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Handhelds Hardware

Modular PC Handtop Review 94

Posted by CmdrTaco from the put-it-in-my-pocket-and-take-it-home-with-me dept.
captainJam writes "The Modular PC (MPC) is a device with a simple concept centering around one 'core' that can be used in a variety of 'shells'. While the use of any laptop, tablet or desktop is immediately limited by the design of its components, the MPC can expand on its functionality with the introduction of new shells to house the core which contains the CPU, GPU, etc. Handtops.com has a review of the device and touches on its strengths and weaknesses. Overall, it is a great concept and decently executed, but the price will be prohibitive for most."
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Modular PC Handtop Review

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  • Not Just Prohibitive - Foolish (Score:5, Insightful)

    by stoolpigeon ( 454276 ) * <bittercode@gmail> on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:15PM (#12306834) Homepage Journal
    The cost is not prohibitive in that many wont be able to afford it but prohibitive in that it just does not make sense. You don't gain anything but you pay a lot more. The core is around $2000. Then the docking station is another $200. The laptop shell is $800. The tablet shell is another grand. So you are paying 3 grand for a laptop, tablet and a docking station. (and you've still got to pay for a monitor and input devices for the desktop part) For that I can buy a laptop, a tablet and probably a touch more for a desktop.

    Portable storage is dirt cheap and convenient. So I'm not sure what I would gain. If it were difficult to move data between those types of devices I could really see the appeal. But it's not hard to do anymore. I'd rather just buy the full blown version of each component for quite a bit less (if you got the same processor, etc.).
    • I'm trying to think of some uses for this expensive gadget.

      Maybe for company with some employees in the office, some on the road, this and that, they can buy a few shells and share among staff?

      So the sales guy with his core will take a PDA shell out, and when he's back to the office, he can plug his core into a desktop shell and work immediately without the need to sync data, especially if it is sync'ing into somebody else's desktop.
      • I'm trying too-- but the only way I can see it making a lot of sense is if the shells get to be a lot cheaper than what they replace. If the PDA shell costs more than a full-on PDA it just doesn't make sense. If the laptop shell costs more than a laptop.... you get the idea.

        A laptop with a docking station covers 90% of what this would do without all that cost. In fact you can get a more powerful laptop for less than the core alone.

        The idea seems to have grown from a need that just doesn't exist any
      • It reminds me of PDA's in general. They're cool. I want the newest features.

        /using my Ipaq as an ebook reader /sorry about the fark slashes
    • What I want to see is something you can stick on your key chain, slide it into any computer you happen to be on, and have it load up your desktop, files, and applications. Also, I don't want to have it running the OS off the device. Heck, I suppose a USB thumbdrive would work, if someone could figure out how to run applications off one (yeah, you can run exe's, but what about apps that need reg entries?)
      • I used to switch machines a lot, and I got in the habit of carrying a cd onto which I had burned a copy of my text editor [jedit.org], along with some other useful programs. With java apps on something like this, you can sit down on any computer running any common operating system and be able to get work done.

        I don't move around so much anymore, but if I did I would probably put it on my mp3 player now, which I always have with me and functions as a usb drive. The new iPod shuffle and its clones we'll be seeing is e
      • is working on what you want.
        http://news.softpedia.com/news/Smart-USB-79 2.shtml

        Users were promised the capability of launching applications directly from the Flash drive, besides the storage feature. Drive-owners would be capable of transporting a full application while keeping access to all history, personal settings and contacts associated with that software solution.

      • You probably don't want to hear this, but you can do this with Linux. It's a little more complicated than just sticking the USB drive in (you have to mount it) but I carry my preferences and quite a few apps and files around on one and can use it with pretty much any Linux PC that has Gnome or KDE. If it's a Windows PC then I can just reboot it with a Knoppix disc.

        What I'm looking for is one of the damn small Linux variants (bootable, less than 50Mb, fits on a business card size CD), and a way to run the X

    • OK,
      the price is to much currently and I'm not sure it has mass market appeal. But for the likes of me it would be a great idea. Especially if it had a mips or powerpc module.

