Quote:
Originally Posted by Nation.A.List
phenomshel: The SmartQ 7 will do all you ask right out of the box with its std Linux O/S. Loading WinCE may be a reasonable option in the short term but is likely to be left behind (How long will Microsoft keep supporting WinCE ?) as 'new' Linux distros are released to improve the multitude of new devices with ARM processors that are appearing almost daily. The Alpha 700 looks good but until somebody gets their hands on one and does a full review its only a maybe at present.
p.s. One advantage of buying direct from China is the lack of tax/duty (assuming customs are not too hot the day yours arrives). A US dist won't get that advantage.
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I run a dual boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu machine now. I know what Linux can do, and how it works. What the Smart Q7 won't do right out of the box with it's Linux distro is read .lit files. (If you know something I don't on this, by all means let me know). That's a deal breaker for me.
I realize the Alpha 700 is a "maybe" at this point... heck, they're all "maybes" for me until the first of the year anyway!
I'm thinking that between shipping from China and customs, I'd lose any advantage I'd gain by losing the tax. And seeing how much trouble profnachos had with his Smart Q7 getting answers out of eletroworld, I'd rather not take the chance.
WinCE wouldn't be my first choice either, given MS's lackluster support of it, even now. However, my first choice of o/s for a device of this type hasn't been invented yet, and WinCE is the closest of what's out there that'll run on this.
I'm leery of the MIPS processor in the Alpha 700. ARM supports more software. Nate said he "thought" he saw a .lit reader for WinCE on a MIPS proc. but hasn't found it again - so the Alpha, as good as it looks, may be off the list just for that.
As I said, I'm in the "thinking out loud" stage. I want one, but I also want to wait and see what the market does.