This isn't spam, just a Public Service Announcement.

Scrolling through Google News this morning, for which I have an alert setup for the keyword "linux", I saw this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00170KD0Y?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=cnet-pc-20&linkCode=asn

An HP laptop for $299?? According to the article the Windows version costs $799. Apparently using a free OS really allows them to offer the unit for cheap. However, it should be noted that this is more in the mini-notebook realm of computers...actually it's solidly a mobile oriented device. Here's why:

It has 4GB of solid state Flash memory-- NOT a hard drive. That's good for durability, but not good for large storage. You can get a 100GB mini external HD though for very cheap.

It's a tiny little bugger (8.9" screen), but good enough to surf the web, email, do video chats (built-in webcam) and unload your photos from your camera (onto an external HD via USB), all of which make it a great travel companion. Maybe throw a couple of these on there...

For those wondering "what's Linux?": Linux (invented and named by Linus Torvalds in the mid-90's) is an operating system alternative to Microsoft Windows for Intel x86 processor-based computers, and it very similar to Unix in architecture and operation. There are MANY different flavors, or "distributions" that are based on the core Linux kernel, and not all are created equal. The majority of Linux distributions are free and Open Source. The server software powering BCP is actually Debian Linux. The SuSE Linux that ships with this notebook is a good one. It runs faster and requires less resources than Windows.

Buyer beware, I've never used this particular HP model, so I can't vouch for it. It does not come with Microsoft Windows installed, which I consider a good thing. I just thought it amazing that you can find a notebook for $299 these days.

I saw a guy at school with on of these. They are soo small. I thought it was really cool. He loaded Windows XP on his says and says he really likes it. I was thinking about getting one but I just got my MacBook a few months back and I'm going to stick with it

TrevDog wrote: I was thinking about getting one but I just got my MacBook a few months back and I'm going to stick with it

My thinking is that I wouldn't take my $2200 Macbook the places I'd take this thing.

Too bad it isn't a convertible. If I could fold that keyboard away and just view the display it might make a great little device. Still, could be handy to throw it in the flight bag to use in a hotel room if you wanted to travel light.

This might be a sweet platform to run Seattle Avionics' Voyager 4.1 on if it supports WindowsXP and also has fast enough graphics processing. Perhaps an experimenter who already has one could try it and report back.

als wrote:This might be a sweet platform to run Seattle Avionics' Voyager 4.1 on if it supports WindowsXP and also has fast enough graphics processing. Perhaps an experimenter who already has one could try it and report back.

The thing I thought was especially cool about this offer is that it ships with Linux installed, which tend to be a little less resource-hoggy. I read some reviews that said it didn't run Windows so hot because of the overhead required.

I really like the idea of a highly portable computer that I can use when I travel.

Besides the obvious web browser for looking at BCP , what software do people think is absolutely essential, and why? Can everything you need really fit in 4gb of solid state memory?

Is it possible to load JPI's software to retrieve engine data on this HP?
What would it take

Linux is a different operating system, so Windows applications won't run on it out of the box. There are solutions, like Codeweavers Crossover, or WINE, that will allow you run Windows applications, but without testing I don't know what kind of performance you'd get on this particular piece of hardware.

Running the JPI software would be cool. I'll see if I can get it to run on the SuSE Linux machine i have on my desk, and report back.

4GB of Flash is not much. It's shockproof and reliable, and the system will boot super fast, but how much is left over after the operating system is installed is the unknown. You can always plug a USB thumbdrive or USB hard drive in for extra storage.

Just took delivery of an Asus 901 eee pc----pretty neat little computer. It has Linux preinstalled also. I'm using a usb mouse right now instead of the touchpad.

This article says you will soon be able to get them for $99 with a wireless contract:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9118758