14 DAY TRIAL // French miniature desktop PC builder Linutop is currently shipping what could be called world's most compact Ubuntu-based computer system. The Linutop 2 is the logical update to the previous Linutop 1 (doh) and comes with a faster processor and improved hardware in the same miniature form factor.
The Linutop 2 computing system is an oddity powered by a 500MHz Geode processor. It currently comes with 512 MB of system memory and has no internal storage. However, it has 1 GB of external Flash storage that can accommodate the Linux-based operating system.
The computer is not only small, but also energy-efficient, which may be its greatest feature to raise it above the competitors on the same market. It draws a little more than 8 watts, which is a little more when compared to the 5 Watts in the Linutop 1, but it's ridiculously low if we look at the 450 watts drawn by a regular computer. While the first version of the Linutop is aimed at web-surfing kiosks or digital sign computing, the Linutop 2 is perfectly fit for the home desktop environment.
The computer's hardware is enclosed in a black casing measuring 14 x 3.5 x 14 cm. Although it comes with only 512 MB or RAM (which is enough for its 500 MHz processor), it can be upgraded to 1 GB. The system comes with a pre-installed version of Ubuntu with the KDE desktop (Kubuntu), the OpenOffice suite as well as Firefox, the VLC Media player and other utilities.
The Linutop 2 features audio I/O jacks, 10/100 Ethernet interface, four USB 2.0 ports and optional USB Wi-Fi functionality. The VGA card only offers 2D graphics acceleration but can offer output resolutions up to 1920 x 1440.
The most important feature is the fact that the operating system cannot be tampered with, which excludes malicious attacks or viruses. It merely returns to its original state each time the device is turned on or rebooted. The Linutop is available for $410 and can be purchased from the manufacturer's website.