Announcing Cherrypal C114 - 8GB local FLASH storage

CherryPal™ replaced the C100 with the 8GB SSD C114

- still the same price!!!

CherryPal™ C114

The CherryPal™ C114 desktop is about the size of a paperback book, but has the performance you would expect from a full-size desktop computer. Freescale's fast triple-core mobileGT processor delivers exceptional multimedia performance and feature-rich user interfaces, while only consuming as much power as a clock radio. CherryPal uses 80 percent fewer components than a traditional PC, and because it has no moving parts, it operates without making a sound and will last 10 years or more.

Specifications:

-Freescale’s MPC5121e mobileGT processor, 800 MIPS (400 MHz)
of processing
-256 MB of DDR2 DRAM
-8GB NAND Flash-based solid state drive (increased from 4GB
C100)
-WiFi 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
-Two USB2.0 ports
-One 10/100 Ethernet with RJ-45 jack
-One VGA DB-15 display out jack
-Headphone level stereo audio out 3.5mm jack
-9vDC 2.5mm 10 watt AC-DC adapt er power supply
-Weighs 10 ounces
-1.3” high, 5.8” x 4.2” wide

From Max Seybold, CEO, Cherr ypal

"The first CherryPals will get shipped on US election day, November 4th, guaranteed. We were able to upgrade the C100 to the

C114 for the same low price. We increased the local Solid State Disk Drive from 4GB to 8GB and slightly changed the casing, lighter and slimmer, very cool. I am sure you will like it. So, the store is open again with guaranteed shipment 11/4/2008, guaranteed."

1. Order directly at http://cherrypal.com/SHOP.html:

for $249.00 plus shipping. Shipping begins on November 4, 2008.

2. For $10 off, use the coupon code CPP206:
You will be asked to enter the coupon CODE at the Google Checkout site. ENTER CPP206
YOU MUST ENTER THE CODE CPP206 IN ORDER TO GET TEN (10) DOLLARS OFF!
You will be notified when your new CherryPal has shipped.

3. Please come back to http://cherrypal.blogspot.com to share your comments about your experience of purchasing, receiving, using and being a CherryPal!

CherryPal will start shipping the C114 (read that as C-eleven-four) on US Election Day, Tuesday November 4th, 2008. We all hope this day will change the world for the better.

All open and future orders will get an automatic upgrade
to the C114 - same low price of $249.00 but with 8GB
(C100 4GM) local FLASH storage.

Use Code CPP 206 for $10 off

CherryPal will start shipping the C114 (read eleven, four) on US
Election Day, Tuesday November 4th, 2008.CherryPal is accepting orders again, shipment on 11/4 guaranteed!!!

We all hope this day will change the world for the better.

CherryPal thanks you for your interest in green/open/fair personal
cloud computing.

For international buyers: The C114 comes with US power
adaptor 110V to 240V.

From cherrypal.com:
CherryPal HyperCloud™ Technology

CherryPal is the only company that provides a patent-
pending combination of both hardware and software
encryption, making it highly secure. The CherryPal also
offers a patent-pending single software layer technology.
This collapses the operating system and browser into
one layer, where there had traditionally been three
separate layers. It makes the computer exponentially
faster and virtually eliminates any risk of bugs or viruses
for the user.

Why being in a "CLOUD" is a good thing...

The CherryPalCloud™ Innovation

CherryPal has removed the hassle from personal
computing by moving most of the software and data that
traditionally sits on the desktop to the Internet. Instead of
accessing programs and data from your desktop
computer, the majority of information is processed and
stored on the web in a highly secure environment called
the CherryPalCloud™, which is automatically accessed
at boot-up. The CherryPalCloud removes many of the
headaches typically associated with traditional personal
computers, including:

* application downloads, software upgrades and
crashing operating systems, because everything is
maintained in the CherryPalCloud by CherryPal
administrators

* viruses and hackers, because the user’s hardware
is no longer exposed to local bugs and viruses

* lag time, because the majority of cumbersome
software applications are stored in the CherryPalCloud,
the computer operates just as fast – if not faster – than a
traditional PC.

Portable TVs To Be Left Behind in Signal Switch

By David Lieberman 



October 10, 2008 7:16AM 

Many electronics manufacturers find themselves waiting to reach an agreement with broadcasters on a technology standard for a new generation of energy-efficient mobile televisions that could work in cell phones, iPod-like portable players and PDAs. Broadcasters would then transmit a separate signal to these devices. 

In an era of dazzling battery-powered portable devices including iPods, computers and cellphones, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be unable to catch the news and entertainment anytime and anywhere we want. But millions of people who own portable televisions, including those who depend on them when they flee their homes or lose power during hurricanes and other emergencies, may soon return to the dark ages. Virtually all of the nation’s 7 million battery-powered TVs receive analog signals. They’ll become useless after Feb. 17, when broadcasters must abandon analog and just transmit digital signals — unless the sets are connected to digital-to-analog converter boxes. 

