NorhTech Gecko netbook loaded up with AAs and booted

It's been a while since we first saw the $199 NorhTech Gecko hit the scene, but the AA-powered netbook looks to finally be hitting US shores in proper fashion, and the crew at Lilliputing just got their tester. Inside it's no great shakes, with a 1GHz Xcore86 processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8GB SD card, and an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display -- but almost every component can be swapped out for a more powerful variant, including the processor. That's certainly intriguing, especially for the education market NorhTech is targeting, but we're mostly on the edge of our seats waiting to find out how long those AAs last under some real use. Check one video after the break and another at the read link.

[ElCapitan Posted Dec 28th 2009 10:53PM]

I really think that the swappable processor is a GREAT idea. That would make the netbook market really interesting, as the average person could buy the base model, but the people who really care could put in a higher end processor and put it in. Also, rechargeable batteries can be 2500mah. I'm no electrical engineer, but wouldn't that mean this netbook could have 20000mah? Which is a lot of energy.

[ElCapitan Posted Dec 28th 2009 10:55PM]

@ElCapitan Actually swappable everything is a good idea.... like graphics, ram, etc. It would be handy. Reminds me of my old SGI O2's

[Anaerin Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:06PM]

@ElCapitan Re your comment on the batteries, sorry, but no. If they're using them in series, then yes, but this system will need 12v, so those cells are more than likely in parallel (10 cells @ 1.2v each).

[LeJay Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:08PM]

@ElCapitan
At 1.5 voltage... You should always use watt hours when comparing batteries.
So its. 1.5x20amh = 30 watt hours. Which is around half of what my 13 inch macbook pro has. Not bad, but 30 watt hours is on a very good day. Expect something like a 3 cell battery.

[paul34 Posted Dec 29th 2009 1:40AM]

@Anaerin Wait, are you sure? Wouldn't you need to put those batteries in series to up the output voltage? I think if you used the batteries in parallel, you'd get the cumulative capacity, but would only get the voltage of any single battery (whereas with the series arrangement, you don't get additional capacity)

[MMcCraryNJ Posted Dec 28th 2009 10:56PM]

Anyone remember the Sega Nomad? It was a portable Genesis with it's own LCD screen, and it took 6 AA batteries and drained them in about an hour and 20 minutes. Yeah...

[N900 Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:02PM]

@MMcCraryNJ Did you have rechargeable batteries back then?

[diamondsw Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:52PM]

@N900
Yes, and even earlier. NiCd is pretty old technology.

[Valicore Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:24AM]

@MMcCraryNJ Wasn't that the Sega GameGear?

[KingFaisal94 Posted Dec 29th 2009 6:57AM]

@Valicore Different names in different regions.

[Denus Posted Dec 29th 2009 8:15AM]

@KingFaisal94 Ass far as I know, the Nomad is a portable Genesis/Megadrive console, and the Game Gear a 8 bit color portable console.

[JeremyBenthem Posted Dec 28th 2009 10:56PM]

is this made by Sega?

[Reluttr Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:56PM]

@JeremyBenthem No :(; but it can probably play stuff made for stuff made by sega :).

[Hydra Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:11PM]

While you all laugh about the batteries, what do you think is inside your normal laptop battery when you cut the plastic case open? These same batteries

[Marijuana Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:17AM]

@Hydra

sorry but no..

[Marijuana Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:18AM]

@Marijuana

unless... yes?

[Marijuana Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:19AM]

@Hydra

yes?

[DrPepper Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:23AM]

@Hydra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_8n2Qgguto

[Wwhat Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:29AM]

There's a difference between nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion.
But maybe some of those cheap netbooks are 'cheating' and using NiMH sometimes, can't say with certainty they don't.

[jcpb Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:49AM]

@Hydra

AA batteries are physically different than the 18650-type Li-ion rechargeable cells most commonly used in laptops. Fail moar.

[paul34 Posted Dec 29th 2009 1:41AM]

@Hydra Those Li-Ion cells that are shaped like AAs are a different voltage.

[fatslug Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:11PM]

Great ideas all around, swappable CPU, swappable sd card to store OS, wifi card. This is really a nice idea and I wish the bigger OEM's would catch on. Too bad they only think short term, in that customers would never purchase new machines if they could keep upgrading components. But many people upgrade to newer machines not because their old one was obsolete but because they want something new; and it's typically this market that has the know-how to upgrade components in a computer. First company that can make a stylish and fully upgradeable laptop/netbook will have massive sales.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 29th 2009 2:47PM]

Want to bet no replacement CPU will EVER become available for this thing? I've seen this stuff happen before, they comes with things that sound cool but then when there's nothing available to use all the possibilities are nullified and voided.

[ethana2 Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:13PM]

Xcore86 sounds like... those AAs won't last for long.
If that was ARM with an OLED screen, however, you'd be looking on the order of days.

