Re: Good low cost laptop for embedded work?

From: Mathew Hendry (TJLWBECGSGWU_at_spammotel.com)
Date: 12/05/04 

Date: Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:01:04 +0000

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 01:46:54 GMT, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

>JTAG programming requires a little laptop for the lab. Nothing fancy,
>just a small machine that can dump code into an MSP430 or similar. I
>don't write much firmware so processor performance for compile runs is
>no issue. A text editor and maybe schematic entry, too, but that
>doesn't require a lot of processing power either. Ideally it should have
>a long battery life.
>
>I know that even Walmart sells some for around $600 but with a very
>short battery life. Is there anything out there that you could recommend?
>
>Reason I ask is that most laptops these days are total overkill. The
>processors run at 1-2GHz and much of that is used as a space heater when
>the fan comes on. I still have an old Compaq that used to haul five
>hours on an old NiCd, and this was the standard issue battery that came
>with it. Unfortunately this little machine can't run stuff like the IAR
>compiler anymore, otherwise it would have been perfect. Also, from all
>the lab work its case starts to crumble ;-)

IBM Thinkpad: great battery life and build quality. Plenty of second hand
ones around. Panasonic Toughbook is another option if it's going to see a
lot of a abuse, but I don't know what their battery life is like.

-- Mat.