This month we take a look at a number of small form factor
PCs that either come with Linux or would make a perfect fit for your favorite
Linux distro. Each of the computers mentioned takes up very little space, but
all deliver plenty of computing performance to handle everything from basic web
browsing to watching videos. They make nice little firewalls, basic file/web/print servers, and quiet, low-power media servers. All of these units typically consume a fraction of
the power of a conventional desktop and less than many traditional laptops.
Cost is a big factor when you compare the price tags to
other machines. It’s hard to justify spending $300 – $400 on a small
form-factor PC as a desktop replacement when you can purchase a netbook for about the same price or less.
The differences in performance and capabilities just don’t justify the price
differential. We’ll take a look at some of those netbook offerings in a later
roundup. For now, let’s look at what’s out there in the world of “little”
computers.
Linutop 3
Little computers are all the rage and the Linutop 3 from France
delivers small in both size and in power requirements. The Linutop 3 box
measures about 23.5 cm square and 5.5 cm thick (9.25 inches by 2.17 inches). From
a power perspective, the unit draws an energy efficient 20w. It comes with the
Linutop OS preloaded on the internal 2GB Flash memory along with a number of
productivity applications. A 1.0 GHz VIA C7 processor coupled with 1 GB of
memory delivers more than acceptable performance for typical usage. On the rear
panel you’ll find four USB 2.0 ports, audio in and out jacks, a 1 GB Ethernet
port, VGA and DVI video connectors and a single RS-232 serial port. The front
panel includes an additional two USB ports along with headphone and microphone
jacks. List price for the box is 340.00 EUR, which translates to around $415.00
US.
Read the rest at Linux Planet.
RELATED NEWS AND ANALYSIS
- Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: Driving Greater Equality
FEATURE | By James Maguire,
December 16, 2020 - AI vs. Machine Learning vs. Deep Learning
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
December 11, 2020 - Huawei’s AI Update: Things Are Moving Faster Than We Think
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
December 04, 2020 - Keeping Machine Learning Algorithms Honest in the ‘Ethics-First’ Era
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 18, 2020 - Key Trends in Chatbots and RPA
FEATURE | By Guest Author,
November 10, 2020 - Top 10 AIOps Companies
FEATURE | By Samuel Greengard,
November 05, 2020 - What is Text Analysis?
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 02, 2020 - How Intel’s Work With Autonomous Cars Could Redefine General Purpose AI
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 29, 2020 - Dell Technologies World: Weaving Together Human And Machine Interaction For AI And Robotics
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 23, 2020 - The Super Moderator, or How IBM Project Debater Could Save Social Media
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
October 16, 2020 - Top 10 Chatbot Platforms
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
October 07, 2020 - Finding a Career Path in AI
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
October 05, 2020 - CIOs Discuss the Promise of AI and Data Science
FEATURE | By Guest Author,
September 25, 2020 - Microsoft Is Building An AI Product That Could Predict The Future
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 25, 2020 - Top 10 Machine Learning Companies 2021
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
September 22, 2020 - NVIDIA and ARM: Massively Changing The AI Landscape
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
September 18, 2020 - Continuous Intelligence: Expert Discussion [Video and Podcast]
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 14, 2020 - Artificial Intelligence: Governance and Ethics [Video]
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 13, 2020 - IBM Watson At The US Open: Showcasing The Power Of A Mature Enterprise-Class AI
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 11, 2020 - Artificial Intelligence: Perception vs. Reality
FEATURE | By James Maguire,
September 09, 2020