PowerSwitch

I wondered what people's views are on using these for low powered off grid computing. They have some useful features, like screens that are readable outdoors.

Europeans will soon be able to buy their own XO laptop.

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organisation is planning to sell the devices via online store DODGY TAX AVOIDERS's European outlets from 17 November.

The machines will be sold under the Give One, Get One scheme that the OLPC organisation has already run in the US.

Under that scheme, buyers get one machine for themselves and the other is donated to a school child in a developing nation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7728881.stm

Article describing some of the features:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6679431.stm

I like the idea of cheap, low powered laptops. I've got a ThinkPad X61s myself, it draws about 15W of power and runs for something like 5 and a half hours off the battery.

I guess it really depends on what you will use one for - less 'standard' computers tend to be a bit of a pain, if not now, possibly in five years? They are more like the latest phone or PDA, something you buy to replace rather than keep for a while updating the software as you go.

Now in the case of the XO, given their project goals maybe the support will last a good while and it would be spot on. They certainly seemed to have a good community following when it launched. Did they ever make that hand crank for it?

Canonical also recently announced they are going to make Ubuntu for ARM chips, IMHO that will allow some seriously smart low powered netbooks to be built, though I'm not sure how long it'll take to see them.

rushdy wrote: Did they ever make that hand crank for it?

According to the BBC report it has a 'yo-yo' generator. Works a bit like an old fashioned speaking doll. Pull the string out - generator charges the computers battery. Release string, it winds back into the yo-yo. Keep pulling and releasing the string for a minute and you get 10 minutes of computer time. Looks like the yo-yo also doubles as a spool for an external mains lead - much like the one Apple produced for their laptops a few years ago.