[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Turn your Raspberry Pi into a tiny Linux laptop here

[sjken]

"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400"
A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing?

[Humanoid]

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"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400" A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing?

A small Linux laptop/compuer is still a lot better than a windows desktop no matter the size. But if you install Linux on your $300 desktop then you have a point!

Still it is interesting to see what people can do with Raspberry Pi as it can be used to make all kind of custom systems (fx. robots, alarm systems, control system and much more) where a desktop computer will be clumsy ...

[ronin7752]

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"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400" A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing?

You miss the point. This is a "concept" device. If the components were mass produced, it would be *much* cheaper.

[Mike921]

I remember back in the day that most Heathkit kits cost more than assembled models from other manufacturers. Maybe education is the point of the exercise...

[SamWagner]

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"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400" A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing? You miss the point. This is a "concept" device. If the components were mass produced, it would be much cheaper.

So it would be like a netbook, except much worse? The only thing it would be better on is battery life.

[Abhish]

It certainly looks cool and would impress one and all, but does it not defeat the whole purpose of Raspberry pi? I thought it was introduced with the objective of cheaper computing, at $400 its no where close to being cheap!

[Uggyy]

Put this into perspective... Go and home build that Windows Laptop and see how much the components would cost you... btw make it the same size as above and battery life too.

Its a project and the guys shared it with us in the spirit of the whole idea of the Raspberry Pi.... Shows what can be done, respect.. :-)

[hodge667]

I have an Acer netbook that had windows xp preinstalled,I dumped the xp,and installed ubuntu,Its runs awesome,it doesnt have long battery life, but its a nice little linux mini computer

[WinTard]

I like my Raspberry Pi so much, I've got three of them now. With clear acrylic cases, and breadboard to prototype. A bit slow (the puny 32-bit ARM CPU that is), but it is so much fun!




On a slightly different topic, unfortunately, my Bob Carver True Subwoofer just malfunctioned today, and I spent the better part of the day reflow soldering every single components on both circuit boards. Holy, that thing uses +163.6V and -163.6V rails (327 volts motor, yes motor). The magnet itself is the largest I've ever seen on a speaker, and has a 2.5" linear excursion. Basically the magnet is the size of the driver. No wonder this thing generates > 200 pounds of force @ 2700 Watts RMS. Which leads to component fatigue with all the strong vibrations. Now the trick is to figure out which one?

Another way to look at it is if you are under 200 pounds, standing on this subwoofeer will move you up and down 2.5", no problem.

That's why my soldering iron was out.


I love puzzles.

Happy New Year everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~
He who has most fun, learns best.
~ John Cleese

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.
~ Dorothy Parker

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962, Former First Lady of the United States

This post has been edited by WinTard: 31 December 2012 - 08:10 PM

[gelfling6]

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"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400" A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing? A small Linux laptop/compuer is still a lot better than a windows desktop no matter the size. But if you install Linux on your $300 desktop then you have a point! Still it is interesting to see what people can do with Raspberry Pi as it can be used to make all kind of custom systems (fx. robots, alarm systems, control system and much more) where a desktop computer will be clumsy ...

The drawback, unless you're going through a small computer store, you can't get a desktop computer w/o windows pre-bundled, and you might as well forget about selling it back.. this was already proven quite a few years ago, when someone tried selling their license, install CD, and 'COA' label back to Microsoft.. they refused to accept it.. thus, the person was stuck with the install CD, license, and authenticity label.. (mind you, this was back early XP era.) but, the person intended to use their laptop strictly as a Linux platform. Now, I own a model-B Pi, before someone goes flying out the door, expecting a super computer, the Pi is based on a multi-component chip, which has an ARM-11 CPU inside.. now, for those who have never dealt with the ARM on any other platform (Pocket-PC, some of the early smart phones, there was even a cheapy 'Netbook' that was floating around in the last 2 years, also based on the ARM. it ran Windows-CE, or a incompatible version of Android.) the ARM is not a rocket! no real-time clock. and it's sluggish.. from time to time, it bogs down. (remember, you're only using 512MB raw memory, compared to the recent 4GB base laptops & desktops.) it's <1Ghz! (read 700Mhz, 800 if you tell the OS to overclock.) it does run pretty fast, but if you think you're going to get major number crunching, stick to the Intel or AMD chips.. this is an EXPERIMENTER's Platform! It was made to create a bridge, between hobbyist projects, and a working, stable operating computer system. But even there, it's not 100% compatible.. The new standard, is 3.3V.. while, only just a few years ago, it was 5V.. (for those not familiar, 3.3 is equivalent to a lithium watch battery, while 5V was almost equivalent to 4 drycells, and a limiting diode.) attach anything with 5V logic directly to the I/O pins of the Pi, and you'll have Burned Pi! (the 5V voltage will destroy the internal links to the CPU of the Pi) it will require 'level shifting' to translate between the two voltages. so, if your project is based on 74xxxx TTL chips, you'll need to use additional circuitry to talk between the two, without frying the Pi... Despite what some have said, Linux is NOT Windows, and Windows is NOT Linux! there has been some major strides in making Linux more compatible, and accepted, but Microsoft still has the strangle-hold.. (sorry, brutal, but true.) Unless someone ports-over a less-memory hungry version, do not expect it to run on the Pi. (remember, Only 512MB, not GB, MB!!!)

[gelfling6]

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I have an Acer netbook that had windows xp preinstalled,I dumped the xp,and installed ubuntu,Its runs awesome,it doesnt have long battery life, but its a nice little linux mini computer

I rescued an Acer laptop myself, that someone had actually junked. it was stripped of the memory and the hard drive, and no power supply. Acer, as no-longer offering the Vista re-install DVD for the model, so I bought a after-market power supply, a 320Gb SATA drive, and downloaded Ultimate Edition UBUNTU.. It's had a few minor crashes, but the laptop is going strong! I also found there are a lot of companies on e-bay, that sell long-life batteries for many models.. result, I had rescued a discarded $450 (new) laptop, invested $110, and had a fully working device. I also own a Raspberry Pi, and i've just begun experimenting with it.. Just like the Arduino, it's a experimenter's platform.. not a super computer. but, it's got its quirks, just like the arduino, just like Parallax's Basic Stamp, just like every other single-board computer all the way back to the KIM. (did I just date myself mentioning an old Pre-Apple 6502?)

[attkmast3r]

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"The total cost for the resulting device amounts to almost $400" A tiny Linux laptop for $400? A real Windows laptop with a dual core Intel processor, 4MB memory, 320GB drive, 15.6" screen, etc. costs about $300. Shouldn't something you get in a kit and make yourself cost less than the real thing?

a $400 pc doesn't come with an SSD, besides it's the idea that's important. like the chromebook pixel it may not be the best for th price, but it's there to get the idea flowing.