[NTLUG:Discuss] SPAM-LOW: XO laptop? Anyone got one

[Stephen Klein]

David Stanaway wrote:
> Just got my new toy.
> 
> It is small!
> It is going to take a little getting used to, but it is pretty neat. Web 
> browsing is a bit sluggish though, and the flahplayer is a bit iffy.
> No pbs kids or youtube....  at least they don't really work for me.
> 
> Maybe if I install my own version of linux on there ....  Hmm.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> 
I've had mine since the 18th, FedEx delivered it at 6PM just as I was 
walking out the door to go to work (kept thinking "I wanna play with my 
new laptop!" all night long :)  Yes it is small, I keep having typing 
class flashbacks where I was trying to type at an "acceptable pace" on a 
TRS-80 keyboard, when I was used to typing on a full sized IBM 101Key 
keyboard (TRS-80 keys were much closer together than my home keyboard). 
  I'm a little concerned about my keyboard on my XO though, I've had 
some trouble that I need to talk to OLPC about (stuck modifier key I 
think, maybe [CTRL]).  It is kind of hard to diagnose when you can't 
even type (it will also mess up a USB keyboard after the problem 
appears, not before though).

Wireless range is impressive though.  I got almost a 1/2 mile away 
(direct line of sight, through wood and drywall) before the signal was 
unusable.  I'm using a USB wireless adapter in Ad-Hoc mode, but this one 
has a very sensitive 3inch dipole antenna.  The adapter is on the back 
of a computer (might act as a reflector), sitting on top of another 
computer (a good ground plane maybe), and is only 1 1/2 foot off the 
ground.  Considering all this, almost a half a mile range is very 
impressive.  Now, if I buy a high-gain outdoor antenna.... 8-)

The dual mode display works as advertised.  B/W mode is perfectly 
readable in sunlight, and the color rendering is decent too.

Battery life is reasonable using the current software, I've managed more 
than 4 hours on and off use.  Given the size and weight of the battery, 
it's actually already quite impressive.  Now I just need to look into 
finding a solar panel, and put together a vehicle adapter so that I 
don't have to use my inverter to charge the battery.

Stephen