[SGVLUG] Fw: Laptop computer - do you know anything about it?

[Tom Emerson]

I got the following excerpt of an article from my mom -- as she says, she doesn't "subscribe" to whatever newsletter this came from, so only has the front page or so.  Unfortunately, the author does not mention the manufacturer or a couple of other juicy details, but in reading the description of what comes "standard", it sounds suspiciously like it might be a Linux based laptop.  I know there is the "one laptop per child" initiative that is currently at around half this price, but I don't think it weighs as little nor is as small as what is mentioned here.

If anyone knows more about this (and yeah, I'll probably search google too...) let me know and I'll get back to her -- thanks

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Sally Emerson <4dicknsallye at aceweb.com>
Hi Tom
This came from Dick Eastman - a genealogy writer and I wondered if you
knew about it, what it really is, unfortunately his entire article is
not available to me as I don't subscribe to his entire newsletter.

Mom






(+) The Latest Practical (?) Gadget: A
Two-Pound Laptop


 This week I have been using a new laptop computer
that is about the size of a VHS videotape. In fact, I can carry this
powerful laptop in my overcoat pocket. This tiny computer weighs about
two pounds (0.92 kilograms). It is an ideal system for use when
traveling since it is so portable. This laptop’s keyboard is a bit
smaller than standard computers, but one of my touch typist friends was
able to use it easily after about five minutes’ practice.

This coat-pocket sized computer even includes more than 40 built-in
applications, including a rather powerful word processor (similar to
Microsoft Word), a spreadsheet program (similar to Excel), a
presentation program (similar to PowerPoint), the Firefox web browser,
the Thunderbird e-mail program, Adobe Acrobat to read PDF files, a
complete dictionary on the hard drive, an instant messaging program
that is compatible with the most popular IM services, Skype for making
free telephone calls, and even two-way video conferencing, an MP3 music
player, a video player, a paintbrush program, and a lot more. It also
includes a microphone and "voice command" software, a feature that
allows you to control the PC by just speaking to it. (This isn't a true
"voice recognition" system; it can only "launch" or start certain
programs for you. You still need to use the touchpad and keyboard to
interact with and end programs.) This tiny powerhouse also includes
Solitaire and a few other simple games. All the included programs are
included free of charge. If I had to purchase similar,
commercially-produced programs, I probably would have to pay more than
$500 for software functionality to match what is already included in
this tiny laptop.




The list of included hardware is equally impressive: both wired and
wireless (Wi-Fi) networking, a built-in video camera, an Intel Celeron
processor, a half gigabyte of memory, and more. In short, this tiny
powerhouse has most of the functionality of any modern laptop. 

Now comes the best part: the retail price is $399 U.S. dollars, a
fraction of the price of competitive machines. It also includes a
24-month warranty, longer than most other laptops.

I was surprised at how easy this tiny computer is to use. In fact, I
am writing this article on the new tiny laptop PC.








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