[plug] Advice needed for laptop

[Michael Holland]

On Wed, 5 May 2004, Richard Meyer wrote:

> Hi guys, I'm in the market for a decent laptop.

What are your requirements?

For Linux, you might want to check the ECS A531 Transmeta boxes, available
without the windows tax!!

A friend of mine recently got one, and it looks like great value. Cheap
at $1200 with a combo drive, very slim. Only a 4-cell battery though. (LiIon)
Another $50 for WiFi.  No pcmcia.

i don't know how the linux compatibility is, but expect the usual hassles
with sleep/suspend and software modem.  Anybody tried them?

from google: "DSE claim that everything except 3D video accelleration works under Linux."

e.g.
http://www.megapc.com.au/index.php?page=category&page_category=Notebooks

http://www.blueroo.com.au/computers/excelnotebooks.php

ECS 531 Series - Transmeta Notebooks
STANDARD FEATURES: 	Transmeta 5800 CPU, 56K Modem, 10/100 LAN, USB 2.0
Ports, TV Out, 3D Audio, 4-Cell Smart Li-Ion Battery,
326x258x25.3/32mm(Front/Back), (NO OPERATING SYSTEM), 1 yrs Parts and
Labour Limited Warranty.

531C 	14" TFT, 128MB DDR, 20GB, 24X CD-ROM
  	$1099
531COMBO 	14" TFT, 256MB DDR, 30GB, DVD/CDRW
  	$1299
531WL 	802.11b Wireless LAN Module
  	$79
531BAT-8 	8 Cell Battery for A531
  	$199

> I've looked through linuxlaptop.com, but there doesn't seem to be any
> discussion about how well particular lappies work with linux.
> Linuxlaptop.org and .net are worse than useless, just pushing hosting and
> domain names.
>
> I have my eye on the Toshiba A10 at the moment (the price is nearly right)
> - I would like any feedback from people who have lappies working with linux
> as to what they have, how well it works, and whether they'd buy it again in
> hindsight. Any comments on the A10 would also be helpful. The pedlar
> (salesman) at the Toshiba place is quite happy that I take in a Knoppix CD
> and try it.
>
> Thanks
> RichardM
>
>
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