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Linux Computer in USB Key Form-Factor

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the put-that-in-yer-pipe-and-smoke-it dept.

PMBjornerud writes "A start-up located in the French Alps near Grenoble is readying a tiny ARM-based Linux single-board computer (SBC) in a USB key form-factor. Calao's USB-9260 USB key-sized SBC measures 3.3 x 1.4 inches (85 x 36 mm). It is based on an Atmel AT91SAM9260 processor, an SoC (system-on-chip) powered by an ARM926EJ-S core clocked at 190MHz. The SoC targets "advanced applications such as GPS application processors," according to Atmel. Here is a Spec sheet PDF. With a 10/100 Ethernet port, firewall usage springs to mind. Other interfaces are 2 USB host ports and room for an expansion card. Which should allow some creative uses. "

17 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. imagine by trollercoaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    a beowulf cluster of these!

    --

    Slashdot, come for the goatse, stay for the trolls.

    1. Re:imagine by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Funny

      a beowulf cluster of these!

      ...that's actually easy to do: you could fit a Beowulf cluster of 'em in a shoebox (or better yet, convert an old ATX case to hold a couple dozen or so).

      /P

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:imagine by SQLGuru · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why isn't there a Grindel cluster or Grindel OS or something for all of these Beowulf clusters?

      Layne

    3. Re:imagine by dbIII · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why isn't there a Grindel cluster ... Beowulf

      It would be missing an ARM.

    4. Re:imagine by nanosquid · · Score: 3, Funny

      That sort of thing is not permitted in Utah, you insensitive clod!

  2. But does it.. by mulvane · · Score: 4, Funny

    Run Windows Vista?

    1. Re:But does it.. by Penguinisto · · Score: 2, Funny

      Run Windows Vista?

      Sure! You just have to plug it into one of the MSFT-recommended expansion packs...

      /P

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  3. Honestly... by AltGrendel · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...I'm not sure anything could.

    --
    The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination

    - Douglas Adams

    1. Re:Honestly... by laejoh · · Score: 2, Funny

      The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination.

      The simple truth is that a computer capable of running Windows Vista will not fit into the human imagination.

      There, I fixed it for you :)

  4. OBLIG: Imagine a beowolf... by martyb · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just imagine a beowolf cluster of these... Seriously!

    The SBC had TWO usb host slots into which TWO of these could be plugged (back-to-back) and EACH of these could have TWO more! And so on and so on. Sure there'd be power considerations (duh).

    So, more realistically, plug a multiport USB hub into your PC, and plug one of these into each of the ports... instant cluster!

    Yes, I know, there's probably has no _practical_ use like this (190 MHz; 64MB SDRAM), but just for the geekiness of it, I'd love to see someone DO it!

  5. Re:At last! by Kaptain+Kruton · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nah... I think you are just happy to see me.

  6. beowulf posters take note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    There is a right way, and a wrong way to do a beowulf post.

    First of all, you do not put the word "imagine", or "beowulf" in the subject line. Your subject line MUST pertain directly to the subject at hand. In this case, the subject is a USB key computer that runs LINUX. It is also important to use the word "these" instead of the word "those".

    I have taken the opportunity to display a properly formatted beowulf post, conveniently reproduced below:

    Subject: USB Key form factor computer

    Imagine a beowulf cluster of these!

    1. Re:beowulf posters take note by sootman · · Score: 2, Funny

      Imagine swallowing a beowulf cluster of these!

      --
      Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
  7. firewall? duh? by Wakko+Warner · · Score: 4, Funny

    "With a 10/100 Ethernet port, firewall usage springs to mind."

    Maybe if you're retarded. How effective is a 190 MHz computer with a single 10/100 interface?

    --
    "Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
  8. Hardhack? by Telvin_3d · · Score: 3, Funny

    After seeing this and a few other things tagged with 'hardhack' I decided to find out just what a 'hardhack' is. Turns out that it's a shrub http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardhack. Who knew?

    1. Re:Hardhack? by Dial-Up · · Score: 4, Funny

      Psh. How hard could a shrub be to hack? It's a kind of dirty, but with a little digging, you can easily get root.

  9. Interesting by 2names · · Score: 3, Funny
    C'mon, you didn't find that funny? ARM...get it? ARM? Anyone?

    Is this thing on? [tap tap]

    --
    "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."