CherryPal $249 cloud PC delayed again, gets 8GB SSD as consolation

Continuing its long, slow trek into computing infamy, CherryPal has now let out word that its $249 Cloud PC has been delayed yet again, with the new, anything-but-certain release date now listed as November 4th of this year. In an apparent attempt to prevent a wave of cancellations, the company has also announced that the previous 4GB C100 model is being replaced with a new 8GB C114 model, and that all previous orders would be automatically upgraded to the new model free of charge. If you're ready to take the chance, you can get your order in at the link below.

[Thanks, Simon K]

[Samboini @ Oct 16th 2008 1:55PM]

Pacha?

[bob sakamano @ Oct 16th 2008 1:57PM]

good eye

[bob sakamano @ Oct 16th 2008 1:58PM]

for the engadget nerds that have never heard of or been to a club

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacha

[)law( @ Oct 16th 2008 2:08PM]

also kinda reminds me of the cheeries from pac man

[Boarderwoot @ Oct 16th 2008 2:13PM]

wow, what a crazy ploy. Announce a product, delay it, upgrade it, and rebrand it to have the model number reflect the date that it comes out. "(read eleven, four)" The might have been able to generate just a bit more pre-orders if they would have just named it the C-Four to come out on election day....

[Renee @ Oct 16th 2008 2:21PM]

I can't help but notice the holes on the bottom for mounting seem upside down. If you use them for hanging on the wall, won't the cherry be upside-down? Just sayin'.

[Ian @ Oct 16th 2008 2:29PM]

holy crap your right.. but it lets that top port (monitor?) point down which would be easier to attach a cable too.

[turtlesoup @ Oct 16th 2008 3:40PM]

That's because it's not cherries.
It's a twig and berries, if you know what I mean, and I think you do, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more.

[Emmay @ Oct 16th 2008 2:32PM]

Wow I intereviewed with the CEO for CherryPal and of course, never heard from him again; even after checking back. Good job, thanks.

[pol @ Oct 16th 2008 2:42PM]

p@rdon my igonorance, but what is cloud computing??

[John @ Oct 16th 2008 2:57PM]

Once of the programs to use is "MPlayer (CD and DVD player)" and how are you to load the CD or DVD? It does not seem to come with one; even if it did, the CD or DVD is streamed to the cloud servers to play?

[John @ Oct 16th 2008 3:07PM]

The CherryPalCloud™ Innovation

CherryPal has removed the hassle from personal
computing by moving most of the software and data that
traditionally sits on the desktop to the Internet. Instead of
accessing programs and data from your desktop
computer, the majority of information is processed and
stored on the web in a highly secure environment called
the CherryPalCloud™, which is automatically accessed
at boot-up. The CherryPalCloud removes many of the
headaches typically associated with traditional personal
computers, including:

• application downloads, software upgrades and
crashing operating systems, because everything is
maintained in the CherryPalCloud by CherryPal
administrators

• viruses and hackers, because the user’s hardware
is no longer exposed to local bugs and viruses

• lag time, because the majority of cumbersome
software applications are stored in the CherryPalCloud,
the computer operates just as fast – if not faster – than a
traditional PC.

[Jinto @ Oct 16th 2008 3:25PM]

I can tell you did not post from an iPhone.

[Poom @ Oct 16th 2008 3:38PM]

@Jinto: ROFL!!

[Poom @ Oct 16th 2008 3:38PM]

Would someone explain to me the point of 8GB SSD??? Why not just NAND, since it's only 8GB???

[StopKicking @ Oct 16th 2008 3:43PM]

Does anyone else think this would be awesome if implemented in a netbook format?

[KilgoreTrout @ Oct 16th 2008 3:45PM]

I don't want my data in the custody of cherrypal's servers .
I want them under my materass.
I wanna bury my external HDs in my garden; and to find my NAS (wifi enabled), you would need a pick and an ax.
And of course the help of an experienced defuser from the bomb squad.

[macegr @ Oct 16th 2008 3:59PM]

Hey, why not throw in the 8GB SSD. And a free puppy that craps gold nuggets. Upgrading vaporware is sooooo easy!

[shyataroo @ Oct 16th 2008 4:13PM]

looks like this "cloud" PC is turning into "vapor". ahhahahaha thats lame.

[ryan @ Oct 16th 2008 8:58PM]

the cherries look like testicles.

[Rawr @ Oct 17th 2008 5:36AM]

it would be nice f it had a internal card reader and if it a cheaper price tag
i would love to hook up one of these to my tv and emulate nes and i would probably install boxee so it would be more like a cheap apple tv

[Amerist @ Oct 17th 2008 12:03PM]

I'm a big fan of thin clients. This is essentially a thin client running a linux OS. I personally don't see the point of having a 8GB SSD for such a thing, though. The thin clients we use at work have 256MB - 1GB flash memory hard drives.

This looks like it would be good for seniors who don't need the hassle of a typical PC and aren't going to be playing WOW or Crysis, and aren't going to want to install additional software.

There have already been a number of companies offering "portable desktops" that you can access through a web page. I see this as a handy hardware solution to easily access this type of remote computing session.

[Clay @ Oct 17th 2008 3:23PM]

DO NOT order a Cherry Pal. I too thought this was a great concept. So I placed a pre-order back in July. Then is September I asked for a refund since it was delayed. I've still never gotten a DIME back from them. All I get from Cherry Pal is excuses.
What a joke.

[Michele @ Nov 21st 2008 3:23PM]

I ordered my CherryPal 7/21 - the day of the launch - and received it early August. Somebody in technical support told me that they sold out the first batch within 6 hours after they opened the online store. Anyway, my CherryPal works just fine, no noise, no crashes, no complaints.

[maxine @ Oct 20th 2008 7:19PM]

That doesn't sound good that they are taking orders when they don't have a web site. Is this thing real or are people just pulling our legs?

[sil @ Nov 10th 2008 8:11PM]

yeah, this happened to me. They don't answer their phones, they sometimes answer their phones, they never return calls. They have told me every from, they're going to send me my refund through paypal, check in the mail, reverse creditcard, etc. Still nothing.
Contact me if you have had the same thing happen to you. I'd like to start something to help everyone get their money back.

[Anon @ Nov 10th 2008 8:29PM]

Listen to Clay and do NOT order a Cherrypal! The company suckered a bunch of people to be "brand angels" and spread the word about the computer--and encouraging them to pre-order. The company has had no communication whatsoever with these brand angels for a month, won't return calls or emails. Even if this product ever did materialize--which it most likely won't since their funding apparently collapsed and they're seeking investors--the customer service would be so horrible that it would be a real mistake to waste your money on one.

[Mario @ Nov 11th 2008 4:13PM]

listen to Clay, listen to sil, listen to Anon, DO NOT ORDER A CHERRYPAL, I did and have nothing, not even a response to my refund request. Since I ordered through Paypal, and they have some buyer protection deal I thought I could get my money back, but I did not read their fine print which gives you 45 days to file a claim. Given that I ordered in July, I'm out of luck, but wait... Paypal is not their service anymore, it's Google Checkout. Hey Sil, let me know what you want to do, I've learned several lessons, (1) be careful with all these "green" things, they might be scams; (2) don't rush, if it's good technology, it will not go away; and (3) if they can't get this product out the door, how will they be able to maintain it?

[Henri @ Nov 25th 2008 6:33PM]

why are people so hopeful still about the Cherrypal....please everyone, go and comment on this and destroy this person's hope because he still thinks cherrypal is on its way!

http://weblog.dollarish.com/dollarish/683612294/cherrypal-a-new-deliciously-affordable-desktop-for-the-thrifty-consumer.html