HP Unveils Small Commercial Linux Laptop

Ryan writes "HP had unveiled their version of a miniaturized laptop for school kids. The tiny device boasts speeds up to 1.6 gigahertz. They haven't yet decided on a name, but 'netbooks' is one possibility. They will be used for surfing the Internet and doing other basic tasks like word processing. The company plans to have 50 million units available in the marketplace by 2011. Optical drives have been left out to prevent kids from playing 'unauthorized games.' Weighing less than 3 pounds with a tiny 8.9 inch screen, the machines start below $500 for a Linux-based model. Prices are expected to be higher for Windows Vista models."

Optical left out because of games huh...

[Anonymous Coward]

Right, cause we all know how many games there are floating around out there for Linux... on optical media no less...

"See? See? It's a feature, not a deficiency!"

I've got a name!

[sootman]

The tiny device boasts speeds up to 1.6 gigahertz. They haven't yet decided on a name, but 'netbooks' is one possibility... Optical drives have been left out... Weighing less than 3 pounds...

How about 'NetBook Air'? Catchy, I think.

Re:Something lined up

[mi]

Could they be in talks with, for example, the folks in charge of the education changes that will be coming with the changing of the guard from republican to democrat White House administrations?

They may well be... Teachers' Union endorsements don't come cheap.

Re:500 bucks?

[snl2587]

With inflation that will be about $4 in 2008 dollars by 2011.

Unauthorized games

[Dan East]

But they say many schools requested the drives be left out to prevent students from playing unauthorized games.'

That's a good thing since games can't be distributed on USB drives, SD cards or downloaded from the internet.

Hey check this out!

[symbolset]

I just discovered a secret. Most schoolkids [wikipedia.org] don't even live in the US. Shocker!

Re:1.6GHz?

[Anonymous Coward]

My son's Toshiba laptop, purchased this last Christmas, runs Vista at about that speed. It sucks. (That's a unanimous opinion among all members of our household, geeks and non-geeks alike. Even the cats hate it.

Well they would, wouldn't they? Everybody knows cats need fast processors to run extra grammar and spelling checks. For a cat, being caught spelling something incorrectly is the height of humiliation.

Re:"Try Again"

[Ethanol-fueled]

The day that a "kid" is able to run WOW or Counterstrike in WINE without an optical drive is the day that I'll fart dust and piss rust. Get off my lawn!

Re:I've got a name!

[hey!]

How about the "ME-2"?

Netbooks is lame

[Groo Wanderer]

Netbooks/Nettops sounds so sterile and focus grouped. How about Crotchtops?

          -Charlie

Re:"Try Again"

[Ethanol-fueled]

Whoa there, feller. It's called "sarcasm". Please don't perpetuate the notion that all slashdotters were picked on in grades K-12 and are now using their mod points to seek revenge against outspoken bullies. Here, I brought a tag for you: [/sarcasm]. Truce? :)

Re:No Thanks

[onkelonkel]

I thought classical mistake number one was "don't get involved in a land war in Asia"

Classical Mistake Number One?

[argent]

What happened to "Never go up against a Sicilian when Death is on the line?"

Re:1.6GHz?

[dubbreak]

For a cat, being caught spelling something incorrectly is the height of humiliation.

wut dat u sez?

I can has werd chekerz?

Re:"Try Again"

[orasio]

These laptops don't have 8800 nvidia cards. Shut up.

Re:1.6GHz?

[DarkSarin]

Are you _certain_ the cats hate it? I mean they are cats. They may just artfully disdain it, as per their usual stance. Cats don't usually hate much of anything. Frankly I think if the cats had decided that they hated Vista, we'd see that microsoft would already be in flames by now. No my friend, I fear the day cats actually wake from their millenia of apathy and begin to actually hate. When that happens we shall all die a painful death. Their studied indifference to our human and insignificant lives is vastly preferred to any notice that they might take of us.

Re:"Try Again"

[el americano]

Relax, they didn't really leave the CD drive out to restrict the kids. They just found out it was a really good spin for the design decision to leave it out. Teachers love the idea that children won't be allowed to do something. They're thinking, "Now, they will respect my authority."

Re:"Try Again"

[fragbait]

Engineering is about reality. Marketing is about perceptions.

...there you go assuming your engineers have an accurate perception of reality.

-fragbait

Re:"Try Again"

[HTH NE1]

The real question is: will it run WoW?

I thought the real question was, "Will it blend?"

Re:1.6GHz?

[slimjim8094]

Joke: <--------

You:
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