The $30 laptop

This is not a new UN project for developing countries.

Four weeks ago, inspired by the chumby project, I would also like to build a wifi-enabled appliance with some easy-to-use functions built-in, such as alarm clock, photo frame, scheduler, weather forecast, TV guide, etc. The best idea to do this I guess is to build the system based on a cheap laptop. Although I have an Amity VP in hand, but the 16bit wifi card was missing. Actually, the extra wifi card I have is cardbus compatible.

Luckily, I found an VERY old laptop – toshiba tecra 500cdt – from one friend, and purchased it for $30. It comes with windows 95. everything looks fine. BUT, the nightmare started from I trying to fit the cardbus 802.11g card in. The system simply crashed every time I installed driver. I spent all nights during several weeks to replace the os and try to make it working. no luck. even tried linux.

sometimes I just think that the cost of time I spent in such kind of projects has been far more expensive than the cost I saved compared to a pre-build product. so what? you can’t get the happiness that you build it by yourself anyway.

Project now suspended.