402129
submission
dws90 writes:
Zonbu, makers of the Zonbu Mini desktop PC, have announced the release of a Linux-based notebook computer to be manufactured by Everex (the same people that make the gPC). From TFA:
the Zonbu Notebook is designed to be environmentally friendly, with lower power usage and less hazardous material than normal laptops, and proper recycling techniques.
The laptop sells for $279 upfront, with a $14.95 monthly subscription fee, which provides software upgrades and online storage, amoung other things. It runs the same Gentoo-based OS as the desktop version.
222731
submission
dws90 writes:
Two entrepreneurs and their company, Zonbu, are introducing a new twist to subscription- based computing. According to a NY Times article, they're offering a "simplified Linux-based PC for $99 and a $12.95 monthly subscription charge." The twist? The device received the highest certification possible from the Green Electronics Council, and requires only 15-watts, which they estimate will save the user $10 a month in electrical bills over a 200-watt computer. Zonbu uses a version of Gentoo Linux, and comes preloaded with software: OpenOffice, Firefox, Skype, and some games. Instead of storing of a hard drive, the device uses a 4GB CF card for storage, as well as an additional 25GB of remote storage on Zonbu's servers (their website shows that 50GB and 100GB remote storage packages are available, albeit at a higher cost). They will also sell the device for $250 without a commitment to the remote storage service, for Linux developers and people that want to use other storage methods.
175313
submission
dws90 writes:
Zonbu is a brand-new $99 Linux PC, according to a Gizmodo review. Instead of a hard drive, the device stores its data on a Amazon S3 server, using a 4GB CompactFlash card as an intermediary. Data from each device is seamlessly synced with the servers. It runs a tweaked version of Gentoo Linux. The device comes with 22 open-source applications preinstalled, including Firefox, Evolution, OpenOffice, Gimp, and others. The out-of-the-box version of Zonbu's OS doesn't allow new applications to be installed, but a downloadable version of the data-syncing OS can be downloaded from the Zonbu website and used on any other device. The first 500 units will be sold in late June, and the device is expected to go out of beta in September.
