This is true art, friend. The amazing "brotato" (rhymes with potato, in a perfect world) has hacked together netbook components, an ancient keyboard and a 14.2-inch LCD into this classy case, dubbing the project "The Poor Man's Netbook." The box is running Windows XP, but he tested it out with Windows 7 and Mac OS X and it performed beautifully, except for the Bluetooth 2.1 module. The box is based on a Mini-ITX Intel D945GCLF2 Dual Core 1.6Ghz Atom motherboard, with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD and 802.11n WiFi -- though you'll have to hunt down an outlet, there's no battery power here. The best news is that he's selling the whole conglomeration on eBay, perfect for completing that piece of horrible cyberpunk fiction you've been slaving over on your boringtop.
[Thanks, Ryan]
posted Jan 31st 2009 3:02PM
Are that on crack?
that is how pc will look in 100+ years after recession ends
TRY...
JUST TRY to get that through airport security.
And better yet.
TRY to get that labeled carry on.
Funny thing, I built something similar about seven years ago for business demos (PC BIOS development). I never got flagged by airport security. Never.
http://siliconchef.com/2002/04/13/thats-so-james-bond/
Well airport security was VERY different 7 years ago..
@Flashpoint: you beat me to it! And to make it worse, replace the HDD with an SSD. (see http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/10/tsa-cant-believe-macbook-air-is-a-real-laptop-causes-owner-to/ )
What an utter piece of junk. That guy should domeshot himself with a .45
@Patriks7
It was probably worse, as 9/11 had just happened.
Why?
Netbook for the homeless
That looks sick.
Are they on crack?
No, but I think YOU are
Is that a wood block holding the keyboard up?
yes..... but can they fit a computer inside a Manila folder.....?
didnt think so...
I don't even think you could ship it to Manila without some kind of security scare.
No, but they can fit a manilla envelope inside the computer
No, but the city of Manila can fit inside the case.
wow, this is amazing. good luck getting through airport security
I really miss the title of "subnote" for all these mini laptops. "Netbook" just sounds so demeaning. It's really no surprise that companies like Sony want nothing to do with "Netbooks."
Oh, just add one of those brick battery backups and you are set!
Wait, what? A big brick PSU and a mini-ITX? Well there's your first mistake. Buy a picoPSU. Between that one replacement and maybe investing in a 8-10" monitor, you could squeeze everything down to 1/4 of its current size.
The PSU is also for the monitor.
Don't you mean netcase?
nutcase more like XD
Wait a minute? A dual core processor? 2GB of RAM? I think this is too powerful to qualify as a netbook.
That's the same thing I said.
The Atom processor is in like every single netbook produced now, dickfor.
What the hell is a dickfor? Oh %^#&! He got me!
I think the term "netbook" should immediately imply a computer with a screen smaller than 10", less than 4lbs, less that $400 in price.
The guts of the thing are irrelevant cause over time they just get more and more powerful anyway.
and the point of this is? i used to love the mini itx format for modding projects but with all the ultra cheap netbooks there isn't any point building mini-itx pc's anymore (like mini boxes for media center use). for better or worse cheap all in one (with wifi-ethernet-cardreader) netbooks (less than 200euros) cost less to buy of the shelve and gut than mount a minitx pc. and even the eeebox solutions cost less than a personal build.
in this case he could just get a used eeepc 701(less than 100euro) or a brand new aspire one (149euro) gut it add a usb keyboard (maybe one of those with a built in toouchpad) and an external monitor and the thing would fit in half the space not to mention it would have a smaller psu and a battery (though you would awys need n outlet for the external monitor.)
"a brand new aspire one (149euro)"
Where in the world do you live?
Acer Aspire One (Blue)
Atom 1,6Ghz
512Mb Ram
8G SSD
Linux
it was on sale on Penny Market supermarkets all over italy last week
"...with all the ultra cheap netbooks there isn't any point building mini-itx pc's anymore (like mini boxes for media center use)..."
I dunno about that as a blanket rule. Some ITX boards offer x16 PCI-e slots which at least offer the possibility of discrete graphics and HDMI. If you want to build a little media box that's gonna perform well graphically and look cool in your living room in some tiny custom case I think ITX is gonna be the way to go.
But I'll agree, if you mainly just want to cram a functional computer, albeit perhaps elegantly, into some small or unexpected place gutting a netbook may indeed be more cost effective.
Just IMHO...
I bet that Case will already set you back more than half of what a new netbook would cost you.
What a waste, sounds like an htc project.
This is the netbook in the Max Headroom world. I like it.
Uh, I thought netbooks were supposed to be really portable and convenient? Isn't that one of the selling points?
No, because this offers a huge advantage in terms of security and reliability.
It has a handle, how much more portable do you need?
It also has latches!
Call Of Duty 4 Suitcase Bomb??
+1 for CoD comment!
@Wesley: Thx for the +1.... I was hoping there was a COD 4 fan that "got" that ;-)
I would love to see someone sit down at Starbucks with that and start typing away.
But it will definitely have an Apple sticker on the case. Otherwise that person should be ashamed of even entering Starbucks!
It needs a fat chick modeling it. Someone photoshop this in the back pocket of one
Meh, im working on a simillar project, using a pico-itx intel atom board and a 16 cell battery.
Hopefully it will put this to shame looks wise, will definately be less.. unwieldy
Good luck getting that thing through checkpoint security at an airport.
Ok, this isn't making sense...
The reserve hasn't been met but its only $100...aren't the parts he's used worth more than $100????
umm... wheres the track pad, or track point....
It has bluetooth for a wireless mouse and usb on the back of the motherboard if you want a wired mouse
Kind of reminds me of my fist mobile phone
I love how the keyboard's brand is "keyboard".
"The amazing 'brotato' (rhymes with potato..."
Now is that broTAYto, or broTAHto?
he said BrotaYto....not BrotaHto! ;-)
Call it off!!! ;-) LOL
I thought i had seen this somewhere yesterday
http://digg.com/gadgets/The_poor_man_s_netbook_a_suitcase_computer
Kaypro XP?
You say brotato and I say brotato
thats just slightly smaller than 'my first laptop'. A HP perhaps, blue screen only, God knows what it ran( I was just kid when I found it)
I can't believe the current bid is $350+ U.S. with 2days left....wtf?
There sure is a lot of wasted space.He could of easily fit a micro atx board with decent onboard gpu.If you're going to put a 3.5" hd in it, you might as well go big and have that monstrosity double as a portable HTPC.
just what i always wanted! they should've made it more useless though... i dunno, pack a little mini crt into it somehow, maybe one of those godawful ibm clicky keyboards and a giant trackball.
yeah.
I built something better 2 years ago.... Puts this thing to shame...
Why would anyone do this when notebooks are so cheap now?