      Currently I have a noisy half rack of near identical machines except for the cpu :-(
    • Yes, it is horribly expensive right now, but it's nothing surprising. Almost everything is horribly expensive while new to the market.
      But this idea is brilliant, and will be a success - if they will open specyfication and set some kind of standard. If you could buy several different laptop modules (from subnotebook size to ruggadized toughbook-likes), handheld modules etc _and_ different core units from different vendors you will have almost endless upgrade options. That may be true only on on very compet
      • The reason the idea of standards with laptops never caught on in the first place is exactly what you list, and why this won't pan out.
        1) no more vendor lock in.
        2) everything is bigger since it has to be properly componentized (ever look at the insides of a laptop)?
        3) more expensive no matter how you play it - if for no other reason than it's a support nightmare.

        and yes, I am their target - I'm the early adopter gadget type. In the past I've owned two MD players, imported a Sony bluetooth memoryst
      • You are right -- if it were to be open and if the cost of the shells drops below the cost of a fully functioning thing that it emulates. Otherwise it will never go anyhere. I'm leaning in that direction. I think this would have been killer around 10 years ago.
    • Don't worry, the cost will be more realistic when the company goes under and the surplus companies start selling them on ebay.
    • I don't think "foolish" is the right word, they're just doing something that the technology isn't ready to be cost effective-- but it doesn't get to be cost-effective until someone works on some over-expensive version for a while first.

      But think ahead, after a few years of R&D, the general idea is you get a nice little PDA that you dock and have a full-blown computer. You work in your home you have all your apps/files/etc, you get on the train and you have all the same apps/files/etc, and you get to w

      • At the moment we have 4 main formats of computer used by average Joe - desktop, laptop, pda and cell phone. each of those currently uses different methods of doing the same tasks, and require data syncing, learning curve, upgrade cycle and so on. before long, thanks to maturing wireless communication, multi-platform integration and so on, those computers are going to start sharing common resources like storage, ports and devices, and eventually processing resources and power supplies

        The latest iPAQs etc
  • This thing is crushingly expensive at the moment; the core costs $1990, and the shells to make it a laptop-compatible are almost another $1000. That makes for a $3000 1Ghz laptop running Windows XP. No thanks, I'll wait...

  • Smokey the Bear says... (Score:5, Funny)

    by GillBates0 ( 664202 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:20PM (#12306904) Homepage Journal
    When using your Modular PC Handtop device at the campgrounds, always practice safety. Surround your Modular PC with rocks to keep the fire from spreading. Be sure when you're done with your MPC to put it out with a bucket of water and make sure it has stopped smoking before you leave the area.

    Remember what Smokey the Bear says. Only you can prevent your Modular PC Handtop from starting a forest fire.

  • High Priced Because of Demand (Score:4, Insightful)

    by maxzilla ( 786061 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:21PM (#12306916) Homepage
    I saw the $1990 pricetag, and I'm not suprized, most of these types of PCs are not attempting to get a deep market saturization, so the price reflects the lack of demand. they need to recoup the initial development costs, and thus it seems pricy. there are some critical applications I could see it used for, such as occupations with a high amount of movement between desktops (IE a person who travels alot for the company) they could have the desktop at the office, and also have a laptop so their workstation goes where they go. also I can see it in the medical field where doctors can walk around and access charts digitally, then dock at a PC to do research. it certainly is not designed with common AOLer use in mind, though I could even see it being really useful on a college campus...
    • For many of these applications, it seems like having a Linux server at one point with a client that runs X applications off of it (using Wireless) would be an entirely reasonable way to go. (Wonder how little a "thin" laptop without a harddrive could weigh...)

      For the business traveller, well, having both a desktop and a laptop next to each other on the desk is really awesome :-D If you use IMAP for your mail and VPN to in-house servers for Calender/CRM/etc services, then you're doing fine... As long as
    • there are some critical applications I could see it used for, such as occupations with a high amount of movement between desktops (IE a person who travels alot for the company) they could have the desktop at the office, and also have a laptop so their workstation goes where they go. also I can see it in the medical field where doctors can walk around and access charts digitally, then dock at a PC to do research.

      Three words: Sun Ray Station

      As long as you can get access to the server (which can now be done
    • I'm not suprized, most of these types of PCs are not attempting to get a deep market saturization

      Mr Prezident? I'd like to be the firzt to welcome you to Zlazhdot, zir. Hope you get over your cold zoon.

