3D Linux Laptop Available

Anonymous Writer writes "EmperorLinux is distributing the Sharp Actius RD3D autostereo laptop with Linux pre-installed, dubbing it the 'Molecule'. Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux; the autostereo 3D display (most importantly), CD-RW/DVD-RW combo drive, Ethernet port, audio hardware, PC Card slot, 4 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire port, Sony Memory Stick slot, Compact Flash slot, SD slot, and internal floppy dive. The only built-in feature unsupported is the internal 56 Kbps modem, however a supported 56 kbps PC Card modem is available as well as a WiFi PC Card."

Holy ripoff

[fatwreckfan]

Under "Recommended Accessories" they have a Logitech wheel mouse [emperorlinux.com] for $50. Insanity, considering the same mouse can be bought at any computer store for like $20CDN.

Wow

[stratjakt]

Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux

I bet the zealots have no problem overlooking the word "almost", but I'd expect to utilize all of the hardware features of a $3600 laptop.

What doesn't work in linux?

Memory Stick

[FrostedWheat]

Sony Memory Stick slot

This would be a good reason *NOT* to buy it.

A bit expensive, but it has potential

[InternationalCow]

At $3600, it will be something of a luxury laptop and a gizmo, considering the number of Linux users who are in disciplines that deal with 3D imaging. Except, perhaps, game and movie designers I think. Most molecular imaging people that I know use SUN, SGI or HP hardware still. I don't think that stuff like RasMol or Cn3D (for protein structure viewing) currently supports it. Knowing the Linux community, it pobably soon will be. Then, this machine can potentially be a great tool for scientists. You can go and view all of your proteins in 3D which will help immensely with the interpretation of mutations for instance, while avoiding the need for proprietary hardware and OSes. Then we can break free of friggin' MS. You won't believe how many times I cannot fill out a grant application because it's a .exe.. A vital app such as 3d molecular imaging should be a good place to start.

I see it as a step forward for Linux

[FerretFrottage]

I too go why 3D for that much money, but then again look at the benefits to the Linux community.

--Linux has been getting mainstream press thanks to SCO, and all the Window viruses; people have heard of it.

--Now you're in come public place with your nice ~$4000 laptop and someone sees the cool 3D effect (hopefully non-porn related).

"Cool, I wish my laptop could do that" (even though the person doesn't know why they wish their lappy could do it) "What version of Windows is that?"

"It's not Windows, it's Linux"

It may just be a small attention getter, but a lot of small attention getters can add up to a big boost of Linux awareness among the [general] public.

Re:Wow

[Tin Foil Hat]

Near as I can tell, it's just the 56K software modem that doesn't work.

The added value comes in the various tweaks they've made to their Linux OS. It also looks like you have to be a customer to get a copy of it, so you can't cheap out and buy a laptop for half the price of theirs.

Is it worth the extra 600 bucks? I think if I were going to pay 3 grand for a laptop, I might consider it. Linux can be difficult to get to work correctly on laptops, but $600 is nothing to sniff at.

Re:3D in front of the screen only ?

[Anonymous Coward]

A few years back, even 2D LCDs had such a restricted viewing angle.

Re:3D???

[nuOpus]

Point is ... the screen gives you the perception of depth. If the screen can fool your brain into thinking that there is an image in the foreground and others farther in the distance ... than the IMAGE is 3D no matter how you slice it and by difinition. It doesnt matter if you can't stick your hand though there and touch the background image. They never said 3D virtuality ... its 3D imagery .. and by that definition it is 3D.

The sucky part...

[tha_mink]

Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux;

I love linux. I do. But I hate reading about a linux company putting out a linux machine with the sentence "Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux;" What's with the "almost"? Why can't ALL of the hardware features be "utilised" under linux. C'mon this isn't BeOS we're talking about.

What the f***

[Tharald]

Sorry, but I would like to state my opinion: what the f**k? this is news? When I installed Mandrake 9.2 and later 10.0 on my 1 year old toshiba satellite, everything worked ok (3d graphics, firewire, but not the SD cardreader...) I dont really see the news in this article. But thats OK, but what really pisses me off is that anyone still uses the memory stick thingy. I dont ever want to have that proprietary shit be part of what I buy again. I have a Zaurus with SD card reader and CF card reader. Two nice standards, universally accepted. Then I have a Sony Clie with only a Memory stick reader. What the **** is that? what am I supposed to use the slot for? This is one of the most important issues I have against Sony, and one of the reasons I am switching to the new Zaurus 6000.

I think the Idea of a nice Linux notebook is cool, but could people please help me boycot the Memory stick thing. I want general standards, and the world has settled on SD and CF...

Re:3D???

[nuOpus]

I think everyone knows what it means. The 3RD dimension is depth. As long as your brain THINKS there is depth it is 3 dimentional. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck .. it is a duck. If you see depth (which is the 3rd dimension) you are seeing 3D.

The term 3D does not reference any type of technology or process therein. 3D is perceived vision. If I see depth ... the 3rd diminsion is there.

What's the point?

[Boson245]

Immediately I had a few thoughts without RTFA. With an afterthought 3d algorithm the proportions won't be accurate. I could see real use for this with topology or for an avid gamer, but if the programs aren't able to pass spatial information for the screen why bother? I can appreciate a proof of technology and anything linux must be great..right, but this just seems a little too early.