http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/ Engadget Comments for Skytone debuts ARM-based, Android-powered netbook / tablet http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 3:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Exactly who ARE the target market for this device?

It's like a PDA, but larger, heavier, more difficult to operate and with subtantially lower battery life - not to mention, a limited range of apps.

It's like a netbook - except, as we've seen over and over, people want Windows on their netbooks. Not only is this NOT Windows, it's not even Linux. So unless the apps that come out for the Android are amazingly good - this is starting off at a disadvantage. And no - a netbook is not the same thing as a phone, so that comparison doesn't work. What's useful on a phone isn't necessarily useful on a small laptop (and vice versa).

It's got (for netbooks) a mutant processor - so the range of developers and apps will be.. well, limited to what is developer for Android.

Short version? If this is good enough for you - you might want to consider getting a G1 or G2 *phone*.

Personally, I think this will have all the boyancy of osmium.]]>Apr 21st 2009 8:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Many mainstream Linux distributions are now supporting ARM, and Debian's supported ARM for quite a while (in fact, you could run Debian on a G1 if you wanted to.)]]>Apr 21st 2009 8:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Regards,

Hans]]>Apr 22nd 2009 5:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Think Linux in 1997. There is promise there, but how about apps?]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
My mum once bought a netbook for £150 saying, it has 256Mb of RAM, yours only have 6Mbs

At which i promptly explained:
A) The SI system
B) The difference between DDR3 and DDR
c) The difference between a Desktop and crummytop]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Thank you kind sardonic traveller.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Although, game keys are kind of interesting...but...nah.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
If this has a full sized Netbook battery, and an ARM CPU, then it should run for... lets see


EVER.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
I guess this would last a week though.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 4:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/I'm interested. Especially if Android's software shortcomings get fixed (full gmail, full google reader, full google docs, full IM client, better VNC client, SyncML client for calendar).

I just wish it had bigger RAM options, and maybe on the storage side too.

It's also virtually identical to their Alpha-600 model, which has a more generic linux on it. That device with Mer (the community version of Nokia's Maemo linux platform) would be amazingly awesome.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
There's no reason to have an ARM processor for something larger than say the Pandora or the upcoming Maemo5 Nokia Internet Tablet.]]>Apr 21st 2009 4:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/No reason... other than wanting better performance and battery life, at a cheaper price, than an Atom based mobile.

And, their Alpha-600 (non-Android, regular linux version of the same device) can probably run all of the same software as the N810 (or at least Ubuntu-ARM software). So you get the same software, in a mobile device, but without having to squint at the phone/PDA sized screen.
]]>Apr 21st 2009 5:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Let me make that clearer: you expect a 533MHz ARM to give better performance than a 1.6GHz Atom with Hyperthreading?

Seriously?

Even in terms of battery life - maybe - but everyone's comparing phone life to netbook life. The thing also has a larger screen to power. And phones are in idle mode most of the time. I'm willing to concede it'll last longer - but probably no where as much as you think.

Cheaper price? Have you looked at the price of PDAs and smartphones? It's not just the processor that sets the price and ARMs aren't THAT cheap.

Sorry - I think you're dreaming me boy - on yer bike.]]>Apr 21st 2009 8:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
Since many people are happy to use Linux variants in netbooks, there's no particular reason to use Intel processors for this market. Virtually all Linux applications (and all the important ones) can work on ARM.

This said, even if using an ARM processor instead of Atom could halve the CPU's power consumption and increase performance (which rather remains to be seen - A9 should be faster than current Atoms, but it isn't out yet, so who knows how it will compare to the processors at the time of release), that wouldn't make much difference because the graphics chipset uses much more power than the CPU in the first place. I presume the intention would be to combine ARM chips with matched lower-power graphics (maybe in system-on-chip fashion) to produce something that is a lot more power-efficient. So anyhow it's not really about the CPU, it's about the whole system. With that, though, it should be possible to see significant improvements in battery life (doubling at very least, I'd hope).

By the way, I completely agree that Android seems pointless for netbooks when there are already plenty of other Linux derivatives which are perfectly suitable. Also this system seems unnecessary in hardware terms too - is it a netbook or a tablet? Please pick one, combining the two is always a mess, especially in a cheap device.]]>Apr 22nd 2009 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 4:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 6:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/I'm also keeping an eye out for the Touchbook, but I like the convertible tablet design more than the removable keyboard design. On the other hand, the Touchbook is a lot more expandable, it sounds like.

Convertible Tablet + Low Price vs Better Expandability

]]>Apr 21st 2009 6:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
And, it can do every position that a conventional center-hinged convertible tablet can, except for positions where the screen is pointing sideways, in addition to a couple positions that a center-hinged tablet can't.

Oh, and it'll be much faster (600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8 vs. 533 MHz ARM11 - IIRC, the ARM11 is less than HALF as fast per MHz,) have a larger screen, more standard memory, and more (and upgradeable) storage.]]>Apr 21st 2009 9:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 4:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 5:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Yeah I dunno how this is going to fare. Basically it's a PDA with a real keyboard. The thing about the current netbooks is that you can use them for general computing and have them run software you probably already own. If you need something on the device you just whip out the disk and install it (or use a package manager in the case of Linux.) With ARM your going to be limited on the apps you can run (just like you were with ARM-based PDAs.)
]]>Apr 21st 2009 5:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Except of course that Android has a growing list of easily added applications.

And their Alpha-600 product runs linux (but is otherwise the same product), so it would also just add apps via a linux package manager. The fact that it's ARM doesn't make it a PDA, it just makes it a better mobile than an Atom based mobile.]]>Apr 21st 2009 5:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
And, indeed - ARM doesn't always mean PDA (or even embedded.) My Acorn RiscPC most definitely isn't embedded, and it's the largest PDA I've ever seen if it is one, and oddly requires a mouse, keyboard, and external monitor to be useful. ;)]]>Apr 21st 2009 8:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/It's kind of what I was looking forward to from Asus, except with a sexier design.]]>Apr 21st 2009 6:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 6:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 21st 2009 8:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 22nd 2009 12:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/Apr 22nd 2009 2:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/21/skytone-debuts-arm-based-android-powered-netbook-tablet/
http://www.skytone.net.cn/en/uploadfile/200904/600en.jpg

and folds over into a tablet:

http://www.skytone.net.cn/en/uploadfile/200904/20090410110237967.jpg

If it's $100 - $199, I'm interested!



]]>Apr 22nd 2009 7:57PM