The problem is, the vast majority of converters must be plugged into the wall. That makes them unreliable in an emergency. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of well-intentioned policymakers found out after the ink was dry that there were more (portable) devices and households affected” than they imagined, says Richard Doherty of The Envisioneering Group, a research and consulting firm. 

That’s a “great irony” in the federally mandated move to digital TV, says Shannon Dunham, a communications specialist at law firm Sherman & Howard. Although the government “intended to reclaim the (analog) bandwidth for emergency use” — including police, fire and medical communications– “in the end, they’re going to affect people who get emergency information” from portable TVs. Radios equipped to pick up audio from local TV broadcasts also will lose those analog signals. The Red Cross says that it’s not worried. 

“More people tend to listen to radio (stations) than watch TV in a disaster,” spokesman Jonathan Aiken says. Looking for Local News But many local disaster officials are apprehensive about the loss of portable TV at a time when lots of chain-owned radio stations have cut back on local news. “It is absolutely a concern of ours,” says Veronica Mosgrove, a spokeswoman for…

View original post here:
Portable TVs To Be Left Behind in Signal Switch

http://www.mobile-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=62376

© 2008 USA TODAY. All rights reserved.

© 2008 Mobile Tech Today. All rights reserved.

http://newmobiletech.com/portable-tvs-to-be-left-behind-in-signal-switch/

Samsung Korea shows off two new green PCs

High on a Hill

Eco-friendly technology for Asia

by Hillary Chan, Malaysia

Oct 8, 2008 02:11

I think it is unfair that when green tech gadgets get reviewed, the reviewer will inevitably emphasize how low the specs of the machine are and give it lower points or star ratings because of that, without giving it additional brownie points for being green. I guess gadget makers will just need to work harder to bring us greener yet more powerful machines, while consumers keep pounding their doors to keep demanding them to be made. The latest to launch green PCs is Samsung Korea, which showcased the MV100 Tower and MZ100 Slim Tower only a few days ago.

Samsung's new machines consume only 60W when used in power-saving mode and that's pretty amazing even though it is not the lowest in the market. I don't know the exact specs for these Samsung PCs, so I can't compare.But the CPU casings are black and mean-looking, which mean I assume it is more powerful than any on the EarthFirst chart.

The lowest energy sipper is still the CherryPal which my colleague wrote about here. It uses CherryPalCloud which helps you save information on the Internet, so you will never need that much harddisk space anyway. So which green PC (on the chart and off) appeals to you most?

http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/high-on-a-hill/post.htm?id=63006747&scid=hm_bl

Copyright © 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved.

Union Square's Albert Wenger offers crash course on cloud computing

[Posted on October 3, 2008 - 6:47 PM]
-- Mary Kathleen Flynn


The profile of so-called "cloud computing" has been rising rapidly over the last week or so. First, Oracle Corp. Larry Ellison mocked it as "gibberish," then Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman called it "stupidity," citing privacy concerns. Meanwhile Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer told a London audience Wednesday that the software giant will soon release "Windows Cloud."

Amid the controversy, I figured it was a good week to get a tutorial on cloud computing, and fortunately Union Square Ventures partner Albert Wenger (pictured) was kind enough to give me one. At Tim O'Reilly's Web 2.0 Expo in New York last month, Wenger gave a presentation on cloud computing, which he walked me through Thursday at Union Square's office.

One of the tricky things about trying to understand cloud computing is that there is no concensus on a definition. If you try to look up the term on Wikipedia or through Google searches, as I did, you'll find yourself more confused at the end of the exercise than you were going into it.

Thankfully, Wenger begins his presentation with a definition, albeit a multi-part one. He says there are four key characteristics of true cloud computing:

1. Cloud computing is independent of machines (either real machines or virtual ones), giving applications developed for it the ability to run on any hardware.

2. It requires little if any configuring.

3. The same code scales from hundreds of users to hundreds of thousands of users so developers do not need to rewrite their programs as they grow their companies.

4. It enables easy integration and delivery of Web services at scale.

"When the cloud is fully realized, developers will no longer have to worry about provisioning and monitoring machines, whether virtual or real, or whether they will be able to handle a 1000-fold increase in load on their service," Wenger explains. "A single individual will be able to create a site or service that can affect the lives of many millions or even billions of people."

Wenger says cloud computing will "fundamentally transform how software and services on the Web are created."

Putting his money where his mouth is, Wenger leads Union Square's $1.5 million investment in 10gen, which is developing a cloud computing environment. The majority of 10gen is owned by AlleyCorp, the New York incubator of former DoubleClick Inc. executives Kevin Ryan and Dwight Merriman.

Wenger, who advocates "regulation by transparency" instead of standards, says Stallman is right to raise privacy and other control issues about proprietary cloud computing environments, such as Google App Engine, Amazon Web Services and Salesforce.com Inc.'s Force.com.

10gen's approach is to develop an open-source cloud computing environment. "What MySQL did for databases, 10gen will do for cloud computing," predicts Wenger.

See Albert Wenger's Continuations blog
See Sept. 29 post on cloud computing from Tech Confidential


http://www.thedeal.