third world are against simply giving them food. If you're going to give them anything, you give them what they need to produce food. Otherwise people just have more babies because they're healthier, they're even further beyond their ability to feed themselves, and now you have MORE mouths to feed. Or children to die of starvation.
Giving them computers, if done properly, is giving the gift of education. The only way out is through.
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I know I shouldn't feed the AC idiots, but I guess I'll take one for the team and record my rebuttals for posterity.
When was the last time you looked up on the computer something about plants?
If you deal with plants regularly, and your answer is not a date in the recent past, you are officially a tool. The internet is the greatest research library that has ever been.
not looking hard enough (Score:5, Interesting)
If I was joe farmer in the developing world, I would want at least one computer and net access, for the weather, looking up parts and suppliers, monitoring the markets, learning about new techniques and improving technology, etc, etc. All good stuff and useful. Heck, I use the net just to look up weeds to see what they are sometimes, or to look up more exotic seeds to try for instance, or to look at new breeds of animals, etc. I've ordered a lot of old weird parts for machinery online, because that is a lot more efficient than driving around dealer to dealer. I use the net all the time for stuff like that.
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I think the project is doing ok. I've seen one in person. It has 2GB of flash memory, a 200mhz processor, a Microsoft OS and high speed wireless internet. It happens to also be one of the most portable computers I've ever seen. They didn't get it down to $100, but even with the storage upgrade it was only about $350. I think they called it a Cingular 8125.
Nice machine, and it even makes phone calls.
TW
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I'm told that as a business customer, we're actually getting the units for free with the usual 2-year contract.
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On the other hand, I have a full-size external keyboard, an email client, a web browser, the ability to use quite a large number of off the shelf software packages, many of the
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However, I have a bluetooth (cheaper IR ones are available) external keyboard which negates the keyboard issue. And on the operating system I gotta ask, who cares? Were PowerPC Mac laptops any less laptops because they only ran the Mac OS?
I just looked at the specs of the OLPC laptop. In general, it's much better than I remember it being. Cheaper than
Nokia 770 for PDF reading (Score:2)
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nokia770.
LoB
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no or limited virtual memory? (Score:2)