Plugging In $40 Computers
nes...@wigner.berkeley.edu
What would you do with a $40 Linux computer the size of a three-prong
plug adapter?
Marvell Technology Group is counting on an army of computer engineers
and hackers to answer that question. It has created a “plug computer.”
It’s a tiny plastic box that you plug into an electric outlet. There’s
no display. But there is an Ethernet jack to connect to a home network
and a USB socket for attaching a hard drive, camera or other device.
Inside is a 1.2 gigahertz Marvell chip, called an application
processor, running a version of the Linux operating system.
All this can be yours for $99 today and probably for under $40 in two
years.
</Quote>
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/plugging-in-to-the-uses-of-40-computers/?hp
DFS
Where's the $40 Linux computer? Your thread title and the article you quote
both mention a $40 Linux computer. Where is it?
I'll tell you where: inside some bozos fantasy-land head, right next to "The
Year Of Linux" and "MS is dying".
Hadron
Yup. Dishonesty is the first badge and "advocate" must earn.
However in true dishonest "advocate" style, the 40 dollars is guess work
about how cheap it will be after it sweeps aside the Intel Windows PC (a
bit like the PS2 did ....)
from the link:
"and probably for under $40 in two years"
--
In view of all the deadly computer viruses that have been spreading
lately, Weekend Update would like to remind you: when you link up to
another computer, you’re linking up to every computer that that
computer has ever linked up to. — Dennis Miller
Ezekiel
"DFS" <nospam@dfs_.com> wrote in message
news:hScRl.288$Xl4...@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
The problem with this *vaporware* $40 computer is that it is basically
useless. It's a solution in search of a problem. There's nothing that this
plug computer can do that you can't do today by buying a cheap router and
flashing it with DD-WRT. You'll have the same functionality *plus* you also
get access to wireless networking.
Abeel van der Kloothuysen
news:gv3n0b$4s2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Yet another failed Linux project like openmoko, linux netbooks, the Vienna
and Munich migration. The list is endless!
Hadron
I know someone here who will claim he bought one and then bore everyone
about how he uses "vim" to program it ....
Ezekiel
"Hadron" <hadro...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:gv3ob5$fvo$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Program it to do what - It's a neat device but what exactly do you do with
it?
Hadron
I guess you could use it as a bluetooth transmitter or ... err,
something to modulate a, err, ... I don't know! It's Linux! That's all
that matters. MS is doomed. blah blah blah.
White Spirit
> Program it to do what - It's a neat device but what exactly do you do with
> it?
I'm going to get one and use it as a low-power consumption server I can
access from various devices wherever I am.
Ezekiel
"White Spirit" <wsp...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
news:gv3svh$fjf$3...@news.eternal-september.org...
Now days you can pickup a Linksys router on sale for under $20 - sometimes
less than $10 if you catch a Memorial Day sale or something. If all you're
going to do is access files on an external USB drive then why not simply
flash the router with DD-WRT and use that?
Terry Porter
> <Quote>
> What would you do with a $40 Linux computer the size of a three-prong
> plug adapter?
>
> Marvell Technology Group is counting on an army of computer engineers
> and hackers to answer that question. It has created a ?plug computer.?
> It?s a tiny plastic box that you plug into an electric outlet. There?s
> no display. But there is an Ethernet jack to connect to a home network
> and a USB socket for attaching a hard drive, camera or other device.
> Inside is a 1.2 gigahertz Marvell chip, called an application
> processor, running a version of the Linux operating system.
>
> All this can be yours for $99 today and probably for under $40 in two
> years.
> </Quote>
>
>
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/plugging-in-to-the-uses-of-40-computers/?hp
Nice unit, and the trolls hated your post, because seven of them replied,
all grunting amonst themselves as they are universally ignored thesedays!
dfs
hadtroll
ezekill
unable van idiot (clogwog)
hadtroll
ezekill
hadtroll
With a guest appearance by the Linux Advocate Whitespirit :)
--
If we wish to reduce our ignorance, there are people we will
indeed listen to. Trolls are not among those people, as trolls, more or
less by definition, *promote* ignorance.
Kelsey Bjarnason, C.O.L.A. 2008
Matt
You seem to have missed the points that it is tiny and uses almost no power.
Ezekiel
"Matt" <ma...@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote in message
news:UajRl.71112$uD3....@newsfe20.iad...
So in other words it's just like a Linksys router except the plug costs
about 5-10x as much and doesn't have wireless networking.
Nigel Feltham
True - not that easy to find a router with USB A port for devices though,
plenty with USB B port for use with ethernet-less PC connection to the
router but the A type port for devices seems a lot rarer sadly unless some
firmwares allow the port for PC connection to be re-used for devices with a
suitable converter cable?
A NAS box with USB port would also do what this machine does.
Nothing new about this box really - there was even a company selling
computer terminals built into ethernet wallboxes a while ago powered via
power-over-lan from the network switch.
Matt
Then what do you mean by 'tiny'. At newegg I don't see any Linksys
wireless router that I might call tiny. 7" x 8" x 2" is not tiny.
Ezekiel
So what you're saying is that a 7x8x2 router is too big so you think that
people will pay 5-10x as much for something that's 4x3x2. Keep in mind that
the device is almost useless without external storage so you're going to
have to use it with an external USB or SAN drive anyhow. Both devices are
very small with low power consumption.
Once again... it's a cute device but it's a solution in search of a
problem. The difference in physical size isn't enough to make a difference
because the router is more than small enough. Add external storage and the
difference becomes even less of a issue.