Skytone Alpha-400

The Skytone Alpha-400 is a Subnotebook or Netbook with a 7" 800x600 LCD screen. Its measurements are 8.25" long x 5.5" wide x 1.25" deep and it weighs 0.72 kg (1.8 lbs).It is made in China by Skytone, and uses a Chinese Ingenic "XBurst" 400 MHz MIPSII-compatible single core 32-bit System-on-a-chip (SoC) [ [http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS4329327945.html Windowsfordevices.com Jz47xx SoCs descriptions] ] with 128MB of DDR2 memory, and a 1GB solid state drive.

A version of it that was first called the Hivision Mininote, then later renamed to Hivision NB0700 is, at a price of $98,- the first netbook/laptop that will be sold to the general public for below $100. [http://techvideoblog.com/ifa/98-linux-laptop-the-hivision-mininote $98,- Hivision Mininote review] ] [http://mobile.slashdot.org/mobile/08/09/04/2232225.shtml Slashdot article about the first sub $100,- laptop.] However it looks very different from the Skytone Alpha-400, its not as small, and has a much bigger keyboard, but it is more clunky and less play-like. [http://lowcostlaptop.org/2008/09/hivision-nb0700-mini-laptop-mini-price/ hivision-NB0700] [http://hvsco.com/sp_qx.asp?id=75 Hivision NB0700 official site]

The Skytone Alpha-400 is sometimes marked as a very low cost second computer for children, as there is an option to replace the default icons with "child friendly" pictures. It also comes with applications geared toward children, and a Flash player to play animated children's songs.The Skytone Alpha-400 does not have a flash player built into the browser, so flash dependent sites like YouTube do not work. But as said, a standalone flash player is available to run .swf files and can be used to play flash based games, and such.

Alternative Names

The device is marketed worldwide under a number of different names, among others:
* Skytone Alpha-400
* Trendtac 700 EPC
* Silverstar
* Yinlips Micro PC
* Bestlink Alpha 400
* HiVision MiniNote
* Maplin miniBook
* Elonex_ONEt

In the US the company "3K" has increased the memory and storage of the Skytone, to be able to port Windows CE to it. It markets the device as the Razorbook 400 CE for about two times the price of the Linux version.

A very similar, but not identical system is known in Britain as the Elonex ONE.

Features

The Skytone Alpha-400, uses a proprietary Version of Linux, with a user friendly interface geared toward children. The Linux desktop is implemented as Kiosk software, meaning that nothing the user can do can modify the available applications, and no new applications can be (easily) added or removed. Still, already a Dutch user has figured out how to add software to the system [ [http://www.liliputing.com/2008/07/how-to-gain-root-access-on-a-razorbook-400alpha-400.html how to gain root access on a razorbook 400-alpha] ]

A more expensive version that uses Windows CE is available as the RazorBook in the USA, its hardware specifications has been increased to better support Windows CE, as it uses 4GB of SSD instead of just 1GB, and uses 512MB of RAM instead of 128MB [ [http://www.liliputing.com/2008/06/skytone-alpha-400-chinese-razorbook.html increased specs for Windows CE] ] .

Browsing can be done through the use of the built in browser called "Bon Echo", an Alpha release of Firefox 2, using the built in 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port, or the integrated 802.11 Wireless LAN, but the browser does not support Flash, meaning that flash intensive tools, such as YouTube, cannot be used.

The device sports three USB ports, a small but fully functioning keyboard, a touchpad, stereo speakers, and a 2 cell 2100mAH battery.The Skytone Alpha's processor uses only 200mW (0.2Watt) of power, and does not have a heat sink, and thus no ventilation openings. Some versions have extra features like a VGA video port, or a USB-OTG port.

External Links

* [http://www.3kcomputers.com/razorbook400.html 3K US website (Windows CE version)]
* Engadget calls it [http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/worlds-cheapest-laptop-may-just-be-the-worlds-cheapest-laptop/ the worlds cheapest laptop]
* [http://www.skytone.net.cn/EN_alpha.php?fid=12&aid=61 Skytone Manufacturers site]

References