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Hopefully they will come eventually, but I think it's smart that ARM is actually competing in an area where they actually have a chance (low-power machines). If they release a full-fledged ARM laptop, it'll be compared to all those high-power Intel/AMD laptops... and they won't even get past the starting line. People will automatically expect lots of power/speed, which they just won't get. Look at how the differences in specs and size with netbooks are blurring with laptops. If ARM can get its processor to take off by pitting it up against the Atom, I think eventually the same kind of blurring will happen.

*sigh* I know, but I actually use the arrow keys and the ins->pgdn section above them, which netbooks all don't have (needs more width), get driven nuts by not having vsync (that's why I run Windows on my SuperSavage), and hate really small displays.

Yet, performance-wise, a P3 1.13 is fast enough for 99% of what I do--it's not too shabby for compiling, even (I wouldn't compile Qt on it again, but it's fine for smallish apps, my own stuff, custom kernels, etc.). Given that, such a device w/ one of those ARMs would be a heaven-sent gadget for me.

Edited 2010-01-06 19:30 UTC

Yeah, and it really kills productivity when small keyboards like this require the use the Fn key to access home/end/pg-up/pg-down, which is on the opposite side of the keyboard. Makes one-handed use pretty much impossible.

Would be nice if Fn was on the other side of the keyboard, near the majority of the Fn-enabled keys.



A dual-core Atom with an Ion chipset, in a 12" formfactor would be pretty nice. Or a dual-core ARM with some graphics accelerator in the same formfactor.

12" in pretty much perfect, as the keyboard isn't tiny, but the bulk is still small enough to be very portable. My first laptop is a 12" 800x600 P1-166MMx. Other than the 8 lbs weight and almost 3" thickness when closed, it was the perfect size (screen+keyboard).

You should probably also check that it is a cortex-a9 based design as they will be much faster than cortex-a8 or anything older than that for instance I think some of those wall warts are clocked at 1.2Ghz but a 600Mhz cortex should be faster than ARM9

A8 is dual issue in order
A9 is dual issue out of order which makes it less lick an intel atom which is in order leading to a few more pipeline stalls.

I realize you know this but it might be harder to tell once the are in store what exactly the hardware is.

Edited 2010-01-06 19:36 UTC

http://www.cybernetman.com/

It's not a new concept, and has never been cheap.

The computer in the keyboard is definitely not a new concept, but it has been done cheaply:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64">The

No you can't have 5, I need them all for me!!!

One day, when I'll replace my eeepc 1000 which is being used a lot, I'll try an ARM. Can't wait for the competition to come by!

Yeah, I haven't heard anything since either. And damn it... I want one. No fans allowing complete silence (and less power drain), more efficient CPU draining less battery power, and no ridiculous limitations of Windows 7 Starter Edition (not allowed to change your wallpaper for one)... it's really sounding good right now. Not to mention, Intel and Microsoft trying to restrict what goes in netbooks... Intel apparently doesn't want anyone putting higher-end CPUs in their low-cost machines, and Microsoft requires 1GB to be the max memory.

With all this crap, ARM really is looking better than ever. If only they'd hurry up and get to market...

If 10% of readers who show expectation had bought one, the situation now would be another. "I do not want one, but I am happy that it exist"

I'm not sure what you mean. I would gladly buy one, and/or would have bought one- if one was on market. As of now, they're seemingly turning in to hopes, and maybe later, a "could've been".

I remember a friend speaking about Linux "I don't use Linux, but a like that Linux exist". And after your comment I thought why many people expect a alternative to x86, but all of they when buy a new computer get another x86. Practical reasons I suppose. So "I don't use ARM, but a like that ARM netbooks exist".

Just a reflection, not accusing you.

Oh no problem, I knew you weren't accusing, I was just genuinely confused :-) As you can see by name, it happens quite often. I think it's hard to market alternatives, so I can understand the reluctant push to market. To me it's just if you're going to go through the R&D, prototypes, and promotion, you might as well try your luck on the market

OK show me any Intel/AMD Netbook that weights < 1kg with more than 10h battery life and is as thin as this and fanless. People pay quite a bit more than $500 for an iphone and that has a lot less power, a smaller display etc.