Linux Solutions

If you’re someone who thinks about your carbon footprint, and the environment, then the new CherryPal C100 desktop – designed by green computer maker CherryPal – could be for you.

The machine, announced yesterday (Monday), containing no moving parts, and 80 percent fewer components than a standard desktop, the CherryPal C100 uses just 2 watts of power.

“The design goal was to build something with the same user experience, with the same performance metrics but in a very green, very efficient way. It was to use 80 percent less components for a much lower price. It’s green and inexpensive and hassle-free,” said Max Seybold, CherryPal CEO.

Compared to some high-spec desktop PC’s that have huge cases, the C100 stands at a miniscule 1.3 inches high, 5.8 inches by 4.2 inches wide and weighs a tiny 10 ounces.

It may sound like a toy, but behind the sleek black box is Freescales triple-core 512e mobileGT 400 MHz processor with integrated graphics, 256 MB of DDR2 DRAM and a 4GB NAND Flash-based solid state drive. The C100 also features 802.11b/g WiFi, two USB 2.0 ports, 10/100 Ethernet support, a VGA out jack and a nine-volt AC adapter power supply.

The cool thing about the C100 is that it forces the users to change the way they work with data storage and software. Instead of accessing applications on the hard drive, the C100 processes and stores any programs and data on the Web in the CherryPalCloud.

When the computer boots up, the online storage is automatically accessed from CherryPalCloud’s secure online environment. Users will initially receive 50GB of storage and free 24-hour tech support.

The C100 runs a custom version of the Debian Linux OS, but the machine’s makers say its main operating system is the Firefox Internet Browser.

“The operating system is not exposed to the user. So the user experience is, you turn it on, fire it up and then you see the log-in screen, user ID and password. The next thing you see is the mandatory landing page - the Firefox browser,” said Seybold.

“All system-related commands are accessed through the browser, and all applications are loaded via the browser, [so] the operating system itself is not exposed. That’s for two reasons: One is that people don’t like the idea of Linux because it has a geek reputation, the other reason is that it [helps us] to reduce the overall footprint of the OS, and that has a direct impact on the overall performance and the perceived user experience,” Seybold explained.

“Whatever people want to do on a desktop, CherryPal is able to do,” Seybold said

Users can access applications or other system-related tasks by using drop-down menu’s in the browser. Pre-loaded applications on the C100 include OpenOffice, iTunes, a CherryPal media player and instant messenger.

The system also comes in at a wallet friendly US$249.

The only major issue’s I can foresee is that, what happens to all the things you store online is CherryPal happens to go bust? Do you lose it? Or is their a back-up system?

Also, just how secure is the CherryPalCloud? Would you trust putting anything on there that could cause you problems if it was hacked?