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Re: Processor types

From: "R. Paul McCarty" <pmccart1@rochester.rr.com>
Date: Thu Oct 8 00:00:32 1998
Newsgroups: comp.sys.wearables

hurley bryan wrote:
> 
> exactly, go to http://www.acorn.com and they have actual desktops running
> what they say is the RISC OS, though they can run Linux I assume too. You
> can get a pccard like piece of hardware with a 486 or 586 on it that you
> can just stick in and run windows or dos or whatever on it, then when you
> are done using the processor it gives all the memory etc that it was using
> back to the main system; probably hot swappable too. That on a wearable
> would be quite nice when you come into different environments.
> 
> They have some NICs, but the netwinder would be better at the moment.
> 
> using a 486/33/20/260 myself at the moment.
> 
> Bryan
> 
> In article <6vggpe$ico$3@nntp.Stanford.EDU>,
> Mark Willey  <willey@keymaster.etla.net> wrote:
> >If you restrict yourself to PC-104, this is true.  However, StrongARM is the
> >best power/price/performance option.  If you're willing to do some
> >customizations beyond stacking PC-104 cards, then go StrongARM.
> >
> >BTW, Intel is actively developing StrongARM.  They've got an entire design
> >team down in Arizona working on it.  Unfortunately, I think they are going
> >to bumble with StrongARM because they are uncomfortable with it's price and
> >performance competing with the desktop.  "Intel, change happens.  Either
> >make the change, or lose fighting it."  IMHO.
> >
> >Mark
> >

Some people are talking about adapting the netwinder, but I think its just way
too power hungry; completely nulling out the advantages of the StrongARM chip.

There's a company I mentioned a while back that is selling small ARM boards for
about $195 a piece, about 6"x6".  Smaller then the netwinder, and much lower
power:

            ball park watts/hour
ADS StrongArm  <1watt               http://www.flatpanels.com/
486/40 pc/104   3watts              http://www.parvus.com/ http://www.ampro.com
Netwinder      14watts              http://www.corel.com/

But then again the netwinder is loaded with interfaces, ethernet, svga etc.

But in terms of Power/weight(incl board/batteries/peripherals).  486 pc/104 is
still the best platform.

-Paul

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