Gecko Laptop

[sbk]

How low can they go? Since The ASUS Eee PC got super popular, competitors have been coming out of the woodwork, including Elonex, Everex, ECS, Acer, MSI, HP and others. Most of these companies have introduced aggressive pricing, but have struggled to approach ASUS's $400 entry-level price point. Now, another "killer" is planning an under-$300 laptop.

The company is Norhtec, a systems integrator based in Thailand, of all places, that specializes in tiny servers. The company is working on what they call the Gecko Laptop. The tiny system will be built by Quanta, and is powered by Linux Lite from Linpus Technologies.

The laptop probably has a seven-inch screen, possibly smaller. It has a pretty big keyboard and a touchpad. It's powered by a Via C7M ULV chip. Not much else is known about the Gecko.

According to reports, the company will announce the laptop soon, and it will sell for less than $300.

source: Computer World

[whimsy]

This looks like a well thought out device that could sell quite well in their target market. Good luck with it Norhtec.

Bangkok-based Norhtec has previously shipped several ultra low-cost Linux thin clients, including the Microclient JrSX, as well as an earlier $100 PC called the MicroClient Jr, which runs Puppy Linux. The goal for the Gecko was to create a laptop affordable enough to sell in poorer nations, Barnes said. "We are bidding the laptop on several large developing country projects," he wrote.

Link to full article http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7223327753.html

[whimsy]

With a little more Googling I found that Norhtec have a sister company nOrh who make interesting audiophile speakers and amps and have a laudable company philosophy.

Company newsletter here http://www.norh.com/news.html

When I started NorhTec, I hoped to expand on what I learned starting nOrh and expand my goal to link the developed and developing world on a broader scale. nOrh's day to day operations is now controlled by the original employees. ...... What is most important for me to communicate is that when you buy nOrh products, you are not only getting a great product, you are helping keep craftsman employed and creating jobs.

......

my passion is to link the developed and developing world. For the past four years, I have been working on projects in India, South America, Easter Europe and Africa.

......

The Gecko laptop costs about as much as a iPOD but has all the capabilities of a fully functional laptop. The most minimal configuration has a 1Ghz VIA C7M CPU and can operate 3.5 hours per charge. Optional batteries can provide up the 8 hour battery life. The Gecko has a nearly full size keyboard, 7 inch 800 x 480 full color TTF screen, integrated WIFI, integrated NIC, Integrated 3 in 1 memory card reader, 256 MB DDR 2 RAM, and offers expansion of up to 1GB RAM, 4GB solid state or even a 40 GB hard disk.