- Re: SSDs, Alpha-400

- RE: Eee PC

- EPOC Entertainer 8

Date: 26 Jun 2008 22:42:35 +0100
From: Ajai Khattri <address truncated>
Subject: Re: SSDs, Alpha-400

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008, Trygve Henriksen wrote:

> Yes, it's a 400MHz/128MB RAM machine, but...
> My netBook is 190MHz/32MB, and we all know how capable that is. (The S5 > is 4/8MB, and was it 18MHz?)

Perhaps I should clarify: Im writing software on the machine itself. So
I need to be able to write code easily (good keybaord) and compile it (need good CPU, more memory, and more diskspace). I also do a lot of web development, so I have web servers (Apache, lighttpd),databases (MySQL) and scripting languages like PHP, Ruby, etc. running on the machine itself (essentially turning it into a mini web server).

The S5 clearly does not fit my use case, and nor does the netBook.

And from my initial testing, the EEE didn't cut the mustard either. (I thought the EEE would be great as a mobile development platform).

> 2GB diskspace?
> There is a slot for SD-cards, and the 3 USB ports also helps. (I haven't > been able to make it work with my USB-HDDs, yet, but it works OK with my
> 4GB Sandisk Cruzer mini USB-stick)

I bought the 8Gb EEE but after installing everything I needed I had ~ 1Gb left and I hadn't installed any SDKs yet. Still needed more space for my own files too. I didn't want to use an SD card for these.

> It may look like the 'Toolchain' used to make the software is available > here: http ://www.ingenic.cn/eng/productServ/kfyd/Linux/pfCustomPage.aspx
Im running pretty much standard Ubuntu Linux on the Mini so I can install any programming tool, scripting language that's available for Ubuntu. This also means I have a "full" desktop environment to play in. I found the desktop on the EEE (which is the SAME resolution as my web tablet) pretty restrictive for mny purposes.

> Another limitation I've run into is that it'll only allow 3 user program > to run at the same time.
> Luckily, AbiWord allows for more than one file open at the same time.

No such limitations for me and memory can be upgraded to 2Gb for about $50.

> The way I see it, is that it's most suited for writing

Though the keyboard might be a problem for some people.

> > I routinely read bigger PDFs on my tablet. Viewing PDFs is plenty fast on > > the Mini of course.
>
> A pity that the small screen makes it a pain in the @$$ no matter which machine... ;-)

Actually, most people Ive shown it to are amazed at how clear and easy
to read the screen is. For most PDFs, zooming to 200%, means the full
width of the text on a page fills the width of the screen which makes it
very easy to read. Those extra pixels also mean better anti-aliasing and
so nicer smoother fonts and graphics in PDFs.

Also the web browser uses the same layout engine as Firefox 3 (the
N810 was out 7 months ago!) so web sites render well.

Incidently, the inferior screen and lack of a standalone PDF viewer on the
iPhone, ruled it out as something I would want to use. On the N810 you can
switch any application to "fullscreen" mode so the full 800 pixel width is
available. Most websites are designed to fill that width exactly so the
browser works very well. I dont zoom at all when viewing a web site on the
N810. Contrast this with the situation on the iPhone where you're
frequently tapping to zoom in to read something and end up scrolling a lot
more.

Both the Mini and the N810 run Linux, which means there's a LOT of open
source software available for them.

Like you, I have yet to find a smartphone that combines the fantastic
experience I get on the N810 with a decent cellphone so I carry a very
basic cellphone. (I should point out, that you can run Skype or Gizmo on
the N810 so you could make outbound calls over a WiFi connection. I
imagine this will become even better when the WiMax version of the N810
ships later this year).

--
Aj.

Date: 27 Jun 2008 02:28:45 +0100
From: Bob <address truncated>
Subject: RE: Eee PC

I have 8gb card in my Eee and two external HHDs and they all work fine.  I have a small portable mouse and it works fine also.  I have most of my files on my HDDs and most of them work fine on my Eee.  I find it easy to use.
My biggest question is how to install third party programs, if the is such a thing.  Everything on the Eee is very easy to use but I haven't found how to do the other yet.  They don't have, as far as I know, anything like a .sis or .cab or some kind of easy installation system---unless I am missing it. It seems like to install something new you have to do some "geeky kind of mumo jumbo", looks like programming or something like that.  If there is any issue that I have with the Eee that is it.  Other wise it's very easy and great.

Thanks,
Bobby

Date: 30 Jun 2008 19:50:04 +0100
From: Damian Walker <address truncated>
Subject: EPOC Entertainer 8

EPOC Enteratiner 8 is now available, from its usual home at the URL below.  EPOC Entertainer is a magazine leaflet about games for the EPOC32 platform.  Computers covered include the Oregon Scientific Osaris, the Psion Revo/Revo Plus and Diamond Mako, the Psion Series 5, 5mx and 5mx Pro, the Ericsson MC218, the Geofox One, and the Psion Series 7 and netBook.  THe magazine leaflet is published monthly in PDF format, as an A5 leaflet to be printed on both sides of A4 paper.

In this issue you can read about Purple Software's Backgammon, Ben Vaughan's Astrocks, Palmscape's Wrippers, and a whole new programming tutorial on keyboard control for games.  You can download this month's issue, and back issues, from the following place:

http://psion.snigfarp.karoo.net/ psion/
Have fun!

--
Damian - http://psion.snigfarp.karoo.net/