  • New shell in the works (Score:4, Funny)

    by dfn5 ( 524972 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:22PM (#12306928) Journal
    The Dawson's Creek Trapper Keeper

  • Multi! (Score:4, Funny)

    by sammykrupa ( 828537 ) <sam@theplaceforitall.com> on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:22PM (#12306930) Homepage Journal
    .......can be used in a variety of 'shells'.

    Did I hear somebody say:

    BEST. BIGGEST. MULTI-FUNCTION. REMOTE. EVER.

  • With that price, why even post? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by extra88 ( 1003 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:23PM (#12306946)
    I can understand why a gadget site might want to post about this device, they have articles on all kinds of crazy, overpriced stuff. Why give something with such a ridiculous price valuable attention on Slashdot?

    Better to accept an Ask Slashdot question such as "The MPC is an interesting idea with a stupid pricing scheme. How might one construct something like this on their own?"

  • Open Source Patent Giveaway !!!! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Timtimes ( 730036 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:23PM (#12306948) Homepage
    Call to hackers, crackers and modifiers..not necessarily in that order. Who's gonna be the first one to design the same thing around a Mac-mini? Seems to me that if you had a touchscreen/battery combo that mated nicely to the Mac-mini you'd have a built in market. And the 'core' would only cost $500. Am I genius crazy or just crazy? ! Enjoy.
  • it leaves one question in my mind.

    Why?

  • This is definitely interesting, but I have a feeling that advances in wearable computing and Personal Area Networking are going to render this concept moot...

    The days of (consciously) lugging around your computer are numbered. But then I'm an incurable optimist ;-)

    • This thing could easily become a wearable PC, with the right "shell." Unfortunately, it's got the same problem as all other wearable PCs: a ridiculous price tag.

      The idea is kind of nice, though -- instead of having the whole computer in one huge solid chunk, you could seperate it into modules that could be distributed around the body. It would be more like carrying several iPods in seperate pockets, instead of a CharmIT or laptop in a bag.

  • Panda Computers all over again (Score:4, Interesting)

    by SysKoll ( 48967 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:26PM (#12306993)
    A defunct company named Panda used to propose something pretty much like this to change modules without replacing the whole computer.

    The custom connectors they developped alone were horribly expensive. And with the price of motherboards and peripherals constantly dropping, there was little point in replacing just the CPU of a machine.

    Unless the prices come down dramatically, I see little incentive in adopting this technology.

  • OQO? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by eobanb ( 823187 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @05:26PM (#12306996) Homepage
    This seems almost exactly like the OQO, only they tacked on this 'shells' idea. Really this doesn't seem that different than much older ideas, like Apple's PowerBook Duo [apple-history.com].

    Nothing to see here, move along.
    • Good thing I scrolled down to avoid redundancy. I have one of those in my parents' attic. It was the first laptop I ever saw under five pounds; and back when laptops were seriously chunky, this made sense. Usable sublaptops (and tablets, and palmtops, if that's "usable") render this sort of shenanigans unnecessary.
  • It's exactly the kind of thing I was envisioning for a modular wearable computer... except expensive and bloated : (
  • So who exactly are they selling it to? If one needs full function PC, there're plenty of sub-compact sized (thin & light) laptops that has almost full functionality of desktop, which is a bit bigger than these modular PC thingie (thick magazine size vs 200g chocolate bar size) but cheaper. If one only needs basic of email/read-doc...etc. than a PDA suffices. So these stuff trying to fit in 'gaps' where people want more than PDA with size smaller than sub-compact laptop, but also has big pockets. Wow
  • Maybe this specific product is overpriced? Ok its definatly overpriced! Assume that in 5 years the technology becomes smaller and cheaper especially for a large company who is ordering them by the hundred. I think its not a fundamentally flawed idea in the long run but is a flawed product at the moment.
  • Ok, this might seems a bit ignorant but how exactly is this different from the mac mini? This thing is slightly smaller than a mac mini, and comes with Xp.. thats the only thing I can think of. The extra add ons can be added to a mac mini if someone were to build it.

  • What are they shooting for? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by MythoBeast ( 54294 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @06:00PM (#12307464) Homepage Journal
    I've always envisioned the ultimate end of personally portable computing to have a device about the size of a deck of cards which I can plug into any office or public terminal and have that terminal immediately bring up my desktop and run all of my programs. When designing this kind of system, you have to decide which of the pieces you want to replicate vs. which of the pieces you want to lug around.

