interesting hackable device?

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Christopher Browne <cbbrowne-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
| Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 09:47:19 -0400

| Here is a link to the first readily acquirable ARM-based laptop that I've seen:
| http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.39391
| 
| The huge oddity is that it comes with Wince; that seems likely to be
| remarkably unuseful, as there aren't terribly many apps deployed
| there.  It's not terribly powerful, with just a 266MHz CPU, which
| seems slower than what's being deployed on phones these days.
| 
| It is entirely possible that this will be wiped from interest by
| devices that followup the Eken M001.  (Which is the one that Hugh
| referenced, which *is* capable of hosting Debian and a cut-down
| Ubuntu.)

Well, the device was mostly wiped from interest.  But the tablets still
aren't hosting debian or Ubuntu that well or frequently.

My local Shoppers Drug Mart has one of these on a shelf in lonely
splendor ($149.99):

<http://sylvaniacomputers.com/product.php?id_product=45>

It too is odd.  Sylvania 7" Wireless Smartbook WEC7.

- "Sylvania" brand name.  I don't think that old brand means anything
  any longer: they license it freely and widely.

- 7" screen (800 x 490)

- Via 8650 CPU (ARM 9, 2D graphics)

- OS: Windows Embeded Compact 7

- 512M RAM

- 2G flash

- "Please note that this product is not a computer. It is a wireless
  Mobile Internet Device with a Windows® Embedded Operating
  System."