I use my Droid for irc, can't wait for a native Android bittorent client so I can use it for that too.

[Serendy Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:58PM]

@ethana2
The processor is designed for low power consumption. It only uses 1.2 watts of power.
Architecture is no proper indication of battery consumption, batteries last a (reported) 4 hours.

[BigD145 Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:29PM]

It's a nice start. Where was this 5 years ago??

[Avaviel Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:58PM]

And one can add battery power fairly easy with extra AA's, all you need to do is go to Radio Shack (I'm sorry, The Shack) and get some battery enclosures.

[Denji Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:11AM]

I don't see why everyone is going LOLOLO THESE BATTERIES WON'T LAST LONG.

When my friend's notebook battery died, he ordered a new one. While he was waiting I ripped it open, unsoldered all them--And they all looked exactly like normal AA's and put in a bunch of rechargeable in their place and soldered those in.

It worked and had a decent battery life (about 2, 2 and a half hours) until he got the new one which bumped it up to about 3 hours. Not bad for a hackjob with a knife and a dollarstore soldering gun.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:39AM]

Some notebook that was, normally notebooks use lithium-ion power not NiMH, and that's because the power-density of NiMH just isn't there, to get to the 9+ volt you'd need 7 or 8 AA's, but then you'd only have 2500mA, and they would relatively rapidly self-discharge when you aren't using the thing, but you can get AA's with a lower self-discharge rate, but those don't come at more than 2100mA, and 7 or 8 AA's are already quite heavy, but you'd need double that to get even an hour power on the most energy efficient norebooks, so no real notebooks do not have NiMH's in them, and nor did aliens abduct you if you are going to claim that too.

[BorisBorf Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:49AM]

@Denji
No, no you didn't. Li-ion cells are 3.7v each, while NiMH cells are only 1.2v. So not only would you have to jam 3x the number of AA in there as the number of cells you had, but you can't use a Li-ion charger on NiMH cells - you'd toast the mobo (charging system), and the AAs would probably leak.

[Denji Posted Dec 29th 2009 9:53AM]

@BorisBorf
@Wwhat

Lithium ion Duracell batteries and I http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/rebuilding-laptop-battery followed this.

Worked fine for me. Would you like me to gladly send you the pictures I took as well?

[Wwhat Posted Dec 29th 2009 2:45PM]

Well uhm that shows you did NOT use normal AA's, supporting our point.

[artshark Posted Dec 29th 2009 12:20AM]

um, its not booted in that video, offering us no proof that that fisher price monstrosity actually works

[Alwyn Tan Posted Dec 29th 2009 2:27AM]

@artshark : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctimYiagmcw&feature=channel

[BorisBorf Posted Dec 29th 2009 1:11AM]

I am really considering buying one of these, but has anyone looked at their website? Documentation has spelling errors, order sheet has just random places to put in your credit card without telling you how much what you are ordering is... Seriously, the site looks way too sketchy.

I do hope that these are real, tho. I want one.

[buoy Posted Dec 29th 2009 1:50AM]

It can use either 8 AA NiMH rechargeable batteries or a Lithium Polymer battery pack.

[Alwyn Tan Posted Dec 29th 2009 2:21AM]

I want benchmarks, and I want them NAO

[aricCaedmonSoftware Posted Dec 29th 2009 5:04AM]

lose the AA batteries and go for regular netbook batteries. give us expandable graphics.

[tekdemon Posted Dec 29th 2009 5:30PM]

@aricCaedmonSoftware And entirely destroy the point of a sub $100 (in bulk) modular netbook? This is meant for countries to be able to give their children computers to learn on but be able to cheaply/easily fix or upgrade them as needed. Demanding that they put in parts that would jack up the price beyond what these people can afford is dumb as hell.
If you want you can run a regular battery pack for it anyway since they have one.

[appsman Posted Dec 29th 2009 5:42AM]

8 Eneloop AAs at 2.1Ahrs and a typical 1.3V = 22Whrs, which ain't bad. NiMH energy per volume is not that much less than Li+, however energy per weight is quite a bit less, but 8 Eneloop cells cost about $20, and that's a LOT less than Li+. For a cheap netbook, this seems like a very reasonable idea.

[ironcladbarrel Posted Dec 29th 2009 10:11AM]

when he says "versatility", he means "hackability", right?

[Philip Han Posted Dec 29th 2009 11:18AM]

So where does the 2.5" HDD go?

This looks interesting as a "first step" into hacking a notebook, modding etc...

[tonyprince Posted Dec 29th 2009 1:19PM]

wow this is a joke. disposable batteries are a joke.

[tekdemon Posted Dec 29th 2009 5:31PM]

@(Unverified) The batteries are rechargeable...not disposable.

[moleculeeye Posted Dec 30th 2009 6:06AM]

I can't wait till they come out with a thicker model, using 16 triple A batteries.