4 ms·

Why people get excited by a 1.5ghz and half gig ram running something? I've run web browsers alongside heavy cad applications on way lower hardware and not tha

by gcb 14y ago

Why people get excited by a 1.5ghz and half gig ram running something? I've run web browsers alongside heavy cad applications on way lower hardware and not that long ago. ...think my most responsive desktop so far have been a 150mhz 129mb ram Indy pizza box running irix 5 something, driving a 24" crt with considerable more pixel count than fullhd. Funny thing, back then, The system config whole ui was Mozilla 2.0 engine with js and css1 or something.

voodoochilo 14y ago
...because many of them are probably too young to remember those ... other days:)
cfn 14y ago
But then there's the size... The novelty is the size of these devices. I also run Word and Excel on a 386 at 40 Mhz but it was a full tower not a credit card sized box.
- voodoochilo 14y ago
  yes, 20 years ago nobody could've dreamed about that.
- gcb 14y ago
  Agree. But we should then be saying "omg 1.5ghz full system in that form factor!" Not that such high spec system can run a sub average set of software intended for old 486 Btw, the pizza boxes were considered incredible small back in early 90s :) The sgi Indy even had a "portable" version with attached lcd screen.
  - cfn 14y ago
    Yes the Indy was a very cool machine. There was also another one that was a cube... cannot remember what it was.
ridruejo 14y ago
The excitement is more about being able to carry it in your pocket
JonnieCache 14y ago
I'd wager that your sgi workstation drew considerably more than 10 watts though. That's why people get so excited about these things, that and the form factor. The other thing is the hardware accelerated video decoding, watching 1080p h264 with just 10 watts is undeniably impressive. EDIT: I have reason to believe the sgi pizzaboxes cost somewhat more than $74 as well, even 80s dollars.
- ajross 14y ago
  It's not a battery-powered device. Why is 10 watts exciting except to people interested in power optimization? Note that there are passively cooled (albeit larger: ITX) Cedar Trail boards available now for about 60% more (total system cost) which outperform this box by a factor of 8x or so, and consume about 30W peak. They have hardware accelerated video too (though the GPU acceleration requires proprietary 32-bit-only drivers).
  - zokier 14y ago
    Do you have link to the $120 Cedar Trail system you are speaking of?
    - ajross 14y ago
      Here's one (just the motherboard for $79US -- add a DIMM and some kind of storage, stick in a box): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079VVLZG http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079VVLZG I haven't bought one yet, but am eyeing them for my next gadget project. Intel has a family of boards in this price range.
      - duskwuff 14y ago
        The GMA3650 (aka PowerVR SGX545) graphics chipset used by Cedar Trail is not supported under Linux: http://communities.intel.com/message/158477 http://communities.intel.com/message/158477
        14y ago

by gcb 14y ago

voodoochilo 14y ago

...because many of them are probably too young to remember those ... other days:)

cfn 14y ago

But then there's the size... The novelty is the size of these devices. I also run Word and Excel on a 386 at 40 Mhz but it was a full tower not a credit card sized box.

voodoochilo 14y ago
yes, 20 years ago nobody could've dreamed about that.
gcb 14y ago
Agree. But we should then be saying "omg 1.5ghz full system in that form factor!" Not that such high spec system can run a sub average set of software intended for old 486 Btw, the pizza boxes were considered incredible small back in early 90s :) The sgi Indy even had a "portable" version with attached lcd screen.
- cfn 14y ago
  Yes the Indy was a very cool machine. There was also another one that was a cube... cannot remember what it was.

ridruejo 14y ago

The excitement is more about being able to carry it in your pocket

JonnieCache 14y ago

I'd wager that your sgi workstation drew considerably more than 10 watts though. That's why people get so excited about these things, that and the form factor. The other thing is the hardware accelerated video decoding, watching 1080p h264 with just 10 watts is undeniably impressive. EDIT: I have reason to believe the sgi pizzaboxes cost somewhat more than $74 as well, even 80s dollars.

ajross 14y ago
It's not a battery-powered device. Why is 10 watts exciting except to people interested in power optimization? Note that there are passively cooled (albeit larger: ITX) Cedar Trail boards available now for about 60% more (total system cost) which outperform this box by a factor of 8x or so, and consume about 30W peak. They have hardware accelerated video too (though the GPU acceleration requires proprietary 32-bit-only drivers).
- zokier 14y ago
  Do you have link to the $120 Cedar Trail system you are speaking of?
  - ajross 14y ago
    Here's one (just the motherboard for $79US -- add a DIMM and some kind of storage, stick in a box): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079VVLZG http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079VVLZG I haven't bought one yet, but am eyeing them for my next gadget project. Intel has a family of boards in this price range.
    - duskwuff 14y ago
      The GMA3650 (aka PowerVR SGX545) graphics chipset used by Cedar Trail is not supported under Linux: http://communities.intel.com/message/158477 http://communities.intel.com/message/158477
      - 14y ago