A dream that slowly comes true

No, I'm not speaking about becoming insanely rich. That would take a while longer.

I'm talking about my dream of a small and light computer, that I can take with me everywhere and one that could connect to resources I need (read, Internet) from anywhere in the world. And that's all of course thanks to the EeePC 701 and other similar devices. I wrote a piece on it a couple of months ago, but the subject is still hot and is becoming hotter every day.

I just read nice post in NY Times, which describes in funnny humor the way that Asus went. The author says that Asus "didn't get the memo" about how our laptops should be huge, inefficient, expensive and bloated with versions of Windows - and software that vendors like to load on laptops so very much. It should be slow, and its startup time should be long enough to have a cup of coffee.

I'm on the contrary, and as the author says, enjoy fast computing. And if you'd question what 'fast' means for me, then it's subjectively simple: when I work on computer I want it to react immidiately on my actions. If I'm waiting for something to happen, then I'm losing time. So, say, do we need computer to boot in 3 seconds? Yes. Do we need it to boot in 0.1 seconds? No, not really (unless the feature used to save power). Do I want to have 10 hours battery on a laptop? Yes. Do I want to wait until browser is started? No. That is fast in my book.

I've already compared Asus EeePC 701 with other similarly priced devices such as Nokia N810 (and previous models) and OLPC, and said that I'd probably prefer OLPC to Asus in order to read in direct sunshine. But recent issues in OLPC and the comparison I read the other day, slowly but surely tend me to Asus laptop.

It's small, fast, light. It doesn't have moving parts. Battery life could probably be preserved with few tricks. It has plently of room for blogging around, email, reading RSS feeds and web browsing. The advantage of an OLPC screen may seem less important after all.

I won't say that I'd prefer Asus laptop to ThinkPad x61s (or whichever one will be the best when I decide to purchase it), but at the price point of $400 no ThinkPad can be in any competition.

Is OLPC team crossing the lines?

And if they would've, what would those lines be?

Hello dear reader. I've just been reading an article on News.com, which explains in some detail the exit of Intel from an OLPC alliance. It happened after some few years of disagreements and heat between the teams; and after they seemingly made up and OLPC started developing an Intel-based model (which I would love to see). What's going on then? Why road is not all that slick and easy for the project, which took the pledge to help all the poor kids in the world (sort of)?

It seems that while everyone agrees with the goal, many disagree on the way that goal is to be achieved. Here comes the question I asked at the beginning:

The OLPC project is made to help educating children, and they are doing so by letting children laptop computers. Choosing to use the technology to solve some of the hardest problems existing right now, is great act. But the world of technology is very well advanced in developing world. So, would it be fare to ask other technology vendors not to try and develop similar solutions? Especially ones they can profit from? Would it be fare to ask them not to compete? And to specifically target the problem on hand: had the OLPC from the beginning had using Intel's processors, would Intel start "Classmate PC" program? And would AMD then develop their own?

I believe, that a chip vendor other than a would-be chosen one for the project would try to stick his nose into the project, or try to invent some other way to compete. It's just the way that capitalism works. Searching for a new market is nothing new. And that's exactly what Intel did.

So, if OLPC team cannot demand that Intel would stop all their "competing with OLPC" programs, then by doing so they are crossing the line. I'm just starting to believe that there's too much emotion is getting into the issues here, and while by itself is a good thing, emotions in this case do not serve the purpose. More and more lately I feel that OLPC is slowly turning into completely commercial project, while at the beginning the idea was to draw attention and to show what can be done with technology.

Now, don't get me wrong. I really like an OLPC. I do think that a project like this should exist. I truly believe that the technology that was developed is the best one in the market today, and it beats the hell out of Intel's Classmate PC. But I'm beginning to see sorts of weird elitistic behavior in some of the issues with the team. It's the "we're the volunteering for the poor, how can you compete with us? shame on you!!!" attitude that I think is wrong.

Making the technology that advances the whole world and provides means to poor kids to get education is good. Trying to shame everyone else and press them to do what you want (and especially by insinuating they against poor kids) is not.

Just do what you know: the great technology. The great community. The great people. Education

Don't cross the lines. In capitalism world, it can backfire right back at you.

Better Than Kindle?

OK, so by now I think there are no people left who didn't hear about the Amazon Kindle. Or read about it. Or written something. Or something.

I just listened to a podcast by Leo Laporte (it's on Twit network - go check out), where he and his guests in the studio are talking about the kindle device and are not really thrilled by it. These are the sort of people who jump on all the newest and the greatest in the gadgetry, but they don't jump on this one.

Why?

I could probably take a guess, and to be correct as much as anyone. But here are few things that pop into my head when I'm thinking about any eBook:

• It has to be sorta cheap
  
• It has to have a great screen - quality is important
  
• The screen size should be convenient (I know, this one is very subjective)
  
• It should be lightweight
  
• The power should have a long life for this
  

While I'm thinking about all the things I'd do with it, this is what comes to my mind: this thing cost around $400. There are few other devices that cost that much these days:

• Nokia N810
• Asus eeePC 701
• OLPC
  

So, how about relative comparison between the products?

