Sunday, August 11, 2013

Praxis: The $350 Ubuntu laptop that runs on solar power

This could be an interesting 4GW guerrilla tool if it runs as advertised.

8 comments:

MamaLiberty said...

Indeed it could, as long as the necessary parts of the internet also run on solar power or have another power source.

I'm sure nobody here has to be reminded that the strength of the entire chain is lost when the weakest link breaks... :)

Solar powered ham radio? I suspect that will be the gold standard for communications in the worst case scenario. Just don't know if a computer can be hooked into that deal. Best of both worlds? :)

Anonymous said...

If the government allows the manufacture and sale of this "device" then Its a gold plated certainty that it has a Auto on- GPS- Auto Trackback-a camera- allways on and a microphone Built In and allways "hot". If you "go to 4G war" with ANY "E" device(Cell phone, GPS, laptop) then you and anyone with you are already dead. The NSA knew exactly where Snowden was at every moment of his "flight". They tracked the GPS built into his laptops (they are built in to every wireless device BY LAW. Remember?)and/or Cellphones. They let him "escape". Ever wonder WHY???

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to read some real-world use revues.
Do the solar panels charge as advertized?
Does the battery life last 10 hrs under normal usage?
How stable is Ubuntu? Does it play well with Windows apps and Firefox?
Enquiring minds, and all that.

B Woodman
III-PER

Anonymous said...

I would definitely pay $400 for a waterproof version of that laptop. To be nitpicky, I'd prefer Kubuntu and an AMD processor. As far as GPS devices, unless wired directly into the motherboard, any peripheral is easy enough to find and remove. Or you could just leave the main and CMOS batteries out until you need to use it. Duct tape is always a good low-tech circumvention for webcams and microphones.

Anonymous said...

For all you "younkers": multiple copies of some old "Radio Engineer's Handbook" might be life-savers ! Simple - and effective transmitters/receivers - can be crafted from civilization's detritus . In any disaster the sine qua non of survival is communication !

So learn your morse code ! And if you're paranoid enough, some simple ways to cypher your communications. >Jeff

Anonymous said...

In the past I have been involved with MARS "Military Auxiliary Radio System" using modified Amateur Radio equipment. the term "Modified" means that some "changes" have been made to the radio to allow it to operate across the ENTIRE radio spectrum. Amateur Radio equipment is made to operate ONLY on specific radio frequencies, but once modified there are NO LIMITS. MARS has several programs that allow emails to be sent thru secure servers scattered around the country to access the internet. The web might be down in your area but it just might be working several states away.
The solar powered Ubuntu just makes me want to gather up some solar panels to power up my very own laptop (which does NOT have a GPS) and operate mobile (Not From My Home) if I ever needed to send encrypted messages to others.
Items like a "Screwdriver" antenna are rather obvious on the back of a van but a "Good Old Boy Bubba Whip Antenna" like on the back of a red-neck Pick-up truck 'CB' can be used by having an Icom TUNER to allow that CB style whip to operate on the "Amateur (and other) Bands". Lot of ways to blend in and not be noticed.
Since I worked with codes back in the Army Security Agency long ago, I know what the weaknesses are and can help others to have secure communications.

MamaLiberty said...

Anonymous at 8:59 AM

Maybe, maybe not. I get the feeling you think the gov. and their alphabet soup gangs are more or less omnipotent. History tends to show us, instead, that they can have all the most wonderful toys and still be too stupid/incompetent to find their butts with both hands. Doesn't mean they are not dangerous, or that they can be ignored, but excess fear or overestimate of their actual ability creates an environment for pretty complete self defeat.

Anonymous said...

Mama Liberty During the war in the former Yugoslavia. The us started using the GPS built into SATPHONES to target the "leadership" of the "enemy forces" with Tomahawk cruse Miss. and that was twenty years ago!! How do you think they target the Taliban in Pakistan? Not with Lasers! They(the CIA/ NSA) use the ID code from the "leaders" PHONE or laptop as a "homing beacon" .That's WHY they mandated GPS in all "wireless devices". YOU are tracked every moment of every day buy a computer. Humans only get involved when it is time to drop the hammer. That dose away with "mistakes".