Netbook For Developing Countries

Varadarajan Narayanan has a vision, a x86-based SoC netbook that is affortable, efficient and easy to repair. This innovative netbook is aimed for the develping countries. Though it is still in a very early phase of development it already shows much promise.

Netbook Unboxed



Netbook running Gnome desktop (now runs with more lightweight window managers)



Builtin AC Adapter, Just plugin in the cable




Powered by AA sized batteries



Under the hood: Motherboard SOC


What's inside: CPU Module





SODIMM CPU Connector

I thank Varadarajan for allowing me to share the pictures and content on this blog. Please do get in touch with him if you are interested in working on this netbook project.

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Ride On Theo

As I write this somewhere on the other side of the planet Theo M. Schlaghecken is making final preparations to head on the last leg of his motorbike trip around the globe. From the ageless land of Namibia he will now drive across Africa back into Europe two years after he started his journey.

When I heard that Theo would be coming down to India to spend few months working with us at IISE, I expected a weather beaten adventurer, a tough guy biker. Nothing had prepared me for this soft spoken former consultant who chucked it all to ride his motorbike around the world. 'It was a impulsive decision' he said almost apologetically 'I just had three days to decide'. Right away I could relate to the idea of leaving ones comfort zone and venturing out into uncertain future.

Over next few weeks I got to know Theo better. Whenever I saw him I would shout out 'Lets Swim!' and it almost became daily ritual. Over numerous conversations over coffee sharing our experiences, I realized that his journey was more than just criss-crossing continents. I know one day we all would read about your journey but for now you got to ride on, Theo!.

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Laptop Cooling Mat From Discarded Packaging material

Little ingenuity goes a long way to solve problem of waste. Its heartening to know that companies are reducing waste by turning their products packaging into reusable products. Meanwhile I use this discarded piece of packaging material as my laptop cooling mat. Its geometric surface allows easy circulation of air underneath the laptop allowing me to work long hours without setting my crotch on fire.

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Holiday Mood

Theo captured my holiday mood this weekend at Varkala. We are sitting outside our hut in Bamboo Village overlooking the beautiful Arabian sea.

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Jump-start Camp on Web Technology For Non-profits

A four-day workshop on the essentials of using open-source software for non-profit uses. Workshop content will not be demanding in terms of existing skills and will require only curiosity, enthusiasm and openness for successful participation. This workshop will act as a catalyst for concerned individuals, resources and urgent needs in the field of web technology for non-profit use. The potential for non-profits to use the potential of web-publishing, social networking, online communities and SMS will be explored through case-studies and examples as well as rapid hands-on exercises.

For this workshop the OpenSpace Pune website will be taken up and as an exercise and as a project and in the four days we will learn quick and effective ways of using free and open source software to address the needs of a network based organization like OpenSpace. Tools for networking, discussion, mass-action, advocacy and activism will be explored. Enthusiastic workshop participants will have the opportunity to continue an engagement (with a stipend and other benefits) with OpenSpace for the technology projects.

To apply email Renu Iyer at renu@openspaceindia.org with the required information requested on the events page.

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