First Android Netbook Costs Just $100

By Jane McEntegart
published

Here it is, the first Android netbook.

We’ve been waiting for Android to hit a device that’s anything but a mobile phone for a while now, but more specifically, we’ve been waiting for an Android-powered netbook. Figuring such a device would make some kind of splash, the first low cost notebook/tablet running Google’s open source OS nearly slipped by us unnoticed.

China-based Skytone this week added the Alpha 680 to its website and presents itself as 7-inch ARM powered, Android netbook that also doubles as a tablet. Specs-wise, it’s not all that impressive, but then again, netbooks aren’t supposed to be impressive machines. You’re looking at a 800x480 7-inch LCD, 128 MB DDR2 (up to 256 MB Optional), 1 GB SSD (up to 4 GB Optional), an ARM11 533 MHz 32bit CPU as well as a capacitive touchscreen.

Judging from the pictures, it also comes in some pretty garish colors, including yellow. While there’s no price on the website (or shipping date for that matter), rumor has it this will cost just $100, which is more than alright for a very low-end netbook.

Check out the Skytone website for more pictures. 

Jane McEntegart
33 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Shadow703793
    Ok, good. Now will we be able to run a different Linux distro for it? :D
    This would make a great project Netbook that you could hack and make a photoframe,etc.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    Shadow703793Ok, good. Now will we be able to run a different Linux distro for it? This would make a great project Netbook that you could hack and make a photoframe,etc.
    That's what every manufacturer wants to hear, "Man, I would hack this laptop and turn it into a MEAN picture frame!"
    Reply
  • barturtle
    Hmmm....my Dell Axiom X3i with a 400mhz ARM (XScale) 64MB Ram, 3.5"screen cost >$350...more speed, more memory, added storage, bigger screen and a built in keyboard for $100...I could go for that. I got a ton of work done on my X3i (including taking notes in class with the folding keyboard add-on)...now show me some GPS love for it and I'm sold.
    Reply
  • nerdherd
    Haha, seriously...but for $100 I'd be willing to try a lot of things with this netbook, especially considering that it's a tablet netbook! Wait, I just looked at the website and it doesn't say anything about being a tablet, or having a touch screen besides the fact that it has a rotating screen. Is that enough to assume that it does have a touchscreen? I'd say by the looks of the controls on the front it won't be a touchscreen. Maybe I'm just skeptical of a $100 netbook with a touchscreen though...but you can always hope, right?
    Reply
  • bustapr
    Well, what fits in 1gb ssd? Is 553mhz and 128mb supposed to be fast? Does 800x480 look good? NO! I think they stopped making these things many, many years ago. Its true that a netbook isn't supposed to be anything impressive, but something like wouldn,t have been impressive at all 10 years ago. For me, it ain't worth $100, not even with a new unseen OS(on pc) like Android.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    nerdherdHaha, seriously...but for $100 I'd be willing to try a lot of things with this netbook, especially considering that it's a tablet netbook! Wait, I just looked at the website and it doesn't say anything about being a tablet, or having a touch screen besides the fact that it has a rotating screen. Is that enough to assume that it does have a touchscreen? I'd say by the looks of the controls on the front it won't be a touchscreen. Maybe I'm just skeptical of a $100 netbook with a touchscreen though...but you can always hope, right?
    The specs page (right at the bottom) lists a capacitive TouchPad. :)
    Reply
  • jghidotti
    According to their site, it comes with a "Better" instead of a "Battery"! I have to get one now.
    Reply
  • nerdherd
    JMcEntegartThe specs page (right at the bottom) lists a capacitive TouchPad.
    Yes but that refers to the MOUSE TouchPad aka a trackpad, not the screen.

    Reply
  • mforce2
    I like this one. Who cares if the specs are low end , there are plenty of Linux distros and software that will run just fine on this thing. Check out something like DSL Linux or Puppy Linux.
    Besides I'm thinking you can get even full featured Linux distros working on this by using some external storage ( fast 8 GB USB stick is like 10 $ ) and the RAM at 256 MB should do.
    It's great that it's Android powered I mean it's cool but other than that I find it pretty useless. Maybe Android is OK for phones but in a laptop I'd rather have a Linux distro with some decent software.
    Reply
  • LoboBrancoTimido
    JMcEntegartThat's what every manufacturer wants to hear, "Man, I would hack this laptop and turn it into a MEAN picture frame!"
    I love DIY and that just sounds wrong, people do what them want, comments like that only show that you don't know your readers.
    Reply