Alpha 400 MIPS 400MHz 128MB 1GB 7'' Linux: Cheapest Laptop on the Planet

TO SEE CURRENT VERSION OF THIS BLOG: GO TO ALPHA-400 NEWS. Click below: http://alpha-400-mips-elonex-razorbook-coby.blogspot.com/

This blog: The "China 400" mini laptops (Alpha 400, Elonex, etc.) -- the cheapest laptops -- rule! We'll keep'ya posted with tech details, cheapest deals, where to buy, and offbeat places where China 400s/Alpha-400s are sold. (Clayton Hallmark)

They're not netbooks (that's just an Intel gotcha word), not notebooks, not full-size laptops.

They lead the race to the bottom, in price, these 400-MHz miniature laptops from China -- therefore, they rule. It's a whole new platform, the China 400 / Alpha 400, and there will be dozens of brands besides Alpha 400 and hundreds of models eventually. All other "netbooks"/notebooks /laptops of whatever size will come down in price as a result.

We'll present all of the technical details here, along with the progress of the Alpha-400 in leading the race to the bottom in the price wars. Above is what one looks like inside. FOR THE LATEST, GO TO ALPHA-400 NEWS. Click here.

For now, 400 MHz with an XBurst Chinese processor running Linux defines the world's cheapest TRUE computers. They can do about all that most people want: access the web by phone line or Wi-Fi, email, write notes and letters, view video, read almost all documents found online, run a printer or other equipment (and much more). For more, Google mini-laptop 400 or go to ALPHA-400 NEWS.

The Linux eperience is superior to the Windows experience for most people.

Cheapest Deal Today: The cheapest version of the China 400 platform is the Alpha 400, available at geeks.com for under $170 .

Latest News on China 400s: FOR THE LATEST, GO TO ALPHA-400 NEWS. Click here: http://alpha-400-mips-elonex-razorbook-coby.blogspot.com/

Offbeat places to buy a computer: Marks & Spencer department stores in the UK -- in the fashion department . The China 400 on sale there is the UK's own Elonex, which got its start in schools. Remember how Apple got its foothold in the US? Elonex has sold over 200,000 to schools, not much less than the Asus EEE sold in the US in its first year.

¿Hablas Linux?

Do you speak Linux? All the world does. The Cuban government is pushing the use of the Cuban Linux OS, called "Nova," and expects "that in five years our country will have more than 50 percent migrated (to Linux)." One has to wonder How many other countries will adopt this policy and reach 50-percent Linux usage? See the entire article at: http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE51A77S20090211

Apart from security concerns, free software better suits Cuba's worldview: "The free-software movement is closer to the ideology of the Cuban people, above all for the independence and sovereignty."

I feel same way about software. Paying for software seems like a ripoff and, well, undemocratic, like paying for air and water.

That is why I started this blog. We have been ripped off too long by US software companies, mere publishers charging us thousands of dollars over a period of years, and by US computer makers who are not makers of anything except profits. I was so incensed that -- would you believe it? -- I almost bought one of the DOS computers shown. That was before I found out about the HiVision MiniNote, 3K's Razorbook 400, and the Belco/Bestlink Alpha-400.

The computer in the photo is still available from California Digital (interesting site, BTW) for $159. It conforms to my guidelines -- Small-Cheap-Easy -- but it runs only DOS. At this stage, I am not much interested in building things and programming things, just using them, however; so the 400s are what I am looking for in a "cheapest" computer. These things, the Fujitsu Poquet PC Plus computers, originally cost over $2000, and the technology is well worth a look. For example, the Poquet truly is instant-on, more so than any of the 400s. Also, it runs off 2 AA batteries for weeks. And it's great for hacking and experimenting. The whole California Digital site is well worth a look.

psst ... mister, GET AN APPLE FOR 499 EUROS = $643, or will you settle for a Pear?

https://www.pearc.de/product_info.php/products_id/1?osCsid=1a819c93b8f752b229d495abd4de3fcd

A German company at the above link is offering "The PC with Mac OS X" for 499 euros, (currently $643). It's not officially an "Apple"; they call it the PearC. Get it? Well, why not get one if you are into that type of machine? This Apple is stuffed with "Intel Inside," which I guess is what makes it a Pear.

