[Cialug] cheap dell linux netbook

[Nathan C. Smith]

Somebody should market a webkinz/penguinz subnotebook just for kids with the right display specs and the right version of flash.  Stick a picture of your pet to the cover.

It may be a little late to market, but it might have cleaned-up 12 months ago. 

(if you don't know what webkinz is/are, don't ask.  ;-)  )

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cialug-bounces at cialug.org 
> [mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Nuzum
> Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 3:02 PM
> To: Central Iowa Linux Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Cialug] cheap dell linux netbook
> 
> On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Nathan C. Smith 
> <nathan.smith at ipmvs.com> wrote:
> > Remember 5 years ago when a $500 notebook sounded like 
> wishful thinking?
> >
> > 512 MB, sounds just a little tight.  But then the machine I 
> have Xubuntu running on with 512 MB probably has a much 
> slower processor.
> >
> >>
> >> http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/27/dells-inspiron-mini-9-drops
> > -to-a-delicious-199/
> >>
> 
> For under $100 you can add a much nicer SSD and up the ram to 2GB.
> http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/SPD/runcore-pro-16gb-mini-pci
e-pci-e-ssd-solid-state-drive-for-dell-inspiron-mini-9---> restocking-soon-runcore-pro-16gb-mini-pcie-pci-e-ssd-solid-sta
te-drive-for-dell-inspiron-mini-9--800008E6-1225426254.jsp
> 
> The problem with 512MB of RAM on the netbook is that (I think, not
> positive) there's no swap.
> 
> I think that the $199 - $249 price range is going to get more action
> in the netbook space. I'm seeing videos from conferences where ARM
> people are demoing 1.5cm thick netbooks with 9" screens and 8 hours of
> battery life that will target $249 and under price range.
> 
> I've seen a few screens that are higher res than the 1024x600 common
> on most netbooks. As sad as this is to say, webkinz requires res at
> least 1024x768 or, if you hit the F11 key, about 1000x685. A lot of
> people are attracted to these netbooks for kid computers, and I'm all
> for that. But I think a lot of kids will be disappointed with them
> unless the higher res screen becomes common. It'd be nice if the
> screens was 1280x720 or 1280x800.
> 
> -- 
> Matthew Nuzum
> newz2000 on freenode, skype, linkedin, identi.ca and twitter
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