Cherrypal Mini-Laptop Now Runs Android 97
kriston writes in about a new development with the Cherrypal mini laptop, which we discussed last December. "The Cherrypal Asia laptop is now shipping with Google Android installed (product page). This replaces the older Cherrypal Asia mini laptops that were running either Windows CE or a custom Linux. The $148 version has a 1024x600 screen while the sub-$100 model runs 800x480. Both laptops run the ARM9-based VIA 8505 SoIC platform at 533 MHz with 256 megabytes of RAM and 2 gigabytes of NAND flash. I'm looking forward to seeing how Android can squeeze more throughput out of the VIA 8505, since Windows CE didn't do such a great job on the original Cherrypal Asia."
A no-thrills laptop (Score:1, Redundant)
The $118.00 Cherrypal Africa (Windows CE), seven inches no-thrills laptop for Internet browsing.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
And... (shifty eyes) Flash? I'm sold!
Re: (Score:2)
Hey, I took that quote from the website. Come on, a no-thrills laptop? Talk about truth in advertising.
Re: (Score:2)
The $118.00 Cherrypal Africa (Windows CE), seven inches no-thrills scam for whoever is stupid enough to send them their money.
Come-on slashdot - I know you run infomercials - is the crysis that deep that you had to resort to promoting scams now ?
http://slashdot.org/submission/1154900/CherryPals-99-netbook-scam [slashdot.org]
flexible specs (Score:5, Interesting)
What's advertised on their website is the *minimum* specs that they guarantee you'll get. This means, when the unit actually ships to you, you can get a machine with specs actually higher than what was advertised on their site.
From what I've heard, Cherrypal basically shops around for different parts/configs that they can get at a particular time, then they build machines out of those assorted parts -- that's why customers will get different kinds of machines with varying specs.
Re: (Score:2)
That's going to make warranty (and non-warranty) repairs quite interesting.
Or 'impossible', depending on the spares stock and turnaround time.
Still, for something less than the cost of a iPod Nano, pretty cool. I may need one of these. Sure hs a better keyboard than the Nano.
Re: (Score:2)
At some point (and I think $100 is below that point, at least for me) you don't worry about warranty.
I'd personally be happy that my 533MHz $98 laptop turns out to actually be in the 700MHz range instead. Not that I'm looking for at sub-1GHz laptop but if I was, I would seriously look at this.
Re: (Score:2)
Android IS a custom Linux (Score:1, Interesting)
I thought Android IS a custom Linux, no?
Re: (Score:2)
Uh, no.
Android is used in many devices by many companies. The version used on any particular device may be customized somewhat for that device, but the Android platform as a whole is not a "custom" anything anymore than Red Hat is a "custom Linux".
Re:Android IS a custom Linux (Score:4, Informative)
actually, considering Android has made kernel changes that have not been merged upstream, I would consider it a "custom linux".
Re: (Score:2)
Apparently, then, you consider Apache to simply be a custom version of NCSA HTTPd.
Re:Android IS a custom Linux (Score:4, Interesting)
what the hell are you talking about? you said android is just linux, not custom linux. i pointed out that it is somewhat customized, and now (i think) you're claiming that android is NOT linux if i follow your horrendous analogy. wouldn't that refute your original point more than my response?
either way the analogy is absolutely atrocious, since the situations could not be more different. android is currently a customized version of the kernel, which still takes in new changes from upstream but is not merging all of it's changes back. apache took over for ncsa httpd since it was being abandoned by ncsa, so there was nowhere to merge back up to and nothing to get new changes from.
Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)
jEsUs FuCkInG cHrIsT AdMiT yOu'Re WrOnG rAtHeR tHaN mAkE aN oBnOxIoUs Ac PoSt AbOuT sOmEtHiNg IrReLaVaNt. FoR tHe ReCoRd I kNoW hOw To UsE tHe ShIfT kEy QuItE wElL, i'M jUsT lAzY. iF yOu AcTuAlLy CaN't ReAd AlL lOwErCaSe YoU'rE a FuCkInG mOrOn.
Re: (Score:1, Troll)
Wow, you sure know how to encourage intelligent conversation. Act like a jackass who can't even tell who he's responding to.
Fuck off.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
But most people don't care. We ship on openSuSE & SLED, primarily because that is the only distro that I've been able to run as a desktop consistently for a decade now with the fewest problems. Plus our larger customers can always get enterprise support from Novell if they want it.