A US company also has one for $555 plus tax and shipping, as shown at this link: http://www.store.psystore.com . Or you can call them (Psystar Corp.) at 1-888-456-7801 (hours, 9-5).

Of course I much prefer the 400-MHz MIPS platform, and you can get one from Bestlink Electronics for $149 plus shipping (from Hong Kong) at: http://www.bestlinkeshop.com/ . It does all I need it to do for the world's cheapest price-- a really good deal.

Geeks.com has them (part No.: ALPHA-400) in and out of stock, sometimes, at http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ALPHA-400&cat=NBB . The price is $169.99 plus shipping, and the company is in California.

Asus RAISING All Computer Prices 20% -- So long, Cheap EEEs!

So much for the cheap "netbook." The originator of the so-called "netbook" with its EEE launched in late 2007 has just announced it is raising prices on all products by 20 percent. It is big news. See: http://news.softpedia.com/news/ASUS-to-Do-the-Unthinkable-and-Raise-Eee-PC-Prices-104174.shtml .

This proves what I have been saying, that Asus and other "netbook" makers have been pulling a classic bait-and-switch on us. Stores and traders have being doing this for time immemorial. Offer one product at a cheap price, then raise the price or offer an inferior product once you have a buyer on the hook.

They will be sorry. Much cheaper computers than even the 400s are coming (see the bubblepack PC at the right). The netbook is showing its true colors: not a real category, just a low-end notebook.

Here's 2 Videos: Tiny $149 PC Does It All, and Easy

VIDEO 1

"$149 DOES MOST PC JOBS: Testing World's Smallest, Cheapest Laptops"

Click to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0XxBgN8OZA&feature=related


Tom Similjan from Switched shows two little Linux laptops (Asus EEE and Everex Cloudbook) and shows how easy it is to "jump out of Windows" and into Linux.

Tom shows you can do it all on a 7-inch Linux laptop, including the ultracheap ones in this blog. It is easy -- easier than Windows -- and much cheaper. Much of what he says in the video applies to the 400-type (400-MHz) mini-laptops like the ALPHA-400, HiVision, Razorbook, and Elonex ONEt.

If you have any doubts about the usefulness or usability/friendliness of a $149 or $169 mini-laptop, Tom's video should dispel those doubts and let you buy. So please watch.

VIDEO 2

"LINUX IS EASY: HERE'S SIMPLE DETAILS: $98 Linux Laptop - The HiVision miniNote"











Click to view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKQbN6tpYXw&feature=related

HiVision makes the world's cheapest Linux laptop at $98 (wholesale), using a new, cheaper MIPS-based processor (the Ingenic XBurst from China), WiFi, and 1-GB flash storage. It runs Linux, has 3 USB ports, Ethernet, SDHC card reader, audio in and out, voice-chat, Skype, multitabbed Firefox browser, and Abiword for word processing. Automatic and secure online software updates are available. The current model is running a smooth and pretty snappy Linux user interface.

In this video, Nicolas Charbonnier (aka Charbax) got to borrow a review sample of the laptop overnight during a trade show, and he shows you all the browser and other software interfaces in this extended video review of this cheap MIPS-based laptop. It's the ideal laptop: Small, Cheap, Easy.

"LINUX IS EASY: HERE'S SIMPLE DETAILS: $98 Linux Laptop - The HiVision miniNote"

Click to view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKQbN6tpYXw&feature=related

Purchase 3K Computers' RazorBook 400 for $195

The popular RazorBook brand of 400 laptop is now available at Proadvantage for $195.37. Click here to see more: http://www.provantage.com/3k-computers-rz400-4gb-win~73KCM008.htm

A SELLOUT --- Alpha 400s Fly off the Shelves, Can't Keep'em In

Remember how the Asus EEE started out in October 2007? I do. Constantly out of stock.

Now that Asus "netbook" has gone uptown on us, in price, the World's Cheapest Computer, the Alpha 400s, are selling so fast they can't keep them in stock at Computer Geeks -- see here click.

It's a good sign, and the Belco Alpha 400 definitely is worth waiting on it for a few days.