    At one end of the spectrum is the laptop, where you lug around darn near everything. You have to replicate some things, like printers and wall sockets, and often wind up replicating other things like a big monitor and comfortable keyboard, but for the most part it's an entirely integrated unit.

    On the other end of the scale is the thumb drive. Nothing more than a highly portable storage device for all of those things you can't replicate. You can jack one of these babies into any full system that has an adequate set of tools and be on your way. It's small enough that you can attach it to your keychain and forget it exists.

    This product seems to be somewhere in the limbo between those two. For any concept like this to work, you have to be fairly certain that you can find the components that you don't carry around with you wherever you go. With a laptop, this is easy because you need so little. Portable storage in the form of floppies and CD's have made the other end quite available.

    As it stands, there doesn't exist adequate infrastructure to make this device useful. Oh, and did I mention that it's preposterously expensive for what it provides?

  • This solution is exactly the opposite of what I want. I don't really want to lug a computer around with me. I really want to take my data with me, and just use whatever computer is handy nearby. I use a laptop because that is the smallest computer that fits my needs that I'm willing to carry everywhere. However, I would happily have a system where I could use the data on my laptop on any other machine I use as well, just by connecting my laptop (or my laptop's drive) (something more elegant than making my p
  • ... I'm not sure that so much needs to be in the base unit. The processor is in there, as is a hard disk and memory, and you're carring that same configuration from one shell to another as if the use-cases for the shells are the same.

    I like the idea of shells, but I'm not sure how much I like the idea of having to use the same processor & memory in each shell. Why not keep the processor & memory in the shell, so that the processor is appropriate to what you're trying to do? If I'm walking around j

  • Performance (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Jozer99 ( 693146 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @06:05PM (#12307532)
    Nobody has mentioned performance. The modular PC has a 1 GHz Transmetia Processor, 256MB of RAM, and a 16MB Graphics Acclerator. Do those specs sound like something you would want to pay $2000 for? A 1GHZ Transmetia doesn't beat a 650 MHz PIII in some measures of performance, 256 MB of RAM is barely enough to run XP smoothly, let alone multitask, and the 16 MB graphics adapter is a relic from another age, probably not even DirectX 7.0 compliant. That is one slow system, especially for big bucks. Now, if you plan to only use the Handheld PC Shell, the specs are about what you would find on similar products, but in a desktop or laptop configuration, the thing is just not powerful enough to justify it. Plus, because of the modular nature of the device, the handheld shell is bigger than its competitors. This may be the first modular design on the market, but it seems horribly impracticle to me. What we need is a nice P4 in there, that will underclock to 600MHz in a handheld, 2.0 Ghz in a laptop, and run at a full 3.6 GHz in a desktop. Heat wouldn't be a problem in any of them, because the underclocked processor would run cool enough to work with the heating solution in each of the docks. Make the graphics adapter part of the dock, so that a handheld could include a low power, low performace adapter for its SVGA screen, and the desktop dock could have a PCI-E 16X slot for a GeForce 6xxx or ATi X8xx. Why not have a flash drive for the OS and some important files on the modular device, and have full harddrives on the docks. That way a handheld could have full flash shock resistance, and laptop could have a small slow 2.5" 60 GB drive for work files and music, and the desktop could have a 400 GB SATA disk for storage of recorded TV shows. I guess everyone will eventually figure out that putting everything but the monitor and input devices in the modular piece justs doesn't make much sense.

  • This 'Shell' concept is like the Swiss Army Knife: in theory, it can do everything; in reality, it doesn't work well enough at any single task to replace cheaper, specialized instruments. The last time you cut a steak or used a toothpick, did you reach for your Swiss Army knife, or for your steak knife and your toothpick?