But when we're dealing with smaller customers and I tell them that we ship openSuSE they'll ask, "Well I want that Ubuntu." and are often confused or don't believe that there is not much difference between openSuSE Linux and
Re:Android IS a custom Linux (Score:5, Funny)
Me: "You know how you how a Chevy Pick up and and a GMC Pick up are the same truck with a different Grill?" Customer: "Yeah." Me: "Same thing. Ubuntu and SuSE are both linux, just with different grills." Customer: "Oh, okay. I get it."
You are an idiot, point blank.
The reality is more like comparing a Chevy pickup with a V8 engine, RWD, a 6 CD changer, and a touch-screen sat-nav... versus a GMC pickup with a V8 engine, a turbocharger, bigger exhaust, AWD, a CD player with MP3 DVD support, a sat-nav with console button controls, leather seats, and a hauling capacity 5000 pounds higher. One gets more fuel mileage, one is a better hauler. One has a 6 CD changer, one can be loaded with a fuckload of MP3s on a DVD. The satnav interfaces are different, one might update OTA and one by DVD.
They're both GM pickups with the same engine though...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1, Redundant)
Exactly, who cares about gas mileage or hauling capacity when buying a truck, everyone knows that the grill is the most important factor.
Re: (Score:2)
The entire drivetrain is different, and the engine has different intake and exhaust manifolds and vastly different response characteristics. The suspension is different-- the front end is powered with a differential, rather than just independent MacPherson struts.
Most importantly, you cannot slap parts in from one or the other. An Eagle Talon will easily accept Mitsubishi Eclipse parts from that year because they are the same car with different badging. Two trucks with the same engine, one with differe
Re: (Score:2)
Holy crap, talk about a case of "Your mileage may vary".
I'm in the process of eliminating the last few OpenSuSE machines I have to worry about, because of the pain they've put me through.
Re: (Score:1)
Actually yes, the Android platform is a *very* customized Linux, the userspace for it is completely Google's invention, they basically took just the kernel and went from there. And as the other poster mentions, they made quite a lot of changes to the kernel as well. I think it would be fair to say that Android is the most extensive Linux fork to date, though they are at least trying to re-merge the kernel-level stuff.
Distributions such as Red Hat, Debian, etc... make changes around the periphery, but they
Re: (Score:2)
I thought Android IS a custom Linux, no?
Depends on what you mean by "Linux". It runs a (custom) Linux kernel, but it's not a Linux Operating System in the sense that it can't run what most people would consider "regular Linux applications".
Or to put it another way, If it doesn't quack like a penguin, it's not a penguin, not even if it has a transplanted penguin heart.
Cherrypal website now useless (Score:5, Informative)
The link takes me to a login/register page, I registered, and still can't log in. From where I'm sitting, Cherrypal is solely a spam information harvesting site. No links to a "Cherrypal Asia" exist on the products page. Had to hit the google cache [googleusercontent.com] to get information. I have budget for another netbook and would consider one if only I could log in.
Re:Cherrypal website now useless (Score:5, Informative)
If you click on the "Open Store" link at the top then the "Buy Now" link, you'll see a couple of versions of the Asia. You do not have to log in to do this - I didn't even create an account.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
If I do that it sends me back to http://www.cherrypal.com/secure/login.php [cherrypal.com]. I do not have scripts disabled.
My basic feeling is that a company that can't make a website can't make a netbook either
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Umm. It's here [cherrypal.com]. The website is a little amateurish, but it works. Maybe it's a PEBKAC problem?
Re: (Score:1)
Similarly, a company that can't make a truck can't make a piano either.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
The original link has the guy's session in it. http://www.cherrypal.com/secure/product_info.php?products_id=13 works
Re: (Score:2)
The original link has the guy's session in it. http://www.cherrypal.com/secure/product_info.php?products_id=13 [cherrypal.com] works
AC wins the prize, too bad we don't know where to send it. The specs list the SD slot as supporting 8GB, that makes no sense... But scares me away.
Re: (Score:1)
As with most SDHC devices, they test with what's available when first manufactured - and list that. Probably would support 16GB and 32GB cards. (Nokia's N900 lists 16GB MicroSDHC card support, because that was all that was available at the time, as an example)
I haven't heard of a device supporting *some* SDHC cards and not all...just what the manufacturer (of that part or the whole machine) has tested. Is possible though, but that should violate the SDHC spec...
