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but typically replace (at least) kernel and bootloader with custom versions

Um, how else do you expect them to do it? Ubuntu cannot support every possible board out there. ARM-hardware is a wild, wild west and not nearly as standardized as x86, with nearly each and every board requiring u-boot specifically built for that specific board -- there is no generic build that you can distribute that'd work on even a fraction of all of them.

also often not being available in (buildable-) source.

A quick look at their wiki lists instructions on how to build both u-boot and the kernel from sources.. http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/dok... http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/dok...

but typically replace (at least) kernel and bootloader with custom versions

Um, how else do you expect them to do it? Ubuntu cannot support every possible board out there. ARM-hardware is a wild, wild west and not nearly as standardized as x86, with nearly each and every board requiring u-boot specifically built for that specific board -- there is no generic build that you can distribute that'd work on even a fraction of all of them.

also often not being available in (buildable-) source.

A quick look at their wiki lists instructions on how to build both u-boot and the kernel from sources.. http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/dok... http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/dok...

http://dn.odroid.com/homebackup/201411171955007939.jpg

The big question with this is what will the actual cost be? last time I bought an odriod product I had to pay the price of a fairly steep delivery charge to odriod and the dreaded courier VAT collection fee and of course the VAT itself. I don't remember exactly what it was in my case but according to http://forum.odroid.com/viewto... the final cost of of an "$89" U2 plus a "$9" HDMI cable shipped to the UK was £108.83.

If we assume the same delivery charge for the new board as for the U2* and that it still ships from outside the EU on a regular courier service**, and that they tell the truth on the customs form then the final price will be about $35 (board) + $30 (shipping) + ~£10.5 (brokerage) + ~£9.5 VAT = ~£68.

Whereas with a rasperry pi I pay the distributors listed price for the Pi itself (which is marginally higher than the raspberry pi foundations nominal price) and the VAT (delivery is "free") final cost of a "$35" raspberry pi B+ is £27.44.

Of course i'm in the UK which skews things a bit in the Pi's favour, other places the calculation may work out different but still comparing nominal prices is only a very rough way to compare the cost of SBCs.

* I can't check easilly if odriod's delivery charges have changed or even if this board is actually available yet because odriod's main site seems to have been /.ed
** Some couriers are now offering all-inclusive services where the seller handles collecting the VAT and brokerage costs are consolidated across multiple shipments, but in my experiance only a handful of vendors use them.

Meh, what really counts is the relative size of the fan+radiator compared to the computer. It's hard to beat mine (+ its fan). Now go find the computer in the first image... (specs).

Meh, what really counts is the relative size of the fan+radiator compared to the computer. It's hard to beat mine (+ its fan). Now go find the computer in the first image... (specs).

You can do a lot better with a wide open case (it's a 6cm cube if you wonder about size) for a sweet ARM 4-core 1.7-2.0GHz machine. This kind of gear used to cost over $800 early last year, this one is $89, or after including 64GB disk and other "optional" components, shipping, etc, $226. And instead of RasPi's ~$100 toy, you get a fully capable, perfectly quiet computer.

Crap, the above paragraph makes me sound like a shill :p