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3D Linux Laptop Available
Anonymous Writer writes "EmperorLinux is distributing the Sharp Actius RD3D autostereo laptop with Linux pre-installed, dubbing it the 'Molecule'. Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux; the autostereo 3D display (most importantly), CD-RW/DVD-RW combo drive, Ethernet port, audio hardware, PC Card slot, 4 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire port, Sony Memory Stick slot, Compact Flash slot, SD slot, and internal floppy dive. The only built-in feature unsupported is the internal 56 Kbps modem, however a supported 56 kbps PC Card modem is available as well as a WiFi PC Card."
3-D displays first hand? Care to give a quick honest review?
The Technonaut
Yeah but... does it run Linux? Oh wait...
$3600 is too much for that =8-)
So who's going to be the first to the market with a 3D-Enhanced porn site?
you know, seeing integrated wifi that works with linux would be a real plus on a laptop like this. Especially if it were a non-centrino wifi card built in.
I have a Gateway 450SX non-centrino, and it runs linux really well. Everything works perfectly (except for the 56K modem, of course), but sadly I don't have internal wireless. My external WaveLAN card works great under any distro though. Rock stable laptop, not terribly expensive and everything runs great under any distro (I've tried Fedora Core 1, Gentoo and Debian).
What kind of chipset is running it though? I don't see a fancy 3D display being much use if it's some piece of crap via chipset or an older radeon mobility.
Actually, I don't see it being of much use period.. A standalone display or something, perhaps, but what's the market for a 3D laptop? And why do I only hear of laptops and not a regular monitor I can hook up to my PC, you know, the one with the badass 3D card in it that could do something cool with such a display.
Actually it couldnt, there's no real stereoscopic support in ATi's cards, unless they snuck it in in the last month or so.. Owners of the lcd glasses have been fussing about this for quite some time on rage3d.com..
Which answers my first question, it must be an nVidia, or Matrox Parhelia or something in the laptop... Or some kludged ATi driver set..
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Since $3,000+ is a bit outside my range (my range being closer my $35 PII Linux box), I naturally checked out the Emperor Linux Jobs Page to see if I could suppliment my income. What a blast from the pre-bust past, mixed with a bit of post-bust reality:
...
Work at EmperorLinux: the most fun you can have with
EmperorLinux is not actively hiring.
However, we are always on the lookout for fun and knowledgeable people who like things Linux. If you like to:
ride your bike to work,
hike in the mountains,
recompile your kernel weekly,
drink Mountain Dew with extra sugar,
play in the dirt with your hands,
make fun and informative web pages,
use the "taste test" when debugging circuits,
run with scissors barefoot in the rain,
or anything similarly off-center,
send us an interesting mail telling us why you think we would like you.
I've done nearly all of those things, if you can substitute "hand-code Z80 machine code" for "recompile your kernel". But I think I'll stick with my boring but very stable job coding VB in the tax accounting business. I'll have time to lick random circuitry when I retire.
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
My laptop is 2D. I hate the way it's so flat. It's horrible to type on because the keys have no travel. It's easy to bend and tear by accident. Sometimes it's really hard to see because when you look at it edge on it has no thickness. It disappears in piles of paper. A 3D laptop would be much better!
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
Do we get free 3D glasses?
Wow, and I thought Dell was overpriced!
/quits browser
No mention of Linux pre-installed on the Sharp website.
Under "Recommended Accessories" they have a Logitech wheel mouse for $50. Insanity, considering the same mouse can be bought at any computer store for like $20CDN.
You may want to check the link, the screen allows actual stereo images without glasses.
Unless you're waiting for that holographic display...Free Mac Mini Yeah, it's
People still use those?
The Molecule by EmperorLinux - $3600.00
Optical Mouse - $50.00
3Com wifi b/g - $150.00
USB Key 256MB - $120.00
(If I've offended any Canadians with my use of "American", I don't care.)
Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux
I bet the zealots have no problem overlooking the word "almost", but I'd expect to utilize all of the hardware features of a $3600 laptop.
What doesn't work in linux?