Re: (Score:2)
As with most SDHC devices, they test with what's available when first manufactured - and list that.
16GB cards have been out for years and the OS on the machine almost certainly postdates the machine. Personally I'd have tested installing the OS on SD, and on the largest ones I could find.
I think I will opt for one of these $130 android tablets on eBay as soon as I know they'll run Android newer than 1.6.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, I don't know what to tell you. My session ID (expired) is indeed in the original link. The Slashdot editors didn't seem to have any problems with it.
Kriston
Wasn't this proved to be a scam? (Score:5, Informative)
Googling "Cherrypal fraud [google.com]" may prove instructive, if you happen to find the time. Wasn't there a front-page story on these guys taking money for computers and never delivering them? Why more attention to these scam artists?
Re:Wasn't this proved to be a scam? (Score:5, Funny)
Nonsense, a scam would have been caught by the crack Slashdot editing staff. /sarc
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
kdawson is probably functionally illiterate.
Fixed it for you (Score:2)
Nonsense, a scam would have been caught by the on crack Slashdot editing staff. /sarc
Preview, it is your friend.
Re:Wasn't this proved to be a scam? (Score:5, Informative)
The BBB report rates them only "F"
http://sanjose.bbb.org/Business-Report/Cherrypal-1000000896 [bbb.org]
Re: (Score:1)
No, really?
Re: (Score:2)
What, that didn't make sense to you? Max Seybold says that's because you're not Max Seybold , punk.
Re: (Score:2)
Fun Facts about Max Seybold:
Under the nickname of "cherrypal" he edits the Wikipedia articles to remove or downplay all mentions about the scam.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
To me they refunded due to CC handler issues without me having to request or anything, they simply did that a month later or so.
Re: (Score:2)
I ordered four times before I got my laptop but it was because of a couple of things. First there's very few people handling the orders. Second, there were supply problems from the original equipment manufacturers. Third, as a result of these, orders were delayed, and the sheer number of customers complaining to both Cherrypal and their credit card processor caused the credit card processor to drop the Cherrypal account. There was also some talk of hacking that also got another credit card processor to
Re: (Score:2)
I thought they sounded familiar..
Would be nice to have a sub 150$ arm based netbook tho.. or a desktop.
Re: (Score:2)
I tried to order one in December 2009. They finally returned my money almost 2 months later ONLY AFTER i filled a fraud complaint with my bank. Before filling the complaint they ingored all my e-mails.
And unfortunatelly i'm not the only one. A couple of friends tried to order and received the same treatment.
Thank God i ordered using my Credit Card - the people who sent the money using Western Union never got them back.
It's a scam and this article shoule be tagged as scam
Re: (Score:2)
It's not a scam. They were overwhelmed with orders and as a result they lost orders and order records back in December. This is very common for small businesses, but since this is a too-good-to-be-true-sounding cheap laptop people naturally reported it as a scam to the credit card processors and the BBB.
Nobody lost any money, but those customers did get frustrated and did lose time, and for some people "time is money."
As for Cherrypal, they should have used Amazon Fulfillment or some other fulfillment ser
We have been playing on these since a while (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Is this an Alibaba, lots of 100+ thing?, Ebay?, Ebay and a bit of luck?, Dealextreme?
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Is there a matrix of success stories someplace? I see lots of ARM-based netbooks running WinCE on eBay, but I'm not sure which ones will work properly (i.e. all hardware supported and working well) with Linux.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
eBay + Luck.
I bid on twenty and won one for $80 shipped.
But it was an AK7802 rather than WM8505, which means no linux or android currently available.
The seller gave me a partial refund because of the mistake. Now I'm just waiting patiently for someone to figure out how to get another OS running.
Anyka AK7802 forums: http://mininetbooks.your-board.com/ [your-board.com]
um, Android is Linux (Score:4, Funny)
Cherrypal, an obscure company that sells $99 netbooks, has dropped Linux in favor of Android in its bottom-shelf PC line.
Soon we'll see companies dropping Linux in favor of MeeGo or Fedora or Ubuntu. Perhaps to be expected from a WinCE site.
Anybody see the Coby NBPC722 Coby NBPC722 [itproportal.com] stateside yet?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Whooooosh!
Re: (Score:2)
Android is a linux derivative.
Just so you know.
Re: (Score:2)
It is named after an alien named Meego played by Bronson Pinchot who used to be Balki Bartokomous on the TV show Perfect Strangers.
