
$98 Linux Laptop - The HiVision miniNote - rms
http://techvideoblog.com/ifa/98-linux-laptop-the-hivision-mininote
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kilowatt
At the risk of downmods I'm going to complain that the first three letters of
any product's name should not be HiV. Especially since at a glance it looks
like the i is capital.

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frankus
Almost as bad as the i.Beat Blaxx MP3 player
([http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/24/trekstor-showcases-i-
beat...](http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/24/trekstor-showcases-i-beat-blaxx-
portable-media-player/))

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rms
Drawbacks -- Adobe doesn't support MIPS processors, so this laptop can only
run the FOSS versions of flash and .pdf. That's still more flash support than
the iPhone.

~~~
maximilian
Its got a pretty anemic processor, so I don't think the lack of flash will be
that devastating. It wouldn't run it very well anyway.

~~~
13ren
Assuming it's the NB0700 from the manufacturer's page:
<http://hvsco.com/sp_qx.asp?id=75> It has a VIA C7-M 1.6GHz. Assuming this
RISC is comparable to the 900MHz CISC intel processor of the eeePC, the eeePC
is fine for (most) flash, including (some) games.

Flashlessness is a killer IMHO.

~~~
SwellJoe
The XO has a hard time with Flash, but can sort of almost play YouTube low
quality videos. It's got a 400MHz CPU. So, I'd say a 900MHz equivalent will
definitely play most low-bandwidth Flash content.

And, I'm not sure I agree that not having it makes the system useless...I
lived without video on the web for the first two years or so that I was on the
net (using an Amiga--Real video was the format du jour back then, and they
obviously did not have an Amiga player). It was still a seriously useful part
of my life. While I think it'll have to have video for US buyers, since
YouTube is such a core part of the online experience now, it wouldn't for
folks in places where real broadband is not yet available. Without broadband
video isn't useful option, anyway.

~~~
13ren
Hey, I didn't mean it would be useless, just a killer for mainstream success.
I gravely agree that more internet --> less productivity. :-(

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tuukkah
The text is a bit low on details, but on the video they say the current (pink)
version is $120 and the October (black) version is $98. You can also see a
spec sheet:

PWS700A/PWS700B

CPU: 400 Mhz 32 bit

RAM: 128M/64M

NAND FLASH: 1GB

OS: Linux or WinCE

Display: 7" WVGA 800x480

Network: Wireless Lan 802.11b/g

    
    
      10/100M Ethernet Controller

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netcan
What game changing does a $98 laptop do? (Apart from the OLPC mission.)

For example, does anyone think that laptop price is holding back mobile phone
business models for laptops (free with broadband)?

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SwellJoe
_What game changing does a $98 laptop do? (Apart from the OLPC mission.)_

Why do you need more than the OLPC mission? That's a pretty damned audacious
thing. Getting network-capable computers into the hands of an entire class of
people that couldn't have owned one is _huge_. For the folks who are choosing
between a white MacBook or a black one, this changes nothing. For folks who
could never afford a MacBook, this is the difference between being connected
and not being connected.

 _For example, does anyone think that laptop price is holding back mobile
phone business models for laptops (free with broadband)?_

I have no idea what this question means in relation to this laptop. Given that
the iPhone is a $600+ device being sold for $200 with contract, and that $600
laptops exist today and have existed for a few years, I'd say the broadband
companies, in general, don't find the "give away a computer in exchange for a
longterm contract" model appealing, or they would already be doing it. It was
tried in the past with free desktop machines, and everybody saw that the deal
was a bad one for consumers, and so those ISPs went out of business or changed
to a different model. I think it has to be a business that looks more like
mobile for this kind of monetization to work--people are accustomed to getting
"free" phones, and they're also accustomed to long terms. Mobile is a
historically abusive industry, so no one complains about the abuse. Of course,
since the shake out in ISPs a few years ago, and consolidation down to just a
few carriers, the level of abusive contracts and terms is getting higher...so
maybe there will be a subsidized laptop deal soon, once AT&T and the cable
companies have finished consolidating and shutting down the last of the real
competition in the space.

Anyway, I think your question has nothing to do with what changes when a WiFi-
capable laptop is available for $98. You're thinking way too much about _your_
habits and expenditures. This device is not for you, or any of the folks you
hang out with.

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netcan
_Why do you need more than the OLPC mission? That's a pretty damned audacious
thing._

I didn't mean to imply anything about the benefits of availability in low-
income countries or the OLPC mission. My question intention was more along the
lines of: 'apart from the obvious.' Naturally, affordability for the remaining
(majority) of the world that cannot afford a laptop is the important
consequence of decreasing costs.

What I meant was as the cost of a usable, connected laptop or laptop-like
machines approaches zero, what changes (if any) can we expect in the behaviour
of existing laptop users. Any new uses, products and such that might come out
of this?

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olefoo
Text based services are going to be big for a while; small screens and
keyboards and being on the go with wonky access and low bandwidth will mean
that it's worthwhile to get a text version of what you're after.

Wireless bridges and bulletin board access points might be selling better (a
bulletin board ap is one that has local storage and no backhaul bandwidth,
it's sort of like a wiki restricted to a particular physical location).

Laptop Decor will become ever more important.

Most schools will require laptops, or just provide them.

Coworking Coffee Houses will become a distinct and recognizable place.

Legal documents on the web will be more common as the expectation will become
that everyone has access.

Homeless people will hack for food. (hack in both senses of the word)

Festival registrations, solar power packs, campfire computing; Burning Man
tech will go mainstream.

Field programmable gear will go big, your car, your house, your dogs collar
will all expect to be told what to do over a usb port.

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kqr2
I always find these announcements frustrating if you can't actually buy the
product.

By the time, it gets to the US, it will probably be $300.

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ricord
Chinese Engineers have done a very nice job! They design a low ressources but
dynamic netbook.Now, they can go forward. First, they have to implement a mini
OS displaying directly the homepage browser after a few seconds boot as
Splashtop.Secondly,to allow alternative energy supplies as
FreePlay(solar,dynamo,AAcells).