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
this is all great fun, but why not first make some decent 2d linux laptops? it is very hard find yourself a laptop with linux installed and also with good specs (wireless, lan, long living batery, all the things you expect from a laptop). now I can say I don't give a damn about 3d and stuff. I just want to send my mail, read documents, share files, browse internet etc... are all those other features really needed? why can't I but a normal laptop and can I buy a 3d laptop? why?
Gives a whole new meaning to "pop-up" doesn't it?
This space for rent. Call 1-800-STEAK4U
Sony Memory Stick slot
This would be a good reason *NOT* to buy it.
It says 3D because it gives the perception of a 3D display. And yes, you can display 3D images on a flat LCD. It works by using "channels" which divert light to the other side at an angle so your eye percieves it as a different image.
... and if looked at on the other the picture is different yet? Giving you the appearance it was moving if you twitched it? Same concept? Only the light is emitted from the left and hitting the right side. The light emitted from the right is hitting your left side.
You remember those 3D things you got when you were a kid? where you look at it from one side it has an image
Both of your eyes recieve two different images and they are done in sync giving the impression of 3D so you can see depth.
Yes, that was his point.
Notice the 256MB Lexar USB keychain drive; For $120.00. Same item is selling for under $50 on Newegg. Yeah, EmperorLinux seems like the kind of site I'd like to do business with. I wonder if they ever sold toilet seats to the Pentagon.
worst sig ever. . .
Does it have drivers for Windows?
How about Sound/modem Drivers for DOS (you heard me!)?
At $3600, it will be something of a luxury laptop and a gizmo, considering the number of Linux users who are in disciplines that deal with 3D imaging. Except, perhaps, game and movie designers I think. Most molecular imaging people that I know use SUN, SGI or HP hardware still. I don't think that stuff like RasMol or Cn3D (for protein structure viewing) currently supports it. Knowing the Linux community, it pobably soon will be. Then, this machine can potentially be a great tool for scientists. You can go and view all of your proteins in 3D which will help immensely with the interpretation of mutations for instance, while avoiding the need for proprietary hardware and OSes. Then we can break free of friggin' MS. You won't believe how many times I cannot fill out a grant application because it's a .exe.. A vital app such as 3d molecular imaging should be a good place to start.
----- One learns to itch where one can scratch.
. . . is explained here.
if you were wondering how it might work, here is a link on auto stereo displays
The war with islam is a war on the beast
The war on terror is a war for peace
The 3D things I got when I was a kid were GI Joes and such. The little holographic light shifting thingies are cool (in the sense that cool means gives you a headache) but are very much 2D. 3D means that there are 3 plains of reality. 2 with a cool way of reflecting the light simply isn't.
3D?! Wow! Never before have I seen a laptop that has width, length, AND depth. COOL!
BR *gently pushes corner of ThinkPad* O_O! DUDE! It looks like mine is compatible!
Informatus Technologicus
I too go why 3D for that much money, but then again look at the benefits to the Linux community.
--Linux has been getting mainstream press thanks to SCO, and all the Window viruses; people have heard of it.
--Now you're in come public place with your nice ~$4000 laptop and someone sees the cool 3D effect (hopefully non-porn related).
"Cool, I wish my laptop could do that" (even though the person doesn't know why they wish their lappy could do it) "What version of Windows is that?"
"It's not Windows, it's Linux"
It may just be a small attention getter, but a lot of small attention getters can add up to a big boost of Linux awareness among the [general] public.
"Look Lois, the two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant, and a fat white guy who is threatened by change."
2D, 3D, man that's so yesterday?
My laptop (supplemented with my flux capacitor powered N-Vidia card) has 4 dimensions. Thanks to this wonderful feature I can see it Crashing while it's booting up.
The Neo-Bohemian Techno-Socialist
* 15.0" Active XGA TFT runs X@1024x768x24bpp w/ NVIDIA GeForce4 graphics. * 2800 MHz P4-M, 512 KB L2 cache * Weight: 10.1 Lbs * Power: 1 hr on Li-Ion battery
I wish people would quit throwing that word around until we have a true 3D display.
Absolutely. I can't wait to have a laptop that can project an animated 3D holographic shark that jumps out whenever I view a movie trailer.