Lets take a look, one by one:

Amazon kindle with Nokia N810:

Weight Kindle: 300g; N810: 226g
Size Well, Kindle is larger
Screen size Kindle: 6"; N810: 4.13"
Screen features Kindle: eInk, grayscale; N810: LCD, 65K colors
Power features Kindle: can go for days; N810: needs recharging frequently
Connectivity Kindle: 3g+ cellular; N810: WiFi and Bluetooth (other?)
Applications Kindle: reading books, articles, blogs, listening to a music?? N810: whatever you like and can get your hands on

Amazon kindle with Asus eeePC 701:

Weight Kindle: 300g; 701: 920g
Size Asus is larger
Screen size Kindle: 6"; 701: 7"
Screen features Kindle: eInk, grayscale; 701: LCD, color
Power features Kindle: can go for days; 701: needs recharging frequently
Connectivity Kindle: 3g+ cellular; 701: WiFi
Applications Kindle: reading books, articles, blogs, listening to a music?? 701: whatever you like in regular Linux desktop, limited by performance

Amazon kindle with OLPC:

Weight Kindle: 300g; OLPC: 1.58kg
Size OLPC is slightly larger
Screen size Kindle: 6"; OLPC: 7.5"
Screen features Kindle: eInk, grayscale; OLPC: LCD, dual-mode, color and B&W
Power features Kindle: can go for days; OLPC: needs recharging frequently
Connectivity Kindle: 3g+ cellular; OLPC: WiFi (with mesh)
Applications Kindle: reading books, articles, blogs, listening to a music?? OLPC: whatever you like in regular Linux desktop, limited by performance

So, what can we tell by these comparisons? Few things actually: we have 4 devices, priced similarly, but allowing different using models. While Kindle is specialized in reading books, articles, newspapers and blogs (and maybe listening to some in the future), all the other devices run almost any application you would like (in Linux).

Asus is not really fair comparison in the bunch, as it has completely different format, and is more appropriate for writing an article than reading it (I mean, it's a laptop, and hence it is more convenient to use its keyboard than on all other 3 devices).

So, for the matter of this argument, I would choose an OLPC laptop as a reading device for the follosing reasons:

• Its much more cool (subjective)
• While buying one for me, I contribute one for some kid somewhere in the world
• It's grayscale mode and ability to turn the screen make it very good reader device
• I can do a lot more than just reading books on it
• It has interesting power recharging solutions
• I can easily read blogs and RSS feeds on it

While the Kindle has interesting technology (eInk, or whatever it is called), and it is much lighter, and don't need recharging that often, I'd choose OLPC for now. Even Nokia's device seems more cool and technically superior than a kindle.

Actually, besides that eInk screen, and commercial model for getting stuff, is there anything exciting in the Kindle at all? Is the OLPC better than Kindle? Even as a book reader? I think so.

Tell me what you think.

Mobile likes Linux

I've read an article today about a school in US that equipped its students with a new Asus eeePC 701 laptops. Aside the pedagogical issues, I find that very interesting from technological and social points of view.

As a social effect, I think that using a computer in the classroom have long halted to surprise anyone. The fact that schools are now doing this on their own, show that technology is moving forward, making other sides and areas to consider its impact on how things are done. I'm not saying that teaching has to be accompanied by a computing systems, but I believe that it definitely can benefit from it. For similar purpose an OLPC project was created, and I have written an essay on that.

Many of today's newly created small-sized computers are run with Linux. It is well done business decision, as at that price grades, the price of an operating system can reach up to 50% of the final consumer products' cost. That's really outrageous - if I only would like to use a browser and email, why would I buy an operating system that doubles the price of the device??

On the other hand, as these devices are small, they inherently have a resource limitations, which albeit arguably, are not enough for running the full Windows operating system (or Mac OS for that matter). This leads to using Linux on such devices, with possible following benefits:

• The basic cost of the operating system is zero, which can be leveraged by lowering the cost of the final product.
• The use of Linux allows very easy to change the product - either by changing the hardware, or the software. Because of open nature of Linux OSes, it is quite easy to customize and optimize the operating environment for better performance or other purposes.
• The openness of the platform would allow the creation of "eco-communities" around the product, which develop "hacks" and enhancements, thus further driving the interest and possible customer base.

All in all, the use of small mobile device will not stop any when soon. The ubiquitousness of high speed web access will catalyze even more the entry of all sorts of small mobile devices. But who will get the fruits of such thing - depends on applications and their vendors.

I think that Linux-based devices have a very bright future ahead.

Installing Mac OS X on HP pavillion laptop

Hi folks

Being affected by all “Hackintosh” series posts in Lifehacker and other places (such as installing it on eeePC 701), I’ve decided to get and install it on my aging laptop, HP Pavillion, model ze4508ea.

Here’s the laptop’s specs:

CPU: AMD Mobile XP 1.8G
Memory: 750MB (can be expanded to 1G)
HD: 20G
Graphics: ATI Mobile 320M integrated up to 64MB
CDRW/DVD
Screen: 14”
Wireless: PCMCIA RTLink 2500 series card

Please let me know what my expectations can be regarding the functionality of the Mac OS X 10.4.8 on such a laptop.

Thanks a bunch!

Look at them apples!

a revolution among college students? see for yourself. this photo was not staged!

Very Cool! I want to see such a school where all the kids have laptops (and Apple ones at that!!!)

-A.

read more | digg story

Scientists Invent 30 Year Continuous Power Laptop Battery

Your next laptop could have a continuous power battery that lasts for (30 years without a single recharge)

Frankly, it's hard for me to believe that someone would sell this out. The laptop battery that needs no replacement for 30 years? No recharging? That would kill major part of computer appliances market, so I really doubt that anyone would be brave enough to even try.It's like Gillette would sell out blades that don't need replacement. They would be dead off in couple of years (why would anyone buy another Gillette after all? ).

Just my cents.
-A

read more | digg story