I have this laptop.<p>The beauty of it is that it is unashamedly bad. It is the humblest of laptops. The body is a direct copy of the 13" MacBook Air. As a computer, it is at least as usable as a Raspberry Pi. The teardown photos are hilarious because the motherboard only takes up about 1/6 the internal space. The rest is empty.
<a href="https://hackaday.com/2017/04/28/hands-on-with-the-pinebook/" rel="nofollow">https://hackaday.com/2017/04/28/hands-on-with-the-pinebook/</a><p>It comes with Ubuntu 16.04, but there are other distros available that work to varying degrees. Since Firefox Quantum came out it's actually pretty usable for web browsing.<p>Features:<p>* It does in fact turn on.<p>* It boots surprisingly fast, since it is running on flash memory.<p>* There is an HDMI port, which may work in the future.<p>* The battery life is fantastic, due to it's meager CPU.<p>* Most have no more than 2 dead pixels.<p>* You can charge it from another computer's USB port.<p>* Potato quality camera.<p>* It costs less than a replacement battery for my ThinkPad.
I'm also working on an ARM notebook in the spirit of Novena called Reform: <a href="http://mntmn.com/reform/" rel="nofollow">http://mntmn.com/reform/</a><p>This version is 32-bit, but it has 4 cores @ 1.2GHz and 4GB of RAM. Also, it is actually open source, meaning that all the electronic design files (made in KiCAD) are available on GitHub and as soon as we have decided on the correct formats the same will be true for the mechanical/case parts, so you will be even able to 3D print replacement parts.<p>I could not find the design files for Pinebook so I'm not sure what is "Open Source" about it? Schematics are not sources.<p>I don't know how you can sustainably make a laptop and sell it for $100. I'm selling the first developer models for EUR 549/599 and I'm not making any profit on these, it's basically passing on the material cost. I guess it's a tradeoff between cutting enough corners to bring the price down and trying to achieve some base of quality and durability. These are different goals.<p>Anyway, I'm happy to see more activity in the ARM space as that means more eyeballs on ARM Linux applications, potentially more issues filed and bugs fixed.
Honest question. Why don't people buy old laptops instead of cheaper new ones? I'm no expert but the cost to performance ratio isn't to far off. I am typing this on T420 Thinkpad laptop. I get desiring to use open hardware but at the detriment of performance doesn't quite make sense.
I wish the Motorola Atrix concept of plugging your phone into a laptop-shell and using the phone's CPU, memory, storage, etc. had taken off. My iPhone is already much more powerful than this ARM laptop, but I obviously can't use it like a laptop.
I just released a OS Image for this nifty piece of Hardware with full hardware video decode and gpu acceleration.<p>Check it out here <a href="https://kshadeslayer.wordpress.com/2018/04/17/launching-netrunner-18-03-for-the-pinebook/" rel="nofollow">https://kshadeslayer.wordpress.com/2018/04/17/launching-netr...</a>
I own a 11" Pinebook - it's pretty much the same as an rpi3 with a decent screen, decent keyboard, and a mediocre trackpad. I put a 32GB eMMC upgrade in it right from Pine.<p>I find it a bit slow for web browsing with a heavy modern browser, but I haven't spent the time to find a more optimized one.<p>I'd say that for $99 it's nicer than most $300-400 laptops I've used in terms of build quality, and it makes a great dumbish terminal.<p>For the price I paid, if it got broken/lost/stolen I wouldn't be too worried about it. A handy little toy that I use more often than I thought I would.
Reviews here to save people doing what I just did:<p><a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pinebook-14-inch" rel="nofollow">https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pinebook-14-inch</a><p><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/pinebook-64-review/" rel="nofollow">https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/pinebook-64-review/</a><p>It looks like it might be worth the price.<p>Anyone have one here? Any idea on delivery times?
A few things....<p>Pinebook uses a Mali GPU, which if I understand correctly relies on closed binaries to run though it looks like that is changing: <a href="https://www.cnx-software.com/2017/09/26/allwinner-socs-with-mali-gpu-get-mainline-linux-opengl-es-support/" rel="nofollow">https://www.cnx-software.com/2017/09/26/allwinner-socs-with-...</a><p>Also my personal experience with this laptop was less than stellar. This was last May (before Firefox Quantum), but I opened it, tried to do some things, and immediately closed it because it's absolutely too slow to use as a laptop. Definitely cool as a terminal. I ended up putting it back in the box and donating it as a prize for an event
This manages to cost less than a Nexdock, which has essentially the same components _except_ a CPU. (You attach it to a PC stick, RPi, mobile phone, etc.)<p>That's pretty impressive!
I recently bought a Linx 14 from Tesco in the UK (<a href="https://www.tesco.com/direct/linx-14-ultraslim-full-hd-lightweight-aluminium-4gb-ram-64gb-storage-intel-pentium-laptop-silver/609-3596.prd" rel="nofollow">https://www.tesco.com/direct/linx-14-ultraslim-full-hd-light...</a>) which is Intel and I've been pleasantly surprised by how good it is! Particularly for the money! And an OS that I could get on with or give to my mum to use.
I've had the Pinebook 11.6'' since its initial release. It's been great for doing occasional server maintenance on-the-go.<p>A few tips:<p>- You can install an OS on the internal 16gb memory. Then swap in an SD card to run other OSes.<p>- Performance is not too bad if you run i3wm. And Firefox Quantum helps it out even further.<p>- I've yet to try this out (waiting on another SD card to come in the mail), but shadeslayer released an image for the pinebook that runs KDE with accelerated X11 & video playback support[0]. Which is pretty impressive if you know anything about Mali and the issue of closed-source binary blobs.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.netrunner.com/netrunner-for-pinebook/" rel="nofollow">https://www.netrunner.com/netrunner-for-pinebook/</a>
They had one on display (and to touch) at FOSDEM. Mechanics felt cheap, but what can you expect at the price point.<p>I asked about the Allwinner misery with Linux kernel support. They answered that is no longer an issue with the new 64 bit chips. I have not verified the statement.<p>I would try one if they had a reasonable distributor in the EU. Now it's gambling with customs. Might not come much cheaper than e.g. an HP with Intel Atom and 32 GB of eMMC. And those play in a whole different league in build quality. (I use them with Linux.)
Looks neat, but i hope they find a reseller in EU (with actual stock, not like those "homebrew" consoles like Pandora and GCWZero that took me two years to actually get one because it was always out of stock - which sucks since i <i>really</i> like it, but the limited availability harmed it considerably) since it sounds like you'll need to pay VAT and at the customs office yourself (which is extra annoying when you actually have to go there yourself).
Front Camera: 0.3 Megapixels<p>Where does one source a webcam this crappy in 2018? Did someone find an old stock of 90's sensors in the back of a warehouse somewhere?
Why is there no Ethernet port?! Even the Pine64, which the Pinebook seems to be based on, has one. Just because Apple stopped including one does not imply that an audience that loves to tinker will not miss an Ethernet port.
This looks like the perfect hackable netbook with very little surface area for attacks but sadly it has an Allwiner SoC (A64) which violates the GPL and contains many binary blobs. I have been burnt with them, MediaTek and AMLogic in the past. Never again.<p><a href="http://linux-sunxi.org/A64#Allwinner" rel="nofollow">http://linux-sunxi.org/A64#Allwinner</a>
The only problems I see with this laptop is the 2 GB of RAM and resolution.<p>Firefox with all blocking plugins takes regularly about 1.5-2.5 GB RAM on my machine, even with 5-10 tabs only.<p>I would like to see 13" model with full size keyboard (not the 11.6 one with crippled/squeezed keys) and at least Full HD screen.<p>Having 1366x768 resolution in 2018 is misunderstanding to say the least.
I found a video after a quick search on youtube that gives me a little better impression about this laptop.<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1hHRMIod0A" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1hHRMIod0A</a><p>I think for $100, I will give it a whirl. It has escape key unlike my new fancy overpriced macbook pro.<p>It seems reviewer didn't like keyboard much. :( That is unfortunate.<p>I would say that having usb port for power would be very much welcome feature.<p>Also, further video review:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF2YbnOHB4" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF2YbnOHB4</a>
I have this laptop. If you find that the spacebar does not respond well if struck in the center, I've found that a small pressing of hot glue and a quick dab of your thumb on it on the middle ring on the underside of the key does wonders to keep it responsive.<p>This computer, to me, has been a blast to tinker with. It's so crappy, yet hides nothing. When my monitor didn't work well, I just took it apart, rewrapped the video cable with some copper-snail tape and attached that to the ground plane on the board, and the signal is so much better now.
Another interesting project is this open hardware ARM-based laptop made in Bulgaria, shipped as a kit to assemble <a href="https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY-Laptop/" rel="nofollow">https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY-Laptop/</a> It costs €240, though.
I had one of these. The concept was nice, screen was much nicer than I expected, but the keyboard was near unusable.<p>You had to hit each key HARD, directly in the center, for keystrokes to register. Touch typing was impossible.<p>The trackpad wasn't any better.<p>Ended up selling it to a coworker (with an additional standalone Pine64 board) for $75.
It reminds me of the Commodore 64 that it was underpowered but sold cheaper than the other computers.<p>I got a 99 dollar used Dell 64 but dual core system with Windows 10 on it upgraded from Windows 7. Runs quite well, but it is not a gaming machine.
Do people realize how game changing this laptop would be for students in developing countries like Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria? For $100 price tag on a useable laptop that you can run code or productivity apps, this is an absolute game changer. We have students at university going computer science without owning their own laptops! So this would really go a long way in bridging that divide. Kudo Pine64 team.
Maybe its a pipe dream, but I'd love to see a really affordable ARM machine with a forever battery life - like one of the OP1 Chromebooks running Linux instead of ChromeOS+Crouton.<p>Is it likely for Crostini to support ARM anytime soon?
What could you feasibly use this for? The 1.2GHz CPU seems like it would put a bit of a damper on almost anything besides answering email and basic word processing.