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Linux Finds Its Way to More Handheld Devices

Posted by timothy on from the promises-promises dept.

LXrider writes "The coolest new handheld to pick Linux as its OS is the Pepper Pad. This device was one of the most exciting products to be found at this year's otherwise lackluster C3 Expo in NYC. The Pepper Pad runs MontaVista Linux on a Intel XScale PXA270 (624 MHz) processor and it used for viewing multimedia, surfing the net, and controlling your home's electronics."

3 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. It may run Linux... by akeyes · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...but the video on the site requires Windows Media Player 9.

  2. Over priced, Under powered by erroneus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I think the idea is essentially good but it lacks some pretty essential goods:

    1. 2.4 kernel? C'mon! 2.6 is out... we like new crap.

    2. 800x600? Okay, it's good for a lot of people out there -- just not me. For something that small, I would want at least 1024x768, but a wide aspect display would be really nice too... if it had...

    3. DVD playback. This device really needs DVD playback and even video out to be really cool. It needs to be that headrest DVD player *and* be a computer too.

    4. 802.11g

    5. USB 2.0

    6. IEEE1394 (iLink, Firewire, whatever)

    7. Bluetooth

    A cheap laptop beats this thing all over the place except for being aimed at the consumer rather than the hacker. It would be REALLY nice if this thing could connect with a cell phone to exchange data (pictures, address book, etc) and gate itself to the internet. USB 2.0 and/or Firewire and/or Bluetooth would be among the best means by which a lot of this could happen.

    For this configuration of hardware, I think they could have saved a lot of money and development time by adopting a version of Knoppix for this thing. Pull out the packages you don't want, add a few that work for this hardware and lock down the UI so that people don't need to know it's Linux and you're good to go.

    An added advantage to having a DVD reader installed on this thing would be easy user updates/reloads -- it's a no brainer to insert a "factory reload" media, reboot and hold down some magical key combination eh?

    Anyway... a laptop beats this and these days the price is probably better too.

    1. Re:Over priced, Under powered by ciroknight · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, it's pretty obvious to me that this product isn't for you.

      Since you're looking for a laptop with tablet input features, I should recommend to you some of the newer Toshiba laptops.

      But, since so few of you guys actually read the beginning of the article, I'll try to reiterate what this thing is useful for.

      Since my PDA is so lowly, I doubt it could control my air conditioner. But, with this thing, I could hook it to every vent in the home and control the air by regions, and still have the pad with me. Or I could watch the news on it, or read it like a reusable newspaper. It reminds me freakishly of the kind of tablets you'd see on Star Trek.

      Pricing is always a problem when anyone brings anything to the market. If the price is too high, the market will moderate it down. If the price is too low, the supply will dry up and prices will raise themselves. Simple economics.

      Just because it's not ready for you, doesn't mean it's not ready for me.. I'd buy one to tinker with (if for nothing else), if I had the money, but I needed a laptop for college more ;)

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush