
Small Linux PCs overview  - wglb
http://raymii.org/cms/p_Small_Linux_PCs_overview
======
6ren
It sounds weird, but Nexus 7 could legitimately appear on this list:

    
    
      1. small
      2. $200
      3. Android ICS
    

Although it only runs Android ICS, so does the Gooseberry, and they included
that. Ubuntu etc distributions will undoubtedly follow. Though... to be fair,
it doesn't seem in Google's interest to _support_ linux, whereas the
Gooseberry folks may do so. Similarly, if they include announced-but-unshipped
(like raspberry pi), the same reasoning applies to Ouya: small, $100, Android
ICS.

Finally, ARM for linux might not be the way to go... I've been making
comparisons between ARM and x86, and it's seeming that one core of the iPhone
4S is about equivalent to the 600MHz Celeron M in the original eee PC (701).
Current Atom cores are about x5 as powerful (at typical clockrates); and
currentish intel desktop CPUs (e.g. i5 2500) are about x10 per core (i.e.
twice ATOM). [I make per-core comparisons because in practice, for most tasks,
parallelization is hard.) Yet, there's a sense that ARM compute performance is
approximately on par. I think this comes from dedicated video hardware: when
you hear it can do 1080p video, you think it's comparable to an x86 CPU that
can do 1080p video. _Please amend/extend - I have an ongoing interest in
this._

 _EDIT_ I assumed incorrectly that Raspberry Pi hasn't shipped (from this
line: _I’ve set up Gooseberry for one chief reason, the time the Raspberry Pi
is taking to get here!_ )

 _EDIT_ Wow, shocking that Nexus 7 has no HDMI/video out - came across the
similar-but-cheaper-with-HDMI Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II
[http://www.uplaytablet.com/compare-the-spec-of-google-
nexus-...](http://www.uplaytablet.com/compare-the-spec-of-google-nexus-7-and-
ainol-novo-7-aurora-ii-aurora-2/)

~~~
dangrossman
If it had an HDMI port, it'd be great for hacking on, since you could build
all kinds of media center type applications with it. You could make your own
Ouya. Without any video output, it doesn't have the utility of a (small)
computer. Most of the devices on that list have an HDMI port.

My HTC Evo phone, now 2+ years old, has a mini HDMI port. I don't understand
why companies are now shipping tablets without one.

~~~
inoop
As always, DX has got your back:

[http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mini-android-4-0-network-
media-...](http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mini-android-4-0-network-media-player-
w-wi-fi-hdmi-usb-micro-usb-white-4gb-141172?item=4)

~~~
SwellJoe
Whoah, there's tons of new ones since last I looked, including numerous
Android 4.0 models, with seemingly pretty good hardware.

I'm almost at the point where I think I could use one of those as my primary
computer...plug in a mouse and keyboard, a big 1080P monitor, and do
everything online. The ssh clients for Android, so far, are insufficient,
however...but, I guess I could use OpenSSH in a terminal if I were using a
full keyboard. That'd be an interesting experiment.

If only I didn't need to occasionally do compute-intensive audio and graphic
work...

~~~
inoop
I was thinking about using one as a robot brain. I'm still looking for a cheap
USB motor/servo controller.

~~~
fletchowns
Arduino doesn't fit your needs?

~~~
inoop
I use a DFRobot Romeo, but I'd rather have something a little cheaper, perhaps
something based around an atmega32u4 to eliminate the ftdi.

[http://www.dfrobot.com/index.php?route=product/product&p...](http://www.dfrobot.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=52_104&product_id=656)

------
nemik
I think an overlooked category here is small, cheap Linux-based routers
running something like OpenWRT. A great example is TP-Link's TL-WR703N which
is as little as $24USD.

It has very little RAM and memory, but OpenWRT is an excellent, stable and
simple Linux distribution for making internet connected devices and
interfacing with other hardware as well through a USB port. It also allows for
easy scripting with Lua and beyond that, Lua can also be used with LuCI to
create MVC web applications inside these tiny computers, with Wifi built in!

~~~
polshaw
Completely agree, there is definitely a place for a lower-cost headless device
with lower specs. Although no linux, the stm32f4discovery ($10, yes, ten)
which is based on the cortex-m4 is also very interesting to an embedded
hacker.

Another area overlooked is the chinese tablets. There are many from $60 up (eg
stuff based on the arm9 via8650) and a little over $100 based on the allwinner
A10, which will both run linux happily.