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
I think I saw a $200 hammer somewhere on their site......... I'll take two.
If you need the hardware for scientific visualization or whatever, then yes it is worth the added price. If all you want is a laptop to toy around on, it's probably not worth it to you. It's all about the right tool for the job.
For the purposes of displaying images like this, no Dell laptop works just as well, because no Dell laptop has this feature.
I read about this technology when it was launched in Japan, but I have concerns about the viewing angle that allows to watch the screen in real 3D. In fact this technology is based on the same as the small cards made of plastic and paper, that allow you to see a kind of animated 3D caracters. And here, even with explanations on sharp site, I would say that there should be some problems when you are not exactly in front of your screen... If someone has got an answer about this accuracy. Moreover, this technology is not used for professional 3D computer visualization.
That's because its not Sharp thats selling these to you. And EmperorLinux even offers to install a dual boot of Windows XP at your request. Still not worth the $3600 IMHO but hey that's just me.
10.1 pounds? an hour of battery life? Jesus, why bother? That's absolutely terrible.
Read jack phelps dot net
Keep in mind that Emperor Linux purchases name-brand laptops with windows and removes the windows. You're paying for windows you're not using . For a list of companies that sell linux laptops and do not do this check here. -- Bob
1^2=1; (-1)^2=1; 1^2=(-1)^2; 1=-1; 1=0.
No mention of Linux pre-installed on the Sharp website.
That, and it's $600 cheaper with XP instaled. So much for the Microsoft tax.
Viv
Gmail invites for ip
All ok and well that you don't need glasses, but I can imagine glasses are a bit more forgiving with respect to thje viewer's position. Do they give any info on that?
I'm really hoping that autostereo displays will catch on, not just for gaming, but for natural appearance 3D photography.
Once you've seen how nice a 3D photo can appear (the best way is to view Realist 3D Slides on a polarized screen), you'll never want to go pack to "flat" photography again.
Best Buy can have you arrested
I'd have to take a substitution on the circuit licking myself.
I've sent suspected-bad UARTs to their fiery deaths with the aid of a tough little punch board and a variable power supply...
Did you know you can actually cause a small jet of flames to shoot out of the center of a heat-induced crack in a UART chip? It's most impressive, if only for 1.5 seconds.
And I'm sure you know that all UARTs go to heaven. For ours, heaven was the gpysum ceiling tiles in the lab. They punch down nicely, and they'll stay there for years if your professors are short and rarely look straight up.
.sigs are for post^Hers.
So, the Linux drivers exist, and I know they have hardware-accelerated OpenGL support built in... Does anyone know if this machine+display combo will work "out of the box" without any tweaks to applications?
An option or two applied to XF86Config is OK by me, but per-application mods would be a little excessive... Anyone tried UT2K4 on one yet?
--The more you know, the less you know.
I think my neck would start to hurt after more than 10 minutes of game play from trying to hold still.
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However, this is not necessarily a good idea...."
RFC 1925
what about Quake?
I'm still waiting for a review of someone who's actually used one of these.
So, what linux software do we have that will take advantage of this? Are there Mesa or Glide extensions?
I'd love to try one of these but, if none of my apps use it then whats the point?
----- If communism is a system where the government owns business, what do you call a system where business owns govern
... it's an LCD screen with zero-degree viewing angle. All those years of progress... erased.
"It says 3D but it still has a flat, 2D LCD screen. I wish people would quit throwing that word around until we have a true 3D display."
:P)
It is true 3D. It produces exactly what your eyes percieve as 3D imagery. The term you're really looking for is 'volumetric'. When somebody offers a volumetric display, then you got what you're hoping for.
(Note: This is one of the least impressive nitpicks I've seen in a long time. It is three dimensional if it does video. x, y, t. If it was what he was looking for, it'd be x, y, z, t. 4D.
"Derp de derp."
Point is ... the screen gives you the perception of depth. If the screen can fool your brain into thinking that there is an image in the foreground and others farther in the distance ... than the IMAGE is 3D no matter how you slice it and by difinition. It doesnt matter if you can't stick your hand though there and touch the background image. They never said 3D virtuality ... its 3D imagery .. and by that definition it is 3D.
Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux;
I love linux. I do. But I hate reading about a linux company putting out a linux machine with the sentence "Almost all the hardware features can be utilised under Linux;" What's with the "almost"? Why can't ALL of the hardware features be "utilised" under linux. C'mon this isn't BeOS we're talking about.
You'll have that sometimes...
For anyone who's buying from them, stay away from the accessories. Mice are universal, PS/2 or USB. Laptop hard drives are universal, and the only thing you might need to worry about is height (9.5mm or smaller?). Laptop memory may not be completely universal, but it's pretty easy to find compatible stuff. All or virtually all external USB storage devices are compatible with Linux.
I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.
First anti-aliased fonts, now this!
First, I am confused. GI Joes came with two different varieties of flashy things that you might be referring to:
1) Polarized plastic with an two images drawn in alternating lines behind it, so that when tilted, animation is viewed. I believe the action figure Crystal Ball used one of these as a weapon. These are not 3d.
2) Actual holographs printed on the stickers that came with vehicles, etc. These are 3d, in the sense that you can, to a degree limited by perspective, see behind objects depicted in these holographs; there is actual depth.
I am reminded of the scene in The Little Prince where the character from outer space looks at a drawing of a box and states that it is a picture of a sheep. When the narrator corrects him, the alien says, "Well, there's a sheep sleeping in the box."
Probably mangled the quote, but you get the drift. Holograms allow you to see their contents from many perspectives within 3d space. And as long as that definitition is met, then they qualify as 3d.
Even if the viewing medium is 2d.
you can only count the t as a dimintion if you can ant any one instant view muliple instances simoutaioniously. If you are, in fact, human, this is not possible.
right there in YELLOW of all colors! sheesh!
"if i'd known it was harmless, i'd have killed it myself"
stereo images? I thought this was an Auto(car) Stereo system powered by linux... with a 3D display, for some reason.
Correct it's not 3D.
If it was true 3D you could walk around the scene and view it from different sides, or at least change your angles.
Computer graphics people sometimes call this 2 1/2D.
It's also obvious from an information theory viewpoint. The information you need for this 2 1/2D image is only twice then need form simple 2D (one image for each eye). A true 3D representation would require much more information.
I was not referring to either "flashy thing" I was referring to a 3 dimensional object, an action figure. something which lives in a 3 dimensional world.
there is no "actual depth" (beyond a half millimeter or so) of a sticker. The image printed on the sticker surely has no depth.
What I am saying, rather poorly it seems, is that any object which is printed, is not 3D. There is _no_ way to project a 3D object onto a 2D surface. It is possible to create a perception of 3D if the eyes were completely separated in what they view. This gets rather close in polarized 3D Imax but even in this case we have _not_ created a 3D screen.
As I was saying, this term has been thrown around so much people seem to have forgotten what it means.
... does it run Linu...
Oh, it does! ^_^; Nevermind then!
Due to a childhood accident, I only have one eye.
I'm curious as to what all you normally-sighted people would see if the images shown to your left eye and right eye were not similar.
Would you fall over and start barfing?
Sorry, but I would like to state my opinion: what the f**k? this is news? When I installed Mandrake 9.2 and later 10.0 on my 1 year old toshiba satellite, everything worked ok (3d graphics, firewire, but not the SD cardreader...) I dont really see the news in this article. But thats OK, but what really pisses me off is that anyone still uses the memory stick thingy. I dont ever want to have that proprietary shit be part of what I buy again. I have a Zaurus with SD card reader and CF card reader. Two nice standards, universally accepted. Then I have a Sony Clie with only a Memory stick reader. What the **** is that? what am I supposed to use the slot for? This is one of the most important issues I have against Sony, and one of the reasons I am switching to the new Zaurus 6000.
I think the Idea of a nice Linux notebook is cool, but could people please help me boycot the Memory stick thing. I want general standards, and the world has settled on SD and CF...
Classic. They are paying the M$ tax.
EmperorLinux had to uninstall M$Windows before installing Linux because the 3D laptop is not available unbundled with an M$Windows license.
---
It's wrong that an intellectual property creator should not be rewarded for their work.
