ArsGeek

I’m a geek, I admit it. I have a thing for really, really small computers. The smaller the better. I don’t really know why, perhaps it’s because I’m an older child, or has something to do with my need to make a beowulf cluster that would fit in my backpack.

Gumstix has reached out from the web, grabbed my attention and pulled it along for a few miles. They make functional linux computers that are about he size of a pack of Big Red gum. My favorite model is the Waysmall 400xm bt - a tiny little bluetooth enabled computer.

I can immediatly think of several applications where these things can come in real handy. Such as simulating multiple desktops/servers for a planned network rollout with firewalls and whatnot. Or how about the worlds tiniest grid? Or how about using them as the brains for small robots or plug in a wireless expansion board and use them as wireless sensors. Any way you look at these, they’re cooler than a frozen mammoth corpse.

geek out.

Popularity: 1% [?]