I found something neat at CES

[Nate the great]

It's a $100 computer the size of a wall wart:
http://plugcomputer.org

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

It's a $100 computer the size of a wall wart:
http://plugcomputer.org

Wow! So did you buy one so you can test it out for us?

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by dreams

Wow! So did you buy one so you can test it out for us?

I don't have a use for it yet, and I don't like the design. It shouldn't look like a wall wart; or at cleast it should be at the end of a short power cable (so it doesn't block the other outlets). And I don't like that it only has the one USB port; firewire would be a better choice.

[GA Russell]

I don't understand. Would it replace the typical home computer?

[carlobee]

oh wow. that sure does look good. great find.

[GoblinWriter]

Oh, no... something else to plug into my outlets. My house is already a fire hazard. :P

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't have a use for it yet, and I don't like the design. It shouldn't look like a wall wart; or at cleast it should be at the end of a short power cable (so it doesn't block the other outlets). And I don't like that it only has the one USB port; firewire would be a better choice.

I thought it looked to have the upper mains socket free when plugged in? What would be a practical use for the average consumer?

[ficbot]

I think this, as it is now, might not be useful but I can easily imagine how it might work in the future. I think we are headed toward a 'hard drive on a stick' type of system where everything---apps, OS, files, the works---is on one tiny little stick. And then you buy different screens for it. So at work, you would have a dumb terminal PC screen with keyboard and mouse, and you plug it in and do your work. Then you unplug the stick and take it home where you can use it in another dumb terminal---or in a cell phone sized, or ebook sized or tv sized terminal. Same apps, same files, same everything but you can plug it into different screens or terminals.

[HarryT]

Sorry for being dense, but what is a "wall wart"?

[Fledchen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry for being dense, but what is a "wall wart"?

Wall warts are power adapters that convert AC mains power to DC. I'm guessing they are less common in places where mains power is already DC so converters aren't needed.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry for being dense, but what is a "wall wart"?

this.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by dreams

I thought it looked to have the upper mains socket free when plugged in? What would be a practical use for the average consumer?

Yes , it would leave the upper socket free (in a standard residential socket). But since it is of no use to the average consumer, what does that matter? If I designed them, I'd want to make sure that they scaled adequately. If someone is using 10 in a room, does it work as well as using only 1?

And that brings me to a second complaint. The network and USB ports should be on the same side as the power cable. The power cable will be oriented to the wall, and usually a network cable runs on the wall or in the wall. Wouldn't it be good to have the 2 cables lying next to each other rather than one coiling around?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

this.

Ah, OK, thanks. Just one of those "cultural things"; we call them "mains adapters" .

[pholy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Ah, OK, thanks. Just one of those "cultural things"; we call them "mains adapters" .

You guys have way too much respect for technology

Is that what happens when you have 220 volts but only 50 Hertz?

pholy

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I don't understand. Would it replace the typical home computer?

It could, with the peripherals plugged in to give you access--a laptop dock could connect it to a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

It could also handle autonomic programming tasks, back up data, monitor and control systems, and do the kinds of things that companies use full-fledged computers, running 24-7, to do, but on much less power than a full computer.

If this were combined with the home control systems that communicate by sending encrypted signals through the home's power grid, it could monitor home energy use, turn systems on and off, and allow you to control home systems remotely from another computer, or a cell phone.