*thumbs up for this* This is so "geeky" it is really heartwarming to just read it
I didn't order one as I am low on cash but I hope this will pave a great future for affordable mobile open devices. karsten Am Donnerstag, 4. Februar 2010 18:12:15 schrieb Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton: > hi folks this is from adam a few hours ago. > > it's very exciting, esp. for me to hear that it was china telecom that > initially commissioned the design, because that means a 3G modem was > part of the initial requirements! but bless 'em the smaller volumes > right now they just haven't been able to get the purchasing power, to > get the lower-cost LCDs. > > basically as it's very new to them they really need our help and want > our feedback, to make it a better product, which is why they're happy > to put engineers on the task of modifying them. i can guess what > they're doing: they're having to create a small circuit to power the > backlight on the LCD: all LCD panels are different, damn it. then > they will redesign the PCB to incorporate the new circuit... but not > right now! :) > > so, i think we have quite a lot of leverage: let's hope that china > telecom actually gave them the linux source code rather than just > dropped a hairy binary tarball in their laps and let them get on with > it. > > i've asked adam to find out if the 3G modem "socket" is a PCI-e: there > are several USB-based 3G PCI-e modems out there, some of them even > with GPS. i bought an adapter a few months ago: > http://www.hwtools.net/Adapter/USBMA.html > so i know that these PCI-e 3G modems are actually USB modems NOT > repeat NOT gigabit-PCIe x1 or x4 or whatever. > > and it _juuust_ so happens that i've been negotiating for several > weeks with a huawei 3G PCI-e modem supplier... :) > > so this could actually turn out to be an incredibly exciting little > machine - we'll just have to see how it goes. ok enough from me. > please forgive adam not being technical, he's learning what to look > out for as he goes along. > > l. > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Adam Gill <madal...@gmail.com> > Date: Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 3:45 PM > Subject: Re: 8.9" CT-PC89E ARM netbook .... UPDATE 04 FEB 2010 22.10 > To: Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <luke.leigh...@googlemail.com> > > > Hi Luke , ................ please forward > > I see there's a lot of emails coming through now - you need 25 > netbooks now? - I'll check tomorrow but I think may not be possible as > I will be getting the 20 pcs on Tuesday now. They are full on testing > these netbooks and I think we are lucky to get them before Chinese New > Year > > All the PayPal stuff I'll do on Saturday. > > We are really the first of two customers ..... so we are really in at > the beginning. Apparently, they say this netbook was first made by > another factory for China Telecom and so from my understanding - they > have taken bits from the original 8.9" CT netbook and made a fusion > with the 7000E with their own sourced display. > > The engineers have been making their own hand soldered PCBA to make > the correct connection for the display with the motherboard. > > I have taken photos of all the interesting bits etc and I will email > these on Sat ... > > Observations & other comments: > > 1. Web browsing not bad > 2. WiFi easily connects > 3. 2 x USB > 4. Mini LAN connection > 5. A mini USB but to me it looks like a mini VGA as the monitor symbol > was next to this slot > 6. 3G sim card slot - the slots are on the motherboard if you want to > add a 3G module > 7. 3.5mm Audio & Mic slot > 8. Mic on the keyboard surface > 9. The power charger will be the US style as its the lightest as we > are right on the limit for weight > 10. If you want to upgrade to 512 RAM they say it can be done for a > few US$ more - and will do with larger orders > 11. SO-DIMM - I asked about this - still waiting for answer from engineer > .... 12. I tried to connect my Nokia 5800 via USB to the netbook to make a > GPRS dial up connection *99# ..... I was almost > connected via the network configuration they have!! .. but not enough > time to focus on this ... > 13. The web cam slot does not have a camera in it but it will - all > the configuration is for a web cam - not enough time right now!! > They said it is possible to include the web cam in the unit cost in > future if larger quantities are ordered. > 14. Innolux display - I asked again for the model number - but they > could not give me the part no. > 15. Software - there are some basic programs there, enough to get started > 16. The battery is short life with full screen light - but you can > down the light quite low to save battery life ... > > All in all I was much more impressed than I was expecting - I don't > like their version of Linux - I will try to install another once I get > my two net books .. > > The factory is interested in getting feedback and how to improve this > netbook. So please give me a list when you all have had a good going > over it! > > Cheers! > Adam > -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-arm-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org