~~~
ippisl
When you use the stm32fdiscovery , you can also write code in lua which is a
pretty nice scripting language with easy c integration, using the Arduino API,
and use a remote REPL from the pc to try out things.

<https://github.com/SalemHarrache/ricm4-Easy-Elua>

------
joshu
This seems like a low quality list of of N Things blogspam. A picture of
cables instead of a device, misspellings, etc.

~~~
joshu
[http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/06/26/list-of-39-low-
cost-l...](http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/06/26/list-of-39-low-cost-linux-
friendly-boards-and-products/)

Here is a better post with a lot more relevant boards.

~~~
gioele
And a PDF with a comparison of all those 39 models
<http://omgfire.narod2.ru/SBC_comparison39.pdf>

------
dredmorbius
I'm somewhat partial to the FitPC line: <http://www.fit-
pc.com/web/purchase/order-direct-fit-pc3/>

Dittos CappuccinoPC: <http://www.cappuccinopc.com/default.asp>

They're small form-factor but fully-capable systems. With a keyboard, monitor,
and mouse, they're desktop replacements (you _can_ take it with you), or can
be used for small special-purpose tools.

------
beefsack
You can get the Mini X and the MK802 from Miniand, and they actively support
the hacking community and release Linux images for the devices:

Ubuntu 12.04: <https://www.miniand.com/forums/forums/2/topics/1>

XBMC: <https://www.miniand.com/forums/forums/1/topics/136>

MK802: <https://www.miniand.com/products/MK802%20Android%20Mini%20PC>

Mini X:
[https://www.miniand.com/products/Mini%C2%A0X%20TV%20Box%20H2...](https://www.miniand.com/products/Mini%C2%A0X%20TV%20Box%20H24)

------
scott_r
Some critical info this page is missing is if the products are available for
shipping to the US and how fast you can actually get them. I'd order a
Raspberry Pi right now if I knew I'd have it in a week or so, but last I heard
a lot of these units aren't easily available to those living in North America.

------
lumberjack
The average price of one of these devices is $145, calculated roughly. The
cheapest devices also need peripherals that further increase the cost.

For roughly the same cost you can get a used laptop off ebay which can beat
all of them in terms of system resources and most of them in terms of
portability. It will however be a bit more expensive to run in terms of
electricity.

Just putting my 2c in, after doing some research on the topic in hope of
setting up a low-cost, low-maintenance server.

~~~
est
You can buy MK802 around $30

AllWinner A10 CPU/1G RAM/Android 4.0/1080p decode

MicroUSB power, HDMI output, size of an USB stick.

Allwinner A10 is one of the only EOMA-68 cips.

~~~
gareim
If you can point me to a site that sells the MK802 for $30, that'd be great.
Because on eBay and other sites, I'm seeing closer to $80..

~~~
est
I am sorry, I mean it's around 300 RMB. It's about $50

[http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=android+4.0+m...](http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=android+4.0+mini+pc)

Actually you can get one of the cheap tablets for like 350RMB. the same spec,
plus a subpar 7 inch touch screen, battery and a camera. Like "Gemei G3"

~~~
gcb
$50 is the minimum price those things go for if you buy in quantity.

resellers for low quantity either will charge way more ($70~$99) or will ship
from china and it will take weeks~months to get it.

~~~
est
Well in that case, nobody can actually get a $35 Raspberry Pi. You have to pay
for tax and shipping (see element14).

~~~
gcb
not talking about tax+shipping here. but even on alibaba.com those boards sell
for $50. unless you buy 1000s

on dealextreme it's a little more than 50 (but they include shipping in the
price)

------
zokier
I think Dingoo deserves a mention too, even though it is really outdated these
days (idk if it's even available anymore)

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingoo_A320>

Are there more modern devices like it (<$100, integrated, portable etc)?

------
garrym
TonidoPlug and PogoPlug are also popular among hackers. I own a TonidoPlug2
which runs debian squeeze, comes with WiFi and a slot for 2.5" HDD.

------
rorrr
If you reformatted the list as a table for ease of comparison, it would make
it much more useful.

~~~
obtu
See the CNX list (Ctrl-F joshu), here in pdf form:
<http://omgfire.narod2.ru/SBC_comparison39.pdf>

