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Linux Powers Lilliputian PCs

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the zero-u-form-factor dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Gumstix is launching a whole line of dinky little PCs little larger than a Big Red Plenty Pack. The first Netstix model targets server, sniffing, and network simulation. The next model will be USB-powered, followed by models with SD/MMC slots and built-in WiFi. They come with Linux 2.6.17, and lots of room for user applications."

5 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. want one^h^h^h 1000 by chriss · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Nice: 200MHz XScale, 64 MB RAM, 16 MB Flash (3MB occupied by OS), 100MBit Ethernet, CF-II slot, 1-3/8 * 4-1/8 inches (35 x 103mm). Even nicer: the next version with integrated WiFi. All done by a company of 26, with no intention to grow, but to automate more if more work has to be done, so prices will fall.

    Not so nice: $186.5 for one, $165 in volumes of 1000. I know, this is still very cheap for something in "industrial size", but too much to build one into my door bell, one into each phone, one into each light switch (the joy of being unable to turn of the light due to an 500 error), one into the fish tank, one into the fridge to finally order milk like we have been promised for years.

    But give it some years, and I will have a log of how many minutes I brushed my teeth based on the report my eToothBrush send wirelessy to my server.

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    1. Re:want one^h^h^h 1000 by Sqwubbsy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Why would you use a whole computer when all you need is a signal and a transmitter?

      Of course this reminds me of the story about a guy giving a speech at a chipmaker convention reminiscing how 25 years earlier a guy had given a speech at the same hotel saying the microchip industry will never be that big because you don't need a chip in every doorknob.
      And here, 25 years later, every doorknob in the hotel had a chip.
      Go figure.

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  2. KuroBox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I just got myself a KuroBox. This is a fantastic little thing. It's a full computer (headless). It's excellent for a home file server or web server. Its decently cheap. You add you own hard drive. If you've done a chroot before, you should have no problem setting it up with you own custom linux. I used debian. But you can use Gentoo or others too.

  3. How much $$$ ?!?!!! by bluesguy_1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Uhhh.... I can go out and buy any number of devices around $50 that will all of this and much more with OpenWRT. Granted they aren't as small, but they almost all include 802.11g and several have USB2.0. For the increased capability, and reduced price, it's a far better deal unless you absolutely need something that tiny...

  4. Lilliputian? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, are they big endian or little endian?