What Subnotebooks Work Best w/ Linux?

elliotj asks: "With the widespread adoption of WIFI, I'm finding more and more places where I'd like to use the Internet on the road. All I really need is a linux command line to run SSH, links, and a few other things. What I'm looking for is a very lightweight subnotebook with a long battery life, quick sleep/wake times, that can run Linux and WIFI. I've looked at the Sony picturebook line and the Toshiba Librettos. Both are sweet machines, but have more features and are more expensive than I really need. Are there any cost effective options out there?"

Comments

The Zaurus?

[nemui-chan]

i know the Zaurus isnt really a subnotebook, but it falls between the subnote book and the pda category. It already runs linux, is easy to develop for, and is easy to port existing linux applications to. If you know QT, its also easy to integrate existing apps with the GUI that comes preinstalled. Best of all, there are open source projects to replace the OS of the Zaurus with an open source version. Also, sharp's technical support is very good, and the staff very friendly, and they usually hang out on #zaurus on irc.freenet.net

As I said before

[Apreche]

I gots a friend who has a fujitsu lifebook. He runs Debian, and it is mad crazy.

Re:As I said before

[Longstaff]

I'll have to second that. I picked up a Lifebook P2120 just under a month ago. The thing rocks. 6 hours of battery life with the high cap batt - 12 hours if I swapped out the DVD/CDRW for another batt. Integrated wireless. 5.1 channel digital audio. To top it off, it only weighs 3.4lbs. Makes my 12" ibook look like a big, bloated beast.

OpenZaurus

[Gothmolly]

OZ 3.2 just came out, and has a slew of features that rock vs. the standard ones, such as:
variable RAM vs. storage allotment
writeable flash
new SSH installed by default
ability to sync to anywhere, not just your local USB

Used Libretto's

[mcSey921]

Can be had on Ebay for $100-200. This is the solution that I went with for a WiFi subnote to test our network.

Re:iBook!

[Anonymous Coward]

Too expensive? The 12" iBook starts at $999. And another thing, why run yellowdog on it. I know the original poster said he wants Linux, but OSX does all of that just as well as Linux ever could.

SSH - Got it!
Links - I've got it running on my powerbook right now courtesy Fink
Quick sleep/awake times - 1 second flat. I've never seen any other laptop sleep/wake that fast
Long battery life - I get at least 3.5 to 4 hours out of my powerbook
WIFI - Oh yeah, that's built in.

Sharp Actius MM10

[dhwang]

Check out the Sharp Actius MM10. It's basically a 10.5" screen and keyboard with integrated wi-fi. Just over 0.5" thick, 2.1 lbs and fanless. I saw it at Fry's for about $1300, but if you just want a machine that is basically a wi-fi terminal, this is the one for you.

Averatec 3120V

[prostoalex]

This baby has been selling at Best Buy for $550 after rebates, which means that a lot of those items would be popping up on eBay brand new and sealed. It's a subnotebook from Sotec, a good Japanese brand, that's apparently trying to wage a price war on the US market.

I was able to boot up Knoppix CD with no problems, brought networking up and was capable of playing MP3 and MPEG video files. Have not tried installing Linux on it, but the assumption is it would go fine, since everything worked in bootable-CD version of Knoppix.

Linux Laptops

[mcelrath]

If you intend to run linux (and only linux) on this laptop, I strongly encourage you to buy from a vendor that will sell you and support linux on it. Do not send any of your hard-earned money to the monopoly in Redmond for a product you will not use. Vote with your dollar or there will be no linux laptop vendors.

I have collected a list of vendors and some other information on the subject. Unfortunately this information is rather difficult to find. If you know of other vendors not on my list, please reply!

-- Bob