Aleutia Off-Grid PC: Why Picking the Right Product Image is Important
Several outlets have published information about this Aleutia E1 "Solar-Powered Off Grid" computer today using the above picture. And while it looks like a fine little machine—small, rugged, capable of being operated with just an 18-watt draw—I think the picture below is a bit more telling of its real world implication, coupled to a monitor, keyboard, and tatami-sized solar mat.
Product Page [Aleutia.com]
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The machine could be much more useful with some more RAM. RAM doesn't draw much power, so it shouldn't significantly affect the battery life / solar power drain.
My sister has an old PC running Xubuntu with similar specs (200MHz CPU, 192MB RAM, 2GB HDD) and it's ok for web browsing, word processing and simple games - but it's always the RAM that's the bottleneck. Upgrading from 128 to 192MB made a huge difference.
Although Puppy Linux, the OS used, has significantly less overhead then even Xubuntu, IME, so the 128MB should be more then enough.
But yeah, with RAM being as cheap as it is, getting a higher-powered version shouldn't be too much of a problem. (Even when it might mean opening the case yourself.)
That said, isn't that just an awesome machine? As a Puppy Fan, I'd love to get my hands on this. (Though it's kinda wierd that they use 2.14 for this. Hmmm, maybe later versions don't support their motherboard or something...)
Aaron
Come on BB, did you get out of bed the wrong side today. This tiny PC is cool. The lower photo shows everything needed to operate from solar, 12v and mains power. In reality you would only use one power source at a time, so could ditch two of them!
The keyboard is roll up, the monitor fits inside the solar panels wallet and there is a cool little bag for the PC and bits. Grumpy guts!
@i0i: I didn't say it wasn't cool; I said the image most people were using when writing about it was misleading. That's not Aleutia's fault. I got the second image directly from their web site!
@Joel: Yeah, I see what you mean, there is more to it than just the one pretty box. They could do with a photo of it in use outdoors, solar panel laid out on the grass and someone happily typing away in their tent.
Or perhaps an action photo of some hypothetical journalist in a lighter-than-air craft, the solar power affixed to the balloon envelope and drawing power as he squints through his aviator goggles at the tiny screen, pointing the satellite antenna at the sky in one hand and heroically blogging with the other.
Only if he wears a cape...