NutBook, ARM laptop with Ubuntu preinstalled

[Max Giggs]

Hola!

I'm new on this awesome forum, so hi everyone!

I will not enlarge on subject (the NutBook) because it's all explained here (http://www.scribd.com/doc/112855123/NutBook) (and here (http://maxgiggs.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/nutbook/) with the embedded viewer in slideshow mode).

Two things.

First of all, excuse my bad English if you can. Second, what do you think about?

Source code available here (http://ubuntuone.com/6es52uYvq0oEbQw60OUb4f) (Beamer/LaTeX).

[Copper Bezel]

What price range are you thinking about here, and how lightweight or heavy is the device? (As in, is the lack of specifications about thinness where you're trying to save cost compared to an ultrabook? Because I don't see anything else that brings down cost.) It's not possible to be immediately price competitive if you're a startup company selling a small volume and without the support of relationships with your suppliers, which is why folks like System76 can't meet the prices that, say, Dell would have for the same specs. And that's quite an expensive shopping list you have there. I don't see what could make this cheaper than an ultrabook.

It's a good list of features, just very high end. Dell's planned Ubuntu XPS version comes to mind, but that's $1400 USD. And it still doesn't have your 1080p touchscreen or the ARM processor.

[szymon_g]

yet another vapourhardware.
dream on, mate!

[Max Giggs]

In my opinion, honest price is 500/600 USD but before you start laughing please consider the long term.

As you can read I've mentioned the AArch64 wich is, at the moment, at a very first stage (http://www.arm.com/products/processors/cortex-a50/index.php). That's because I imagined the NutBooks on the shelf 12-18 months, at most a couple of years, from now (But it’s obvious that I would buy one before!). Then probably SSD will be cheaper (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ssd-hdd-solid-state-drive-hard-disk-drive-prices,14336.html) and FullHD will came back on notebook screen (https://plus.google.com/+LinusTorvalds/posts/ByVPmsSeSEG).

Tech journalists foresee an overlapping between tablets and notebook (as well as Canonical and Microsoft, see Windows RT) which is good because tablets and smartphones are leading market and that price the components down (Ex. ARM processors).

On thickness, you get it. Intel have declared a stupid war to thickness which I don't want to pay for. The 299 EUR Asus F201E (http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/10/2-new-asus-new-windows-8-laptops-available-with-ubuntu) proofs that build a 21 millimetres thick notebook is not so expensive, in spite of the traditional hard drive (and the fans? or has the Asus a fanless configuration?).

On the startup company, you get it again. But, to be honest, I'll happily buy a NutBook by Dell (see point 4).

Anyway I don't think as a laptop with those features at 500 dollars to be sci-fi. Maybe will we see a chromebook with those specs before than two years?

[Copper Bezel]

Possible, although I don't anticipate Chromebooks with touch. I see what you're saying now, though. And yeah, by that time, you might be able to find a device close to that configuration, and unless it's a Chromebook, we do need the startup or Ubuntu partner, because you can't install an alternate OS on ARM-based Windows PCs.

2.1 cm is thin enough for practical purposes, I think. Beyond that, it does seem frivolous (or at least aesthetic.) The difference between above and below 1" (2.5 cm) does start to make a difference in toting.

[junesiyu]

I am thinking the same idea, so I google arm based ubuntu on line. And I see your thread.

In my opinion, this is a great idea. Thanks for the slides you made, which makes this idea even cooler.

\\The specifications need to be focused on:
Screen with decent size and resolution, I am thinking a 13 inch and 720p screen is enough for a budget device.

Keyboard and trackpad, keyboard must be good to type on and trackpad should be large and solid. An alternative is the small red bean like on Thinkpad laptops, however, I wonder how many people like to use that kind of pointing device. (I am quite comfortable with it personally.)

Battery life, should be longer than 8 hours.

Instant on and sleep.

Automatic update, like a Chromebook or can be done as PowerNap from Apple.

Thin and light weight. Might not be thin as a MBA or ultrabook, could be like Chromebook or CR 48 from Google.

Network interface, like WIFI and Ethernet.

Low price.


\\Specifications could be reduced to save money:
CPU, arm cpu is cheaper.

Harddrive, a 16gb or 32gb ssd is used to store OS on the machine. Userdata should be able to stored in a SD card (sold separately).

OS, open sourced linux is cheaper than windows. Free softwares.

With ARM, the machine is fanless could run on a smaller battery. Also reduce the cost.

Fewer sockets, needs only 2 usb, one hdmi and one sd card reader.

\\What makes it cooler:
Industrial design, clean and stylish.

Highly customized OS, get rid of many unwanted features of Linux. Hide the customizable elements which make the OS messy. Clean and straight forward UI with reasonable customizability. Emphasize on applications of daily use. High-res icons, good system fonts.

Pre-installed software, pre-install with open-office, picture viewer, music player and movie player, IM and browser (Firefox) and cloud storage (Dropbox).


Just some thought.:popcorn: