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Tiny Solar Powered Linux Computer
Posted by Kyle Pott at 6:00 AM on December 3, 2007
Be kind to the environment with Aleutia's 4.5 inch solar powered Linux computer, E1. E1 runs on 8 watts of power, has no moving parts and is completely silent. From the picture above, E1 looks like the James Bond of low priced Linux computers. It runs Puppy Linux, comes with an optional solar panel and an optional 10.4 inch monitor. Sadly, E1 carries a $400 price tag and crappy specs (2GB hard drive, 128MB RAM, 200MHz processor). However, E1's portability and light footprint may be an early glimpse into the future of computing.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
kerrybannen
Posted 3:34 PM 2/12/07
it was designed for aid workers in Africa. you dont usually hear them bitching about specs too much.
kerrybannen
selfdestruct
Posted 2:57 PM 2/12/07
you're stupid.
selfdestruct
Maurik
Posted 2:56 PM 2/12/07
PSP runs faster than this!!!
And you can use piKey for an external keyboard, irShell for the operating system and you have pretty much the same setup...
Maurik
altus
Posted 2:52 PM 2/12/07
So is producing all that "stuff" part, wires, panels etc.... and one day throwing them away..... Is that kinder to the environment than using a very little amount of power with a simple power coverter etc...? Isn't it the challenge that all these setups end-up causing 50% more damange (and sometimes more) to the environment? That's because you need to make all these parts and consider that you'll have to dispose of all these parts etc....
altus
rhodius
Posted 4:33 PM 2/12/07
hmmm... i'm running what is basically a solid-state Puppy Linux computer at home (there's still a fan on the 750mHz CPU), but it's much too big to take into the field (coffee shop?).
this E1 computer could actually be carted around and powered by any 12Volt source. something like this could be done with the slightly larger -but less power hungry- Koolu appliance, which has somewhat better specs for those concerned about such.
to the naysayers, that solar panel and battery with the E1 kit could be used to power other things in remote areas. and i certainly don't see how a lean little solar-powered computer could be any less green than what most of us are typing our observations on right now.
rhodius
Webzer
Posted 4:08 PM 2/12/07
Solar Computing. Could it then be possible to set up a link of computers all operating off the sun and off the grid. Meaning, individuals can set up a mesh of wifi enabled solar powered computer systems across an area the size of a country, and claim that this network is completely self sustaining,(after we build it of course) and able to provide access to those not interested in bothering the infrastructure with things like power consumption and regulation. Could this then be a FREE NETWORK, available to any individual, regardless of income or location variables?
Webzer
sfokevin
Posted 5:58 PM 2/12/07
"Take this thing into the bush"... Yeah right...
sfokevin
AndyFromTucson
Posted 5:41 PM 2/12/07
You could better performance with nearly identical power consumption by just buying a 5-6 year old laptop on eBay.
The Aleutia's 8.1 watt draw is just for the processor unit, it does not include the power to run a monitor. If I remember correctly, their website says their 10 inch monitor pulls 10 watts, so to really use this as a computer you need 18 watts. Funny thing is, the circa 2003 Inspiron 2650 I am typing this on draws around 19 watts if you turn the backlight down, has a 14 inch screen, 20 gig HD, more powerful CPU, and can be picked up on eBay for about $250 including shipping. Just buy a flexible solar panel to charge it and you have a much better solar powered computer for much less.
AndyFromTucson
mathmonkey
Posted 5:12 PM 2/12/07
I don't think it's about environmental impact so much as it is about portability. Take this thing into the bush and don't worry about power consumption.
mathmonkey
Rob C
Posted 6:28 PM 2/12/07
the Asus EEEPC owns this things ass...
Rob C
sfokevin
Posted 6:12 PM 2/12/07
And ANDYFROMTUCSON's setup can be charged and used at night and has wifi internet... but that would be of little use in the bush...
sfokevin
Spew
Posted 7:21 PM 2/12/07
EEE is seemingly better although not solar powered. However, my iPod touch probably kicks the ass of this computer.
Spew
awdark
Posted 8:20 PM 2/12/07
@Webzer:
=D someone needs to start that... a "social" network of computers bouncing data through each other and immune from those anti this and that associations.
*dreams*
awdark
cv
Posted 10:24 PM 2/12/07
Yeah, an iPhone plus a solar charger is a closer approximation to the future of computing.
cv
R-R
Posted 9:51 PM 2/12/07
@awdark: Oops... AWDARK not @Webzer ;)
anyway, we need mesh networks, I2P and a distributed social network overlay (Built on OpenPrivacy/ID, etc..)) ! ;-)
R-R
R-R
Posted 9:49 PM 2/12/07
Webzer, we're trying to work on it, if you're interested:
[guerillartivism.net] :-)
Nothing too inovative for now, but we need a community!
R-R
olegna
Posted 9:50 AM 3/12/07
@CV: Does that mean the future of computing involves pushing around fingerprint grease on glassy surfaces?
olegna
naveed
Posted 3:45 PM 3/12/07
What about the power for the monitor?
Wouldn't an existing PDA or maybe even a UMPC or an old laptop as Andy suggested be simpler?
naveed
mastermluck
Posted 5:58 PM 3/12/07
GUYS ARE YOU FORGETTING THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEVICE!!! IT IS SOLAR POWERED DUH!!!
mastermluck
awdark
Posted 4:28 AM 5/12/07
@R-R:
Ill read into that, hopefully it will grow into something nice!
Too bad my school is so low tech otherwise I would think a "simple" NAS + AP with very obvious sharing SSID would be lots of fun.
awdark