    My cellphone does things my desktop couldn't do 10 years ago, and it's cheap enough that when it breaks, I don't bother repairing it; I just donate it to a charity. Laptops are getting th

  • I almost see the thing looking like it's almost a step towards being able to build your own laptop. They have a core module with all the independent parts of the PC, then they tack on all the i/o devices that make it a laptop, desktop or tablet machine. If they would take it a step further, and allow as many components to be customized like a desktop would, then maybe you could have a laptop that's a lot more to your liking (CPU/GPU, network, display) without having to arm-wring a manufacturer to do it (or

  • This sounds like a decent idea. At least, I've long wanted something very similar to this. I carry an iPod with me everywhere, and I'd love to be able to plug a keyboard into it and use it to enter notes on the go.

    Or better yet, I've always thought that the best setup would be an iPod with the UI of a Palm device (I call this a "PalmPod", when I occasionally rant about all the stuff I carry around). You could do basic stuff with just the PalmPod, but it would sync and be a decent-sized hard drive.

    Too

  • Psssh, big deal. Someone call me when the can make one that is not only modular, but actually can complete the trifecta of "cellular, modular, and interactivodular" like the bananaphone! [filmbuffs.net]
  • This, to me, is a very old idea of modular. How long have docking stations, and even PDAs been around? Forever. This is what I'd like...

    Something like this machine, but when you plug it into a desktop docking station that station has additional RAM, a better video card, more processors and additional storage.

  • Runs hot and slow (Score:5, Informative)

    by SassyDave ( 557868 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @06:45PM (#12307997) Homepage
    I tested this device for a couple weeks as a candidate for running some software I was developing. This was last summer, mind you. The results were awful. The MCC (modular computing core) can run in one of two "shells". One is a hand-held, passively cooled device (TFA calls it a "Micro Tablet") with a touch-screen LCD and a couple USB ports. It has a velcro strap that lets you easily carry it in one hand by strapping it around your palm. The other "shell" is a desktop docking-station with a fan for cooling and keyboard/mouse and VGA connectors. TFA calls this one the "Desktop Dock".

    Let me tell you that this thing ran *hot*. After working with it for a few minutes in the handheld, my hands became so sweaty that I worried it was going to slip out of them. Also, since it's sensitive to heat, it would throttle the CPU back to 300MHz, and Windows XP would slow to a crawl. I found that I could lock the CPU in a 1000MHz frequency, but then it just got even hotter.

    The desktop docking station was no better. I tried playing a DivX movie in both modes, and the playback ran at about 1 frame per second. I would expect a 1000MHz CPU to do better. Obviously, this thing has other bottlenecks.

    Even for regular productivity applications, like MS Word and friends (err, enemies, this *is* /.), it was still unbearably slow.

    In short, this thing is a great idea in concept, but failed to pan out in reality for me.
  • How is this device "modular"? Inside the "core", you have a non-modular combination of CPU, RAM, VPU and HD.

    What I would like to see is small modules:
    A cpu module, a ram module, a VPU module, an HD module.
    Then you could connect them all together using some sort of standardtized connectors.
    Want to have more memory? Just add another memory module.
    Want more CPU power? Add or replace a CPU module.
    Each module will include various general connectors:
    Data with various bandwidths, power, some sort of cooling solut
    • No, the CPU, RAM, and GPU need to all be in one unit (although a version with integrated northbridge graphics would likely be just fine). The hard drive ought to be a seperate module, though. I'd like to see this divided into five modules:
      • CPU
      • Storage (Hard drive, flash memory slots)
      • Wireless (Cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth)
      • Battery
      • I/O (USB, VGA, I2C(?), etc.)

      They should also be connected by a high-speed serial connection (firewire?) in order to reduce cable bulk. It's important that they should be able to

  • I had the same exact idea and have been saving up my nickles to try and build one (was going to try and use the mini itx-12volt board as a start-maybe, hadn't decided yet really), glad to see someone actually did it. It makes sense in a niche way. You have your PDA, Laptop and Desktop all combined, but as portable or as full featured stuck in place as you want. From my perspective it should have been *cheaper* than buying all three separate though, that's the real point #2, because the main computing functi

  • The perfect concept, but backwards (Score:5, Insightful)

    by hirschma ( 187820 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @07:52PM (#12308672)
    I think that this product strategy could be work, but only if it was turned inside-out, essentially, and stripped to the basics. In other words, ONE form factor, but widely figurable - even in ways that may not be initially predicted.


