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What to Do With a $99 Wall Wart Linux Server

Posted by kdawson on from the best-computer-is-an-invisible-computer dept.

Guanine writes in with a follow-up to our discussion a few months back on the SheevaPlug: 1.2-GHz ARM-compliant processor, 512 MB DDR2, 512 MB flash, USB 2.0, gigabit ethernet, in a package the size of a wall wart, for $99. Saul Hansell's Bits Blog in the NY Times talks about a few applications for such a device, whose price point Hansell claims will drop to $40 before too long. "The first plausible use for the plug computer is to attach one of these gizmos to a USB hard drive. Voila, you've got a network server. Cloud Engines, a startup, has in fact built a $99 plug computer called Pogoplug, that will let you share the files on your hard drive, not only in your home but also anywhere on the Internet. ... [Marvell's CEO said] 'Eventually you won't see the plug. We want this device to be in your TV, your stereo system, your DVD player.'"

7 of 346 comments (clear)

  1. First Easy-to-Use Dev Kit by digsbo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The difference with this thing is that it's got an easy to use dev kit based on a popular Linux distro, not some goofy one-off that doesn't have the packages you want (i.e. LAMP, media server, SAMBA, CUPS, etc.).

  2. More RAM by spikedvodka · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If it had more RAM it'd make a great web-development server. With only 512MB Ram, I think some SQL databases might be a bit much.

    I'm thinking throw a USB external HDD, or maybe just a 8GB Flash-drive on it, and "let'er-Rip"

    maybe also add a second USB port, so you can add a USB WIFI adaptor, though the GigaBit ethernet sounds nice.

    I can also see using one as a low-end monitoring server (Nagios), or network print server.

    --
    I will not give in to the terrorists. I will not become fearful.
  3. Re:Wall wart, not WalMart by King_TJ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're not the only one. Scary, isn't it, how a corporation's name can get that ingrained in one's head that anything similar immediately looks like it?

    I was thinking, "Well, that'll be kind of cool, if I can grab a $99 server computer at Wal-Mart."

  4. Re:Am I the only one... by wjsteele · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would imagine that most people that saw that interprated it that way. The human brain is an amazing thing, but with the difference between M and W being so slight, it automatically jumps to conclusions based on the most common forms. There are several wyas to trip up the brain that you mihgt not even recongize. (See in line for clarifications.) Bill

    --
    It's my Sig and you can't have it. Mine! All Mine!
  5. Re:These things are largely useless by Nursie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sorry, you can get a router with half a gig of internal storage, half a gig of RAM, a 1.2GHz chip and a USB port for less than 99 bucks?

    I call bullshit.

  6. Re:Automatic FRIST POST generator? by wcb4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    then people would race for "Second post"

    --
    I reject your reality ... and substitute my own.
  7. Re:Am I the only one... by Chapter80 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    After a quick skim of the item, I jumped over to walmart.com and tried to find the item. But nooo. I even tried walwart.com.

    Then I clicked around the Marvell site to try to find out how to buy it.

    At $100, they should have a "BUY IT NOW" button on their site. They missed at least one quick sale from an impulse buyer here.