Re: (Score:2)
To clarify, here "alien" is "immigrant" and not an alien like Robin Williams' Mork of Mork & Mindy.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Not a standard distro though (Score:1)
Android is linux-based, but that's somewhat like saying OSX is BSD. In many ways that is true, but in others it's an incomplete truth. I'd actually like it more if Android *did* use more of 'nix, but it appears to mainly be the kernel base and some tools. The graphic system doesn't seem to be X-based, and there are a lot of things added/removed compared to a standard linux Distro.
Personally, I'd love it if my Droid did incorporate more of a standard linux desktop. For example,the GUI system doesn't seem to
Re: (Score:2)
Android is an environment using the Linux kernel as its base. Android is everything above that, covering all of user space. There
Re: (Score:2)
Android is an environment using the Linux kernel as its base. Android is everything above that, covering all of user space. There's really no "Unix" to speak of in it
It really doesn't matter; once you have Linux you can run Debian in a CoLinux environment and avoid even having to worry about Android's libc, although the Android kernel might need a few changes — mostly turning features back on that they will have disabled. In fact, that might be a fun android app; you'd host it on the NDK and provide a terminal interface as a Java application, satisfying the Android app Java UI requirement. If you made it very very small, perhaps by starting with just libc, busybox
Re: (Score:2)
I've been running Debian Lenny in a chroot on my G1 almost since I first got the phone and it has been working perfectly the whole time. I have the terminal app set to automatically initialize it whenever I click on it. Takes less than a second to set the mount points including a bind mount for the sdcard so I can access my data and get me going. For all intents and purposes, it may as well be native. If I were so inclined, I could even start a vncserver inside of it and run the chroot as a service and
Re: (Score:2)
Android is linux-based, but that's somewhat like saying OSX is BSD. In many ways that is true, but in others it's an incomplete truth.
um... what? I'm not sure where you get your information, but Mac OS X is BSD, as much as FreeBSD is BSD, as much as NetBSD is BSD, as much as DragonflyBSD is BSD. Less specifically, Mac OS X is UNIX [wikipedia.org]
Now, if you're gonna complain that OS X doesn't have a BSD kernel, then I'll take issue with it. Mach was developed to be used with BSD, so that a whole new OS wouldn't be necessary... it just "plugs-in," so to speak. Therefore, I suggest, even though there are OS's that are not BSD using the Mach kernel, the M
My Cherry 2000 doesn't run Android . . . (Score:3, Funny)
. . . she is one! Make sure that you get one with the memory chip, because there are plenty of Cherry 2000's, but the chips are scarce.
Re: (Score:2)
That was a horrible, horrible movie. [rottentomatoes.com] Melanie Griffith was hot and the mustang was cool, but it was BBBBAAAAADDDDD.
Thanks for making me want to watch it again.
Re: (Score:2)
For those to lazy to search themselves:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092746/ [imdb.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes they are.
They have only one phone number listed on the site - an that number belongs to the sole emplyee of the company - Max Seybold - the CEO. He also answers to all the e-mail addresses listed in there. But not when you call/or e-mail to get your money back.
And if you try to buy something from their store, your Credit Card will be charged by a online dating company from Hong Kong.
Capabilities (Score:1)
What is the difference? (Score:2)
Pickup line. (Score:3, Funny)
Do you want to see my netbook? is "a 7-inch bit of fun." (sic)
Touch screen? (Score:1)
If it doesn't have a touch screen, then I call "Fail!". Unless they've done a lot of work on the interface.
I've installed Android x86 on a netbook and it is horrendous with out a touch screen.
Android, since it's roots are for mobile phones, really wants to be touch driven. Without it, I'll pass.
Instead of getting a useless gadget... (Score:1)
...and you are short on money, get a good 2nd hand laptop, such as an IBM T42:
http://www.usanotebook.com/IBM_display_page.php [usanotebook.com]
or in Europe,
http://www.thelaptopcentre.co.uk/cheap-laptops/ibm-t42-intel-centrino-17g-512mb-40gb-dvd-141tft-external-pcmcia-wireless-xp-pro.html [thelaptopcentre.co.uk]
Nice Logo (Score:2)
I think their logo may win this year's Unintentionally Sexual Logo category.
Scams are bad enough but ones this bad... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Mod parent up Informative.
I was one of the few ones who managed to get their money back from CherryPal.
CherryPal is a scam.