For personal use, I would buy a used full-featured laptop on craigslist/ebay before buying one of those. I know the $100 laptop will not be available on the consumer market, at least not at first. I'm not even sure it will be available in the USA to begin with. For 3rd world use, I think they will be a big hit, although spending $100 per child on other necessities should probably be more of a priority. A laptop isn't going to help a child that has no running water, food, warm clothes, etc.

LOL...I saw an iPhone listed for $5000 shortly after they hit the market. I'd like to meet the sucker that replied to that ad.

I own a full laptop, and this wouldn't replace it. But I also wouldn't haul my laptop into the back country. I'd be interested in the $100 computer not as a replacement, but to fill another niche. The computer as described would be almost ideal to take in order to type while outside of town, and to access the internet through the wifi while in town. I could even see myself throwing it into my bag to use around town, instead of carrying my much heavier, much less durable, and much more expensive laptop.

I have been considering building a 'survival pc'. Something I can stack tons and tons of data on (maps, survival information, general knowledge, etc) kind of like a portable post-TEOWAWKI library of congress. It'd be invaluable but you'd have to consider the important aspects of a device like that... like for one:

1) It would have to be rugged
2) It would need to have ultra-low power consumption
3) It would have to have adequate storage space
4) it would need to be easily repaired.
5) It would preferably be light.
6) It would need to be stored in a faraday cage-style container that is waterproof, shockproof, etc.


So I'm kind of in a tossup between buying a ruggedized PC or building my own. I like the idea of using a hand-dynamo or bike dynamo for power too.

I'll make sure I add this EEE pc to my list of potentials for my little 'project'

I also like this guy:

The Everex StepNote NC1501 - it's got a 12w power usage.. 12w! Figure throw in a ruggedized hard disk like the MHW2040AC and it should be reasonably capable. You could attach a little hand crank on it and everything. Best of all it'd run you under 500 bux for the whole DIY shebang. Oh well. I'm rambling but you get the idea.

I would suggest a solar panel rather than a dynamo. I own several assorted dynamo 'necessities' and some solar. Solar has fewer parts to break and after cranking a dynamo your muscles will get sore, plus your hands will be free to do other things.

I agree. However I'd rather have multiple power inputs so as to ensure energy efficency. I.e. solar + dynamo + etc..

Eugene - two people in my office have Qs and love them. One guy was a longtime blackberry user and he much prefers the Q.

Look at the mini ITX stuff. I have a 500MHz Samba server at home running 12v @1A (12W). I boot from a CF card and leave it read only and have a copy of my laptop on my old hdd in a USB enclosure plugged into it.

Thanks, I'm waiting until the 20th now as the Q9m is supposed to be released then.

You've forgot about the LCD screen. It is the primary power consumer in any Laptop or PDA. Especially if it's color and high resolution one.