In Search of the Cheap Linux Laptop

mr_mischief writes "According to Hot Hardware's recent review, Asus is getting ready to unleash a $199 compact notebook running Linux. This is entirely different from this recent $150 Linux laptop story which many Slashdot readers believed to be a scam. There's a dual-mode menu which offers a simple system for novice computer users, and a slightly more advanced version for others. It's not aimed squarely at the same market as the One Laptop Per Child project's XO, and is expected to be sold to end users worldwide. It's targeted at new users who don't own a computer or at people who want a cheap, small laptop for basic tasks. The reviewed version has a 7" screen and a cramped keyboard to match, but a 10" version is available for $100 more. It offers built-in wired and wireless networking, four USB 2.0 ports, and a three-hour battery life. The storage options are a bit cramped, as you only get 4 GB of on-board storage (8 GB on the $299 model) and no optical drive. As the review says, though, USB 2.0 can make up for that if you like, and the lack of moving drive parts makes the machine run dead quiet."

An NT$10 coin

[croddy]

The author shows a photo with the laptop next to a Taiwan $10 coin, adding that it is about the same size as a US half-dollar. Since this won't help most folks in the US (for whom receiving a half-dollar coin in change is a rare occurrence), it may help to know that the NT$10 coin is not quite 2mm larger than a U.S. quarter.

Re:$899

[Anonymous Coward]

did you [slashdot.org] forget your password?

Worth springing for the 10" screen

[Kadin2048]

From the photos, it looks like the 7" and 10" models use the same case/chassis. The smaller screen just has a giant black bezel around it, taking up the space where the larger screen would go. Although this brings up interesting upgrade possibilities, I think it's fairly obnoxious; I wouldn't mind a 7"-screen laptop if the entire thing were only 7" diagonal (example, something like the Psion Series 7), but a 7" screen in a case that's built for 10" would just annoy me.

The Specs, summarized

[keithjr]

900MHz Intel Dothan based Pentium M CPU

512MB of DDR2 memory

802.11g wireless capability

flash-based hard drive ($199 for 4GB, $299 for 8GB)

weight: .89 kilograms, just around 2 pounds

Ports:
  four USB 2.0
  VGA output
  10/100 Ethernet
  56K phone modem

Battery:
  4-cell, estimated 3 hours life

The lack of an optical drive and the low nonvolatile storage space is a bummer, but flash hard drives are faster and stabler. And as the article states, you can always hook up an external.

Re:Could have been cheaper

[harrkev]

When optimizing for cost (purely), the device would be both larger and have a spinning HD.

Nope. A USB storage device is just a chip. Small, cheap. In fact, you can get a $4GB USB drive for around $30 *retail.* If you are buying raw chips for incorporating into your own product, expect a smaller price tag.

A spinning hard drive, on the other hand, requires mounting hardware, connectors, cables, and the hard drive itself has a lot of moving mechanical parts. Keep in mind that these things are made by the thousands, or more. Buying out the clearance of last-year's model is not really an option.

Re:32GB USB stick

[Marxist Hacker 42]

They do, but the format is SD (there's a standard SD slot) and the maximum I've seen an SD card so far is 8GB.

Still, I've seen 8GB cards for under $80, so aside from screen size, you could EASILY upgrade the $199 version to the same internal capabilities as the $299 version for under $80.

Re:An NT$10 coin

[celery stalk]

...next to a Taiwan $10 coin...about the same size as a US half-dollar

it may help to know that the NT$10 coin is not quite 2mm larger than a U.S. quarter.

I'd tend to disagree with the article...I remember "50 cent piece" to be noticeably larger than a US quarter, and Wikipedia agrees with me. Though you are right with your comment.

Diameter: 30.61 mm (1.205 in) Half dollar (United States coin) [wikipedia.org]

Diameter: 24.26 mm (0.955 in) Quarter (United States coin) [wikipedia.org]

Diameter: 26 mm New Taiwan dollar [wikipedia.org] NT$10 Coin

Thanks, but no thanks,

[huckda]

I'll take a Nokia N800 for $375 Alex.

with built in bluetooth, and an ultrasmall form factor, great built-in wireless...ultramobile lovely linux internet tablet.

and if I don't want to use the touch-screen ultrasharp display...I'll get a 1 handed keyboard from Frogpad.com to connect via bluetooth.

Re:The Specs, summarized

[ukatoton]

It's running a derivative of xandros:

http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4576754329.html [desktoplinux.com]

Re:An NT$10 coin

[arth1]

What the heck is .07874 inches? Real Americans would say 5/64".

Re:Getting closer to replacing the Tandy Model 100

[hoppy]

Maybe the ink-media laptop based on ARM processor could replace it:

http://aptustech.com/?q=node/10 [aptustech.com]

It has a fairly powerfull ARM11 processor clocked at 500MHz with 256MB of RAM and 1GB of flash. 2 SDCard slots for extension are present.
It should have a lower power consumption than the Asustek based on a x86 processor. End of course it can not run Windows (well it may be running WinCE). It's delivered with Linux.

