News Rumour: ARM-based netbooks later this year

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2009/03/16/arm-netbooks-to-be-launched-at-computex/1

Netbooks based on Qualcomm and Freescale's ARM CPUs are rumoured to be scheduled for launch at Computex this year, while the OLPC project encourages Microsoft to code an ARM-compatible version of Windows.

 

tks.

 

MS probably wont port Windows to ARM but Linux is already available for the ARM processor. (Happy to see that the ARM will get a computer again, my old Acorn Archimedes was superior to the 80286)

 

waait, where have I seen this? Oh, here it is, back in the February, on Mobile World Congress
http://www.dholm.com/2009/02/25/arm-netbook-prototypes/
They are pretty sexy, as soon as they hit the shelves I'm buying myself a few. Incompatibility with Windows is a huge plus.
x86 is pretty outdated, so any move towards something better is a much needed change, the fact that Microsoft is unable (or just not willing) to make their flagship product future-proof and simply better is holding back the progress long enough. F*ck Windows, I want an architecture that is fast, efficient and not held back by some annoying company that is founded on crappy code and shady market practices, bullying everyone around or licensed to another big, unethical bully.


EDIT:
What is more, the first ARM-based netbook is already available:

http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/touchbook/

And here is the presentation (you HAVE to watch this. If you watched the "Pink Panther" movie you'll see what I'm talking about):

http://www.demo.com/demonstrators/demo2009/165388.html

 

I really think that if MS wants to be in the frontline of evolution it needs to port windows for arm. Arm is widelly used for switches and routers (cisco) because its robust, so i guess using an ARM processor for a netbook is a totally win.

Anyway, linux prolly the best option for a netbook with an ARm processor.

 

the ARM netbook above looks good but still has a proprietary OS.
When it will be able to boot Ubuntu, it will be sweet, but still too big for me.

Windows will wake up when people start seeing and buying netbooks that last days without recharging, that will only use Linux, ubuntu to be exact.
If people start to get used to Ubuntu because they have to, for Audio/video pleasure and communication, Windows will start to lose market share in that sector.
Then people will start to think why don't I use this on my desktop now that i'm used to it, why not use open office...
And then MS will REALLy get up and brick themselves....

 

People won't wake up easily, let's face it. *NIX is still miles away from being common amongst the average user base.
Anyways, me as a geek, I'd like to see an ARM netbook performing better than any Intel/AMD based one while still using less power.

 

while it’s been a long time since the architecture formed the basis of a computer- Actually RISC OS based ARM machines have been in production for a long time since the end of Acorn. I still think there are two being made.

 

Correct - I still go to the yearly RISC OS show. (RISC OS being the operating system formerly used by the old Acorn computers, for those who don't know)

RISC OS is still being developed, and whilst GUI-wise at least it looks a little outdated compared to modern Linux / Windows distros, still works pretty well - I have a heavily upgraded late Acorn machine still in regular use.

One of the current machines, the A9 is incredibly tiny and power efficient. (Its the little blue box in the photo) (Link) It also already runs a ported Linux distro (don't remember which one tho) When I say power efficient, note that the whole machine typically uses only 3Watts! In a laptop, that would make the battery life phenomenal.

Just for the sake of completeness, the other Native ARM RISC OS machine is here. I know that Linux is actively being ported to this machine too.

Anyway - it's nice to see ARM coming back into the computing world proper - if the new Linux ARM portables are any good, I'll certainly be very interested in getting one

 

Holy crap... Have to have one... As long as it has a few external connectors for USB and ability to take 12V power I'm sold.. Couple that with a USB harddrive and USB 5.1 sound.. We have a winner for the fastest way of implementing a Carputer.

 

i've got my fingers crossed for a no moving parts netbook (no fans, no spinning disks), i'm hoping arm can deliver.

and ARM ubuntu is ready, i saw pics of it running on a nokia internet tablet yesterday.