Letux 400, cheap Linux netbook Options

[the_oak]

This is not really a new product (as far as being mentioned here on the forums), but I think this is an effort by our old friend (and member here) Guylhem. It is called the Letux 400. It is similar to the Razorbook, Elonex One T, HiVision Mininote, and several other iterations of the same (or similar) basic design. Wasn't Letux Guylhem's old project from before his wreck?

http://www.letux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Letux_400

http://www.letux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

http://www.notebooks.com/wiki/index.php/XB...erating_Systems

[adf]

Yeah I looked at these, but the thing is worth about $100 usd afaik, and I can't seem to find one anywhere near that price, nor for sale in the US. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I could find it available to me in the US for anything like the suggested $98usd pricetag HiVision quoted in the fall.

[dhns]

Yeah I looked at these, but the thing is worth about $100 usd afaik, and I can't seem to find one anywhere near that price, nor for sale in the US. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I could find it available to me in the US for anything like the suggested $98usd pricetag HiVision quoted in the fall.

Did you find any offer at 98 USD so far?

AFAIK the HiVision price tag was a misquote and meant a factory purchase price for some millions of units (OLPC). If you know a little about component prices, shipment cost and dealers margins you would yourself find that 98 USD shop price is not achievable for a full minilaptop with keyboard and color WVGA. Compare to the Zaurus. Do you think a Zaurus is not worth more than 150 USD (for its touch screen)? In fact the Zaurus should be worth less since it has a smaller screen area But we all happily paid some 400-800 USD for them some years ago!

-- hns

[adf]

Yeah I looked at these, but the thing is worth about $100 usd afaik, and I can't seem to find one anywhere near that price, nor for sale in the US. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I could find it available to me in the US for anything like the suggested $98usd pricetag HiVision quoted in the fall.

Did you find any offer at 98 USD so far?

AFAIK the HiVision price tag was a misquote and meant a factory purchase price for some millions of units (OLPC). If you know a little about component prices, shipment cost and dealers margins you would yourself find that 98 USD shop price is not achievable for a full minilaptop with keyboard and color WVGA. Compare to the Zaurus. Do you think a Zaurus is not worth more than 150 USD (for its touch screen)? In fact the Zaurus should be worth less since it has a smaller screen area But we all happily paid some 400-800 USD for them some years ago!
-- hns

The price discussed last fall was in comparison to the goals of OLPC, so I think they were shooting for lower consumer cost than you imply.

components become cheaper over time, and the Z was really top o the line when it came out. The HiVision is not a top end device, it is supposed to be a llow cost basic utility device. Look at it this way; in 2008 most smartphomes have as much memory as this device. Its really cool, but not at near the price of a Pandora

[dhns]

... 2008 most smartphomes have as much memory as this device. Its really cool, but not at near the price of a Pandora

Oh really? Most have more than 2GB Flash at lower price (w/o contract!)? Yes, some have 256 MB which is more than 128 MB. So e.g. the iPhone has more RAM and Flash...

According to my research this official page http://www.openpandora.org/index_en.php says:

How much will it cost?
Around £199 (inc VAT), $330, Euro212 (Ex.VAT).

So how do you come to the conclusion that the Pandora is cheaper?

Or better. The Pandora has a touchscreen (++) but a much smaller display (--) only 43 keys (--). I could not find a reference about memory capacity of the Pandora. And a 600 MHz ARM vs. 335 MHz MIPS doesn't make make it necessarily faster (I can't do real comparisons but the MIPS@335 MHz has a much faster Xfb than any 400 MHz Zaurus).

-- hns

[adf]

... 2008 most smartphomes have as much memory as this device. Its really cool, but not at near the price of a Pandora

Oh really? Most have more than 2GB Flash at lower price (w/o contract!)? Yes, some have 256 MB which is more than 128 MB. So e.g. the iPhone has more RAM and Flash...

According to my research this official page http://www.openpandora.org/index_en.php says:

How much will it cost?
Around £199 (inc VAT), $330, Euro212 (Ex.VAT).

So how do you come to the conclusion that the Pandora is cheaper?

Or better. The Pandora has a touchscreen (++) but a much smaller display (--) only 43 keys (--). I could not find a reference about memory capacity of the Pandora. And a 600 MHz ARM vs. 335 MHz MIPS doesn't make make it necessarily faster (I can't do real comparisons but the MIPS@335 MHz has a much faster Xfb than any 400 MHz Zaurus).

-- hns

OK the pandora costs more, the letux is here for 199 euros, about 265 usd. So it is about the price of an unlocked blackberry clone (like a samsung i617- 290mhz opmap, 128 megs ram, minisd to 4 gigs, usb, etc. @180 usd) + some extras. I had really hoped these gadgets would retail lower, as Hivision had seemed to indicate on their announcement. Good luck with it, though. If you get a solid OS on board it is still a very attractive webook at that price, though nothing like it seems available in the US.