    How about this:

    • Start with a form factor that will hit a sweet spot. Perhaps a clamshell? The digitizer that would make it a tablet is probably not all that valuable to most folks - witness the poor sales of Tablet PCs.
    • Pretty much include only the very basics in the package - processor (how about ARM? - cheap and fast, good power consumption), keyboard, battery, display stuff, perhaps a pointing thingy. No memory. No storage. Battery optional - and use an existing battery form factor, if possible. Oh, and some kind of firmware that can boot anything. Maybe Mini-PCI and Ethernet, if it doesn't add too much to the bottom line.
    • Build in STANDARD interfaces. USB. PCMCIA. SO-DIMM memory expansion. CF slot.
    • Let people pick and choose what they want next. Notebook replacement? OK, put in a CF microdrive, lots of RAM, Linux OS, done. Pocket PC on steroids? OK, CompactFlash memory, Windows CE, less memory, wireless card. You get the idea - make it so that there are many, many permutations possible.
    • Lastly: Support one or two STANDARD configs. Let the community support the rest. Give a few away - what would the OpenZaurus folks do with this beasty? The NetBSD folks? Perhaps someone wants to hack around with WinCE... give a few away and let them.

    And then - price the basic box at under $500. Make it the Soekris of portable and desktop computing.
    • Both of these ideas raise interesting issues about what "modular" means, and if this is an important idea. The name and the product are catchy and interesting, so I think it is worth figuring why this concept has arrived now, and what it may lead to. This even has some implications for studies of mind that trying to do some serious empirical science into the nature of the brain/mind by understanding the architecture. This is a pretty hot field of research, so it's nice to see some terms that fit into scho

  • nice idea, bad execution... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by hitmark ( 640295 ) on Thursday April 21, 2005 @08:30PM (#12308966) Journal
    i have had the same idea floating around in my head for about 6 months now. but to make it worth the money every part of it have to add value.

    rather then having the base unit just being a dumb box it should be a pda on top of a HD. but when plugged into laptop or desktop config the config should bring with it more cpu ram and so on so that the "pda" turns into a storage device.

    so if you need to take notes, break out the laptop and plug in the pda (maybe allow the laptop to fold into tablet form). just need to add a meeting? no need to bring out the entire laptop.

    need some graphical or other horsepower, plug it into the desktop config and get to work.

    maybe allow the laptop and desktop configs to work as thin clients (bootable over a network connection) if the pda isnt docked.

    one should allso be able to dock more then one pda so that one can access files on all of them at the same time. therefor the dock should basicly be usb or firewire, maybe even wifi. i may be streching the term docking here tho...

    the thing is, no part of the setup should be dead weight without any other part.
  • The Transmeta CPU in this thing is a clear mistake. Just like the VIA processors, it may have a comparably high MHz rating, but it'll perform worse than an Intel/AMD CPU at half the MHz. Should have gone with a mobile Intel/AMD proc.

    Personally, I'd like to see customizable portable computers at the other extreme... Instead of one core where you can replace everything, I'd like to see a Laptop with almost everything, where you can replace the keyboard, mouse, etc. Establish standard dimentions for keybo
  • Check out http://www.intermec.com/eprise/main/Intermec/Conte nt/Products/Products_ShowDetail?section=Products&P roduct=CMPTRCN30 for an interesting implementation of this concept.
  • just have your storage portable (eg. "my documents"), and plug it into any computer you use.
  • As seen in the article, the Modular Computing Company logo is almost a dead ringer (except in typeface) for the Delorean Motor Company's: http://bttfportugal.no.sapo.pt/DMC_logo_B.jpg

    Lets see, an incredibly esoteric product from an esoteric company with little business experience?

    They've got three things in common, it'll be four to four if their CEO pops up on the news in a coke bust.

  • Ultraportables (Score:2, Interesting)

    by ultrapcs ( 804963 )
    Here is a nice web site that discusses ultraportables computers: http://ultraportables.net/ [ultraportables.net]
  • I have had an idea for a while now about creating a device that is essentially an LCD with a SIMPLE network interface. Think palm with a larger screen and a network connection. This device would be able to provide an X/VNC/RDP connection to a main computer that has tons of processing power. Your wireless network supplies the connection. The device runs an embedded Linux. These would be fairly inexpensive to produce. I have everything but the X/VNC/RDP piece sitting on my workbench now. 9" LCD, 400Mhz

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