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[systemdm]

Interesting article........maybe someday with AHP......

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/11/20/entire-computer-built-into-usb-thumb-drive/

[Dan Lawrence]

DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!!!!!!

[dhouston]

Yeah - that's in keeping with the X-10 design philosophy. It's useless without a mouse and/or keyboard and/or touchscreen but costs as much as a tablet that does have input methods and a screen.

[HA Dave]

Sometime ago... it was determined that as flashdrives grew in size.... if a PC could be made to boot to a these new flashdrives users could carry their PC's in a pocket. Well at least users would carry the look and software with them. The hardware... screen, processor, keyboard and such would remain stationary. Of course in my experience [as a former network admin] all flashdrive are eventually lost... or broken.

It's a great idea to be able to travel with just your flashdrive in your pocket. To hell with the IT guys at the visiting offices that would need to stock enough hard-driveless laptops to cover all meetings. And what about Internet security? Will these pocket PCs have up-to-date security software? would each one be scanned and checked before allowing it on a network?

I think tablets are changing the entire landscape.

[dhouston]

... if a PC could be made to boot to a these new flashdrives users could carry their PC's in a pocket. Well at least users would carry the look and software with them. The hardware... screen, processor, keyboard and such would remain stationary.

Bootable flash drives with almost any of the 57,000 flavors of Linux are widely used (I frequently try out a new Linux version this way and the same can likely be done with Android which is, afterall, just another, open sores flavor of Linux.) but a $10 flash drive and a $200 boondoggle tabletless tablet are totally different stories.

[HA Dave]

...... $200 boondoggle tabletless tablet are totally different stories.

I only meant.... that for most laptop (as well as PC) users... a tablet would likely be just as useful. Tablets themselves aren't such a trouble to transport or carry around. And much harder to lose than a flashdrive. The old desktop computers are quickly becoming very obsolete... and laptops may not be far behind them.

Although I have always been a Microsoft user... and was never impressed with open source.... it is the software of the NOW. Certainly the old MS and Apple OS's have likely seen their hay days.

But as I understand it... it is chip/processor design that really controls what OS's will be allowed. Processor makers ultimately have OS control by virtue of the chips design. If there is money to be made there.... I wouldn't expect chipmakers to be fools. The only thing that will remain unchanged... is change.

Computers will only continue to get smaller. But, until a new way to interface with the human operator is found the touchscreen will likely be the size limiter.