Re:still waiting for a daylight-readable display

[fliplap]

For years NEC produced the Versa Daylite, it came with a trans reflective screen that was specifically designed for outdoor viewing

For those interested in the Medison saga

[suv4x4]

Since it was mentioned in the summary, there's a new blog following the whole fiasco at http://medisonscam.blogspot.com/ [blogspot.com]

Some interesting highlights from the last few days:

The old product pictures has been replaced on Medisons site. According to Comon.dk Medison have foretold that they were replaced by "real" pictures to get more trustworthy. They say that they have hired a professional photographer to take the pictures. The question however, is why a professional photographer would use a Canon Digital IXUS 60 digital camera at 10 in the evening (See the Exif-tags in the pictures). That is for those who don't know a small compact consumer camera... Yes we know that this doesn't "prove" anything, it's just another "fun fact" in this story.

A poster on SweClockers posted the following answer that is supposed to be from the manufacturer: "they got one pcs sample from our customer and not paid". Hmm, interesting, isn't it?

According to the Danish site Comon.dk, Medison will have a press conference on Wednesday to clear things out. They have also spoken with several people in the computer industry that claims, just like all other experts, that the price is "impossible".

The Asus Eee offer however is great I'm looking forward to their machine. You shouldn't look at this laptop from the perspective of using it as full blown desktop Machine. Consider all the stuff you get at mere $200, for a nice mobile computer with full-sized keyboard and rich internet abilities. It makes for far better browsing/mail checking than what you can do on your $600 iPhone.

Re:Could have been cheaper

[networkBoy]

you can get 2 gigs on a single die, you can stack that die with a block storage controller in a single chip.
In 10K unit quantities those sell for about $12-20
so since this is ASUS and Intel, I'm betting the price is closer to the $12 range and is a single TSOP48 chip, or the board may have 4 lands on it for 4 2gig chips and a separate controller, thus "modders" will be able to upgrade the machine for under $50 as a single 2Gig in a TSOP48 can now be had in the $8.00 range.
-nB

Re:Diminishing returns?

[spacefrog]

This laptops looks like an emate, and an in inflation adjusted numbers costs only a little less.

Oh Really? "The eMate was introduced March 7, 1997, for US$800" [wikipedia.org]

According to The Inflation Calculator: [westegg.com] "What cost $800 in 1997 would cost $994.00 in 2006." 2006 is the latest year they will calculate for.

SImilar: Via NanoBook

[timothy]

Linked from the Eee page at Wikipedia, I just found this (mostly) similarly equipped laptop upcoming from VIA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NanoBook [wikipedia.org]

It uses a conventional hard drive, but also claims greater battery life. Also a 7" screen, but uses the space differently -- from the description and the way the photo looks (prototype?), I guess that's a trackpad next to the screen. Price will be "agressive," says that page, but it would have to be damn near ferocious to beat the $200 one from Asus ... assuming that stays $200, not $279+shipping or something.

timothy

Re:The keyboard...

[TheRaven64]

I didn't RTFA, but I've R'd several other FAs about this and most of the pictures showed the meta ('windows') key having a circle and square logo on it. There were reports that some of the early prototypes had a windows flag on their meta key, but this was fixed in the later ones. It does, however, have a single-button trackpad, which I consider a win for usability, but some Linux users may not care for (the supplied environment is tailored for single-button use, but if you want to put GNOME or KDE on it you might have problems).

Here's a tip

[joeszilagyi]

1. Go to Starbucks.
2. Wait for yuppie on laptop to go to the bathroom.
3. Take laptop.
4. Wipe out Windows with nix install of your choice.
5. Profit!

Re:Sounds good, but...

[Fizzol]

By all appearences it's a trimmed down version of Xandros (based on Debian) Linux. Xandros Networks is a GUI front end for apt-get and should allow you to install most anything you care too. Synaptic is available too if you prefer that, again assuming it's basically the same as the full-size Xandros.

Re:does i run windows?

[vonsneerderhooten]

It's tough to tell if you post is just profane ignorance or flamebait, but are you fucking stupid? NT based operating systems have this little thing goin on called Microkernel Architecture. No way a win98 or older driver will work as well, if at all on one of these newer OSes.

to recap:
NT 4.0 driver on 2k or xp - maybe
98se driver on NT 4 2k, or xp - NO FUCKING WAY

Re:SImilar: Via NanoBook

[Your Pal Dave]

Price will be "agressive," says that page, but it would have to be damn near ferocious to beat the $200 one from Asus ... assuming that stays $200, not $279+shipping or something.

According to this article on engadget [engadget.com], the nanobook will clock in at $600. Not bad for all you get, but not really comparable to the Eee.

kids

[misanthrope101]

I have 13 and 15 year old kids, both of whom want laptops. They aren't getting a $1200 Macbook. They aren't even getting a $600 laptop. It'll get left at a friend's house, on the bus, or dropped. It may not, but it may. At $200 or so, it wouldn't kill me if they lost it, though I'd be irritated. At $600 or even $400, it would piss me off and they wouldn't get another one. Price points do matter.