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$249 CherryPal cloud PC taken for a listless spin
Well what do you know, a real live CherryPal has finally made it into the wilds. TGDaily has the honors of having a first look at the $249 cloud computer. While impressed by the small size and fanless design, the build quality was "flimsy" making the device feel very much like pre-production product. The Xubuntu-based PC with Xfce desktop instantly recognized and connected to the reviewers WiFi network for quick login to the CherryPal cloud. Great, but things fell apart when loading Firefox onto the 400MHz Freescale processor -- the sluggish response experienced is a critical fail for a PC whose applications are stored in the cloud. Something that might be sorted out in future builds of Firefox... or not.
The Linutop 2 gets green on your desktop
If you're after a really, really low power, small footprint, generally inoffensive desktop solution, you probably can't do better than the new Linutop 2. This miniscule, Xubuntu-based system runs on top of a 500MHz AMD Geode CPU, packs in 512MB of RAM, and 1GB of flash memory, you know, for applications and stuff. Of course, the draw here isn't massive specs, but rather a tiny drain on energy, and a simple, cheap solution for people with basic computing needs. Amazingly, the Linutop 2 uses only 8 watts of power, and weighs a feather-light 20 ounces. The miniature box also has four USB ports, an ethernet jack, audio outs, and comes bundled with open source gems like AbiWord, Open Office, and your good buddy, Firefox. The little guy starts shipping on February 26th for €280, or about $412.[Via LinuxDevices]