It's equally wrong that an IP creator should be rewarded too many times for the one piece of work, for exactly the same reasons.
Reform IP law and stop the M$/RIAA abuse.
That, and it's $600 cheaper with XP instaled. So much for the Microsoft tax.
They have to pay SCO their $699. :)
This makes this laptop even a better deal, because you're getting linux for $99 cheaper!
We don't HAVE to uninstall Windows. Customers who want to dual boot are more than welcome to. Customers who only want Linux can have that, but are advised that they will still have a Windows license. Simply put, at our volumes it is impossible to get machines from a big-name vendor without Windows. Hell, at most people's volumes this is impossible. Microsoft has very strong contracts with laptop suppliers.
But like I said, customers who want Linux only are advised they will still be paying for Windows because we have to. Almost none of them care, because they understand the situation.
Lets see 1024x768? No mention of a graphics chip. That should consern you. I have demoed simular screens. They are great conversation pieces, but I don't know of anyone who wants to look at one for any length of time. The image quality is generially bad compaired to Stereo Graphics or Nuvision.
BTW: If you are looking for a linux graphics workstation in a laptop...take a look at Dell M60 with the Nvidia quadro 700 Go. My company has purchaced several of these work horses and the only compaint we have is the wide screen when used with a projector. 1920x1200 is a great work environment however.
I have a couple of fairly expensive modems that won't work under Damn Small Linux, unless you remaster, to add wvdial. One is a pcmcia modem that was nearly $230.00, and the other an ISA modem that was $80.00.
I suppose they started with a base notebook computer that had a winmodem built in, not removeable, so they were stuck with it.
bash in 3-D...NICE!
http://www.sampletheweb.com
I wouldn't buy hardware that only runs on windows, so why is it ok to buy hardware that would only run linux?
Although I'm sure it would run fine in windows as well.
:D
when they outlaw 3d laptops, only outlaws will have 3d laptops.
just the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline.
CB
free ipod and free gmail!
The Sharp laptop has stereoscopic 3D support without the need for special glasses. Your year old Toshiba laptop does not do that, does it? Support for the stereoscopic viewmode LCD in a Linux distribution is why this posting was news.
I just bought the Meteor (Sharp Actius MM20) from EmperorLinux. I highly recommend the laptop and the company. I was able to unpack the box and turn it on the moment it arrived, ready to go! The support is quite helpful as well.
For anyone who's buying from them, stay away from the accessories.
For some strange reason, I don't agree with that. If you are looking to go the cheap route for a linux laptop, you are better off installing it yourself. But, if you want simplicity, the extra money is nothing. In addition, spending a bit more is nice to support a company that is trying to be good.
But because I am a raging hypocrite, in a few weeks I'm buying an Apple notebook. :P My first time without a linux laptop since buying a brand spanking new 25 MHz 486 with 4 meg of ram just for linux (and four newer models since then).
Here is a spatial 3D display that isn't a flat screen.
I think everyone knows what it means. The 3RD dimension is depth. As long as your brain THINKS there is depth it is 3 dimentional. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck .. it is a duck. If you see depth (which is the 3rd dimension) you are seeing 3D.
... the 3rd diminsion is there.
The term 3D does not reference any type of technology or process therein. 3D is perceived vision. If I see depth
I think I see your argument though. It is not meant to simulate a 3D world as a space thing. It is mean to give the PERCEPTION of 3D .. whether this is 5 inches or 5 miles .. it is still depth.
... think about this, is it that EVERYONE forgot what it means? Or was it you that has forgotten what it means?
Soo
Give any notebook a few months, and you'll get an hour out of the battery on those too, no matter how many hours they say they will run at.
Sure, maybe without a screen on, they all last the claimed 4 hours..
- It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -
It is not true 3d as there is no depth of field effect. Yes there is a 3d effect from the left right info, but your eyes are focused on the flat screen even when you are concentrating on a near or far object. This is the main cause of the sick feeling and headache that this type of display can cause, as the focus of your eyes is not corresponding to what you are actually looking at.
3D porn!
