[Freedombox-discuss] [Melvin Carvalho] Re: FreedomBox in the Chronicle of Higher Education
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> To:?freedombox list <freedombox-discuss at lists.alioth.debian.org>
> Date:?Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:24:35 +0200
> Subject:?Re: [Freedombox-discuss] FreedomBox in the Chronicle of Higher Education
> On 23 September 2011 22:03, Marc Manthey <marc at let.de> wrote:
>>
>> On Sep 23, 2011, at 6:31 PM, Rick wrote:
>>
>>> It looks very much like a dreamplug, I have two.
>>>
>>> http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/t-dreamplugdetails.aspx
>>
>>
>> This device costs about 249 $, the cheapest plug device i found was the
>> sheeva plug ?99 $ and a mesh potato for 119$
>> http://store.villagetelco.com/mesh-potatoes/mesh-potato.html
>>
>>
>> Its beeing far from eben moglens vision to have such a device for 25 $.
>
> Dont forget the first release of the raspberry pi will be there from
> $25, come november, and will run debian.
that's an ARM11, 700mhz, with a Telechips TCC890x, and with only
128mb of RAM. if you want 256mb of RAM you have to pay $35.
from a company in china (that my associates have verified actually
exists on account of going to see their premises) i've been quoted $35
(excluding box, power supply, shipping etc. just like the raspberrypi)
for the following specification (in large volumes):
* 800mhz ARM Cortex A9 Single-Core AML-8726-M
* 512mb RAM @ 800mhz DDR2
the processor itself is available for between $13 and $15 depending on
volume - and the Telechips ARM11 (which is 2.5x to 3x slower than the
AML-8726-M) is priced around $11.
basically for a few dollars more, you get a decent spec.
btw, when you try to use anything that has an ARM9, it gets even
worse! you wouldn't believe the prices i'm seeing from people trying
to hawk VIA WM8505 300mhz tablets at me - they're often *more* than a
tablet using the AML-8726-M!
the reason is that the processor itself is no longer a major cost of
the whole system, and the lower-speed RAM ICs are also getting harder
to find, and thus end up being *more* expensive than something that's
faster and double the capacity.
>>
>> Woulnt it make more sense to have a mobile with android, because you have a
>> display and a keyboard ?
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QgdKd1eWuM
>>
>> Most of the modern mobile phones have the same or more power then the Marvel
>> 1.2 Ghz Chip.
>>
>> Does anyone have contacts to chinese /asian manufacturers ?
>>
yes, i do.
i've been on the receiving end of quotes for various systems for the
past 2 years. the AML-8726-M is the best price-performance system on
the market... that's _actually_ possible to get hold of. there is
something called the "Chiprise F20" which might be better but i'm
having a hell of a job even finding out who makes the bloody thing.
the specs are just off the chart, and the prices are just as mad.
video playback capabilities are something like 3800 x 2000 @ 60fps,
and the price for a 7in tablet in china using one of the lower-spec'd
processors is an insane $45 (probably with only a 640x480 resolution).
i have a friend who _may_ be able to contact them at the HK Trade Fair
which is towards the end of october: there appears to be only one
company selling the device(s) so it's probably the retail trading arm
of the same company.
translation: the AML-8726-M is available now, and the little company
that i know can create a prototype board in about 10 working days
(because they've been doing so many different systems with it, it's a
cut/paste job for their engineers).
it's a sufficiently small amount of time - translating into a
sufficiently small amount of money - that they'll happily go ahead
with that *if* they get a large enough order from free software
developers.
also, the same team i am arranging for them to have access to some
faster CPUs, but obviously, the BOM will be higher. the AML-8726-M3
is out soon, for example: that's a 1ghz Single-Core Cortex A9, that
can take ECC DDR3 1033mhz RAM (which ironically is cheaper than DDR2
800mhz RAM, thanks to x86 systems).
so - it's up to you guys. if enough people say they're interested,
then the factory can commit, based on your word, to designing the
boards. all that's really needed is a good enough excuse to get them
moving.
l.
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