Really cheap netbook

[Iggy]

Sylvania Internet Device Processor VIA 8650 512MB (DDR2) 2GB Flash WiFi 802.11 b/g/n x3 USB 2.0 7" Windows Compact SYNET07WICV

http://www.compuvest.com/Desc.jsp?iid=1749168

Coupon CVR832561 for extra $15 off.

$39 with free shipping

[Iggy]

I've found other devices that use the same hardware that run Android.
I don't know if this device's OS can be changed, but for $39 I can use it around the house to view web pages.

[Iggy]

Being stuck with CE would be a bummer, but there is hope: http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/21211-7-wm8650-netbook-linux-port

Good link/coupon code combo, Iggy.

Great reference Tone.

Windows CE is not the greatest product.
But as this is ARM based, its about the only alternative to Android/Linux

I've already reviewed the manual and the OS can be updated.
It does state that the device "is not a computer", which is of course silly.
As you can load and run other software, of course its a computer.
A rather limited one, but still a computer.

And my first use will be web browsing, which it seems well suited to (although being stuck with Internet explorer is a bummer).
Goggle docs ought to work so I've got basic office functionality.

Obviously an Android or Linux replacement OS would be desirable.
I'd really prefer Firefox.

[Iggy]

I haven't found an alternate browser, but the included one is based on IE7.

Purchased a second one while the deal was still valid.

[Iggy]

$39, with a screen?  Cheaper than a gumstix or Raspberry Pi, might be a neat toy to play around with, or grab a couple and give to the kids.  Thanks for the heads-up!

Well, guess I threw away some more of my funds.
The Sylvania netbook previously mentioned comes with an early version of Windows CE7.
The wifi doesn't work and patches that claim to fix this haven't worked for me.
The available update also doesn't seem to make any improvements.
The include Youtube viewer works good, but IE7 works really poorly, its buggy and slow as molasses.
If there was a Linux distro available for this it might be worth it.
Its got a 600MHz VIA ARM processor and fairly good 800x480 graphics.

But the included OS/software sucks..

[Iggy]

Are those specs correct:
http://www.sylvaniacomputers.com/product.php?id_product=41

1GHZ ARM11 ? Faster than Pi? A whole netbook? ; )
Benchmark please!

No, these are the specs.
http://www.sylvaniacomputers.com/product.php?id_product=45

i think its either 600 or 800 MHz.

[Iggy]

I really don't think there's any modern OS worse than CE (not that CE itself is modern, in my opinion,) unless it's set up for a particular embedded function, maybe as a microwave keypad or TV remote or something.  It doesn't belong on anything resembling a PC, and the first thing I did when this little Sylvania showed up was start fighting with Debian.  Took a bit, but now I'd call it usable.




At $39, it was worth playing with.

Details tone?
I could go for that OS.

[Iggy]

As no one in that thread posted earlier decided to put all the good info together, I'll try:

1. Get an SD card (2GB minimum, I believe, I'm using a 4GB.)  The Debian install goes here and runs from here.

2. Download the large file from one of these mirrors: http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/21211-7-wm8650-netbook-linux-port/page__st__160

3. Make 2 partitions on the SD card (best to do this in Linux or something similar,) first partition FAT32 around 32MB or so, second partition ext2 utilizing the rest of the card, and then untar the fat32 and ext2 files from the above download to their respective partitions, fat32 contains about 2 files and the ext2 contains the entire Linux filesystem

4. Insert SD card into your Smartbook and power it up, it should start booting Debian.

5. Follow the xorg.conf fix here to get the internal keyboard working: http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/21211-7-wm8650-netbook-linux-port/page__view__findpost__p__301472 (can be done on-device using a USB keyboard)

6. Getting WiFi going is a little trickier, as I forget exactly where these files were located (something like /lib/modules/2.something) but you'll need to replace the rt3070sta.ko file with the rt3070sta_rt5370.ko in the same folder.  After rebooting, you should be able to enable WiFi using the WIFI ON option in one of the menus.

After all that, be advised that I've had mine fail to boot if it wasn't shut down correctly and the only way I found to fix it was to redo the whole SD card. The device doesn't seem to support text mode, so no full screen console, I was disappoint(ed.)

I should probably get it all running fresh and take an image of the whole SD card.

Hey tone,
The files at  http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/2121.../page__st__160 are listed as no longer available by the server.
Do you have a more direct link to them?