Immediately I had a few thoughts without RTFA. With an afterthought 3d algorithm the proportions won't be accurate. I could see real use for this with topology or for an avid gamer, but if the programs aren't able to pass spatial information for the screen why bother? I can appreciate a proof of technology and anything linux must be great..right, but this just seems a little too early.
I'm selling my old 2D laptop to buy a new 3D laptop.
Here's the pictures:
Front view, chassis closed:
_________________
Side view, chassis closed:
_________
Anyone interested?
\m/
have you tried this http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat/4/idpl/117649 2/com/3ddesktop-0.2.5-1suse90.i686.rpm.html
gives a pretty good 3d feel with a good graphics card
fifteen jugglers, five believers
Almost none of them care, because they understand the situation.
I very much doubt it. Almost all of them are resigned to the fact that nothing much can be done about it right now.
Maybe.
Don't care? Hmmm... I've not met too many people who 'don't care' about having to buy something expensive that they will never use.
More specifically people who use linux, often don't like windows or Microsoft, so donating what $500 to this company for no good reason..?
Don't kid yourself.
If you doubt it, offer 2 or 3 random customers a $500 discount for the laptop without the windows licence. See how many don't care either way.
Thanks for the correction. The main point stands however; the M$ tax is still included in the price of the laptop, whether they're using M$Windows or not, thus making true price competition on the OS impossible.
Microsoft has very strong contracts
True. They have been the subject of anti-trust court cases.
Almost none of them care, because they understand the situation
Yes, customers are resigned to it. That doesn't mean it's right.
---
It's wrong that an intellectual property creator should not be rewarded for their work.
It's equally wrong that an IP creator should be rewarded too many times for the one piece of work, for exactly the same reasons.
Reform IP law and stop the M$/RIAA abuse.
THe killer app would indeed be porn, but don't forget games. They already made the home pc evolve into something you wouldn't dare to dream 10 years ago, and games are still pushing the leading edge in graphics. I can't wait to have such a screen, if there's a bunch of games for it.
More specifically people who use linux, often don't like windows or Microsoft, so donating what $500 to this company for no good reason..? Don't kid yourself. If you doubt it, offer 2 or 3 random customers a $500 discount for the laptop without the windows licence. See how many don't care either way.
I'm not sure where you're getting your figures from, but I'm betting they're wrong. Let's say I'm Sharp or Dell, and I'm pushing 10,000 laptops a month onto the streets in the US. I don't know whether that figure is high or low, but it sounds good to me. Do you honestly think Microsoft is going to charge me $500 to install Windows onto each laptop, when I could just walk over to CompUSA and purchase the full copy of Windows XP for $200?
I don't know the exact figure, but this Windows tax is smaller than people make it out to be. They are not donating $500 to Microsoft.
Yeah, I'm pulling $500 out of my, ahem, hat. This was indicated by the "what" directly before the $500 and was an attempt to indicate a rough guess.
:)
Though USD$200 has a way of becoming AUD$500
However the number is just a number. I would guess many linux users would say that Windows is too expensive and prefer not to purchase it at anything more that $0.50
Pick any numbers you like, the point stands.
To say that customers don't care about not having the choice to not purchase an operating system they clearly don't prefer, is wrong. Of course they care. They may simply be resigned to it, but I doubt you'll find too many who 'want' to purchase a copy of windows they won't use.
Thanks for the reply. I guess I didn't fully understand the situation. Best of luck. Knowing that hardware on certain machines is supported in Linux is very helpful but, for me, it isn't worth the extra $600 for the install. My budget is too small.
Viv
Gmail invites for ip
It turns out that your perception of something has nothing to do with wether or not it is there. If you take a little LSD and see a battleship sailing down broadway, it does not mean that the ship is there.
My point was that it is not "a 3D screen." The fact remains one day we will compleate the existance of decent 3D displays and then everyone will realize that we have called 2D "3D" for many years and think about how silly that was. If you look today at this type of screen and then remember that we called the Diamond Monster add-on card 3D graphics, you will start to get a feeling of what I mean.
This horse is now dead, i will stop beating it.
My last 2D laptop was a Klein Bottle. Try reading /. when the text keeps flipping backwards when you scroll down too far.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.