Manuscriptum: the two-pound, Linux-powered mini PC

Manufactum, the same company who apparently produces a totally sensational espresso machine, is offering up something a bit different with the Manuscriptum. Not vastly unlike many of the diminutive alternatives already out there, this two-pound PC gets stuffed with a 500MHz AMD Geode LX800 processor, an 80GB hard drive, up to 1GB of RAM and a motherboard that handles four USB 2.0 ports, VGA / serial connectors, dual Ethernet jacks and audio out. Additionally, this little fella is passively cooled and sucks down just 12-watts of power when in operation. As for the OS, you'll find Debian Linux loaded on, and it also ships with OpenOffice, Foxit PDF Reader and Firefox to keep you busy right from the get-go. In the aforementioned configuration, the Manuscriptum will run you €449 ($650), but it sounds like you can pony up even more if you're craving a customized rig complete with a 32GB SSD.

[Via LinuxDevices]

[pooptypeuptypants @ Nov 7th 2007 5:14PM]

$650 for this? seriously? ummm....i don't get it.

[ksmith @ Nov 26th 2007 10:25AM]

For those of you who like the machine, but hate the price. Check out the Data Evolution decTOP (formerly known as AMD's PIC).

http://www.dataevolution.com/decTOP%20info%202.htm

Almost identical specs, but with less RAM and HD space, both of which are upgradable. The best part is, it's only $100, but you get bitch-slapped with high shipping. Or do their 4 for 3 deal, which is still less than one of these babies.

[Drkmstr104 @ Nov 7th 2007 5:20PM]

for that price it should come with their espresso machine :D

[aeo @ Nov 7th 2007 5:23PM]

Hrmmm... I'd rather have an espresso machine.

[Mr Shine @ Nov 10th 2007 4:52PM]

Could this run windows home server?

[stitifier @ Nov 7th 2007 5:28PM]

I was reading this and thinking, "Ho-hum, another cheap mini-PC, only this one's Linux," and then WHAM! I read the price and was all like, "Wow, where the heck did that come from?" and then the world went black for a bit, but now I'm back.

[zebcarlson2007 @ Nov 7th 2007 5:34PM]

The PC is okay, like said before, ho-hum, id pay maybe 80 bucks for it. But that price??? That's ridiculous!!!! Who in the world is going to pay that kind of dough for a 500Mhz Proc? And your not even buying any software license! That's ridiculous.

[zavex @ Nov 7th 2007 5:44PM]

Lets see i can get a mac mini for $599 or this for $650 ... hmmm

[kuade @ Nov 7th 2007 5:51PM]

There are very few new PC designs that begin to stimulate me, and for a second this machine was starting to tickle. That is, until the harsh hand of reality slapped me in the face with a high price tag and pre 21st century performance. I could go on for a while here so I will stop myself from stating the obvious.

[JosephMohmed @ Nov 7th 2007 5:55PM]

Or you could get a smaller, sexier 1.83 Ghz C2D Mac Mini with 1GB of RAM, an 80 GB hard drive and OS X/Linux/Windows for $50 less.

I'd rather have a Blendtec Blender though.

[ET @ Nov 7th 2007 5:59PM]

I could buy a laptop w/ this price.

[Urza @ Nov 7th 2007 6:42PM]

The one benefit this has is power. I highly doubt a mac mini runs on 12 watts. But unless you have some dire need for low power usage and low heat, then yes, that price is obscene.

[Hotwings @ Nov 7th 2007 6:42PM]

The mac mini only costs $599 and could beat this ugly linux copy anyday and everyday.

[kevinm @ Nov 7th 2007 6:57PM]

Seriously?! And ya'll thought Macs were a rip off.

[Ed @ Nov 7th 2007 7:02PM]

Why does weight even matter in a desktop? It's not like you'll move it a lot and even then you sacrifice a lot and pay a lot for that 2 poundedness.

[kureshii @ Nov 7th 2007 7:22PM]

Might've bought it... until I saw the AMD Geode part. Now, shrink it a little more, put a VIA nano-itx board in, and replace that clunky 80GB with an SSD...

[Charles Han @ Nov 7th 2007 7:38PM]

haha wut were they drinking when they were coming up with this, u could prolly make a kick ass shuttle which isn't that much bigger and similar to the price of this, why does weight even matter any way? I get why smaller is better in some sense if you have no room to put a regular size desktop. its not like ur going to carry ur little mini pc around with u and plug it in bring along your lcd wherever you go. The whole concept is stupid.

[Will @ Nov 7th 2007 9:14PM]

But you could carry it, if you wanted to.

[Greg @ Nov 7th 2007 8:58PM]

I think you could make this for less than $150...

[jimmy @ Nov 7th 2007 10:40PM]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=D530-SFF-6B&cat=SYS

[jimmy @ Nov 7th 2007 10:47PM]

Or http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614

[Chris @ Nov 7th 2007 8:09PM]

the Eee is better equipped and comes with an LCD for half the price

[ark_v2 @ Nov 7th 2007 9:43PM]

500MHz...am I missing something?

[Reader @ Nov 7th 2007 11:37PM]

but... but... it has 4 usb ports!!!

[Michael M. Butler @ Nov 8th 2007 12:46AM]

Per JosephMomed, the critical question is: WILL IT BLEND?

[Magallanes @ Nov 8th 2007 9:04AM]

eh?.

it's a fanless computer?, i can't see any fans even in the PSU.

[Magallanes @ Nov 8th 2007 9:13AM]

eh?.

it's a fanless computer?, i can't see any fans even in the PSU.

[shawn @ Nov 8th 2007 10:01AM]

A couple points... it's US$650 in a market where the US dollar is worth *less* than the Canadian dollar. The EURO conversion rate is probably responsible for inflating the price some.

It draws 12 watts and has two ethernet ports. Sounds like a great firewall. (but not at $650 or even $450) Probably a decent email server too. Pop one of those puppies in my closet and forget about it. I just don't see the need to run a full power-hogging server for something as simple as a firewall or email.

My home webserver is a G4 Mini running Ubuntu Server 6.06. Mini's are underappreciated.