The $99 Cherrypal laptop - it runs Linux and you can buy it RIGHT NOW (but is it for real, and are these actually being shipped to those who order them?)
Everybody's heard about the One Laptop Per Child concept, and the ups and downs of that project, its rather tentative connection to free, open-source software and the fact that it still hasn't reached the $100/unit price it set out to meet.
But what if I were to tell you that another company not only is committed to offering a $99 laptop to the world but is already doing it. (Or so the story goes; there are problems, principally with a crucial part of this whole feel-good enterprise - actually getting the machines delivered to those who order them.)
Cherrypal is that company, and the Cherrypal Africa is that $99 laptop. I'm more than a little tempted to buy one just to see if it's the real deal (but am not excited at the prospect of sending $99 down a rat hole).
The way the company both hits the $99 price point and makes a little profit at the same time is to a) ship with free, open-source Linux and b) offer minimum specs but actually build the laptops with whatever the cheapest components are at any given time.
That means that the Cherrypal Africa might vary in specs from day to day, but it also means that, given the price and availability of components, you stand a very good chance of getting something a whole lot better and more powerful than the Africa's stated "minimum" specs, which are:
400 MHz processor, 256 MB DDR / 2 GB NAND-flash and runs Linux (Ubuntu, or Debian, or Green Maraschino). Here are some more basics: Screen: 7 inch high-resolution TFT .(800 x 480 pixels) LAN:10/100M Ethernet Access WIFI: IEEE 802.11 b/g Ethernet RJ-45 Keyboard: QWERTY 86 keys Mouse&Touch pad:build-in touch panel, set two shortcut key,and support usb port mouse USB Port: USB 2.0 x 1 (aid external memory) USB 1.1 x 2 (aid keyboard & mouse only) External Memory : SD card , U-Disk , USB-HDD Card port: SD / MMC card slot (8GB) Battery: 7.4 V 1800Mha built in Lithium battery 1800MAH Last time:4 HRS Sound effect:build-in realtek sound effect chipset, Built in 2 x 0.5W Built in speaker 1 x microphone Weight:1.2kg Size: 213.5 x 141.8 x 30.8 mm
According to a recent Cherrypal blog entry by company founder/leader Max Seybold:
We soft-launched the Cherrypal Africa in November and started shipping early December. So far we got nothing but positive feedback from admittedly surprised customers. What we promised was a 7″ laptop, 400 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 2GM storage, and what we shipped were 10.2 inch, 1.6 GHz, 160 GB (new) laptops.
The Cherrypal brand promise is that you get at least or more of what we promise. So when we promise that you get a laptop with a 400 MHz processor it doesn't mean you actually get one. ... Most likely you get much more. What we post in our online catalog as product description are minimum technology characteristics. In other words we "meet or beat" the Cherrypal Open Store online catalog promise. Another promise, we don't ship any systems with Windows Vista or Windows 7.
In order to avoid any confusion, do we use XBurst processors for the Africa, yes we do, do we use ARM processors, yes we do, do we use Intel processors, yes we do, we use any proven components as long as they are inexpensive, high quality, and meet or beat our promised online product specifications, and last but not least, allow us to manufacture low energy consuming systems.
We have created a new product category for the laptop market, a product category that guarantees a particular functionality rather than technical specifications. When you buy a toaster you don't care about what components are inside, as long as the toaster works; almost like our imaginary car manufacturer example that promises to deliver a car that drives you from A to B. The Cherrypal Africa promise is to deliver a small-screen system that enables you to browse the Internet, for 99 bucks plus shipping. That's our promise, that's the Cherrypal brand promise.
...
Last but not least, the Cherrypal Africa is neither a marketing hoax nor competition to the "One Laptop Per Child" initiative, our campaigns are very complimentary. We are proud to report that we received purchase orders from over 150 countries in the last 4 days, from some countries we didn't even know they exist. Thousands of emails from new customers and supporters confirmed the need for the Cherrypal Africa. We are thankful for your support and grateful for the opportunity to making green computing available to everyone.
So, what's next. Our goal for 2010 is to make our Green Maraschino Linux flavor, combined with seamlessly integrated free cloud based applications, mainstream. It will be fun, a lot of work, and will reduce the cost of laptops even further.
Happy Holidays, Max Seybold, Chairman, max@cherrypal.com
Again, I don't have one of these $99 laptops, so I don't know quite what to think of them. And many reports on the Web tell of problems with delivery. See these links for some of that feedback:
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Well let us know when the US/UK etc. can get a similar deal.
To the previous poster: Cherrypal says they will ship anywhere in the world for $99 + $19 shipping. Of course, any duties, VATs, etc. are your responsibility as well.
Currently, a lot of people are reporting difficulties in communication with Cherrypal, and I have not yet heard of anybody actually receiving a device. Certainly I haven't gotten the review unit they've promised me yet.
We're keeping an eye on the situation over at TeleRead:
http://www.teleread.org/category/cherrypal/
I think that the company was entirely unprepared for the level of interest its $99 laptop generated, and they have been basically swamped by orders, have had problems with their payment-acceptance systems, and had the holiday season fall on top of that.
Hopefully the devices will actually start landing on people's doorsteps before much longer. All the same, it might be best to hold off ordering until we hear from people who have actually received theirs.
cherrypal sent out the first EMS tracking numbers? Does anyone has a working one and can confirm this?
Err, no it can't be real can it? Look at cherrypal's site now and you can link from the home page to a page extolling their free, open source credentials.
Great, until you visit their products page and see that their "Africa" laptop ships with Windows CE. What has happened here? Is it a repeat of what happened to the ill-fated OLPC project, where the monstrous, monopolistic Redmond bully trampled over a well-intentioned company? Has cherrypal fallen victim to that fate?
If so, the analogy that Microshafts selfish behaviour is just like that of a tobacco company giving cigarettes away free to young African children to get them addicted seems so apposite!
I think the Windows CE model is "old," and now they want to focus on Linux.
More troubling than mixed messages on the Web site is the idea that Cherrypal doesn't seem able/willing to actually ship the laptops.
When a few people report actually receiving them, I'll feel a whole lot better about the situation. Until then I don't feel good about Cherrypal at all.
I bought a cherrypal after waiting for 3+ months for them to get their website fixed so that we could use our credit card. I am not happy. No where in the info did it say that you can only use the WINDOWS CE Cherrypal Africa w/ dial up service. I have roadrunner light (high speed internet) and high speed internet is the only option I have w/ my cable company.
I feel ripped off. I can still use the computer's wordpad and then copy the info to a flash drive, so its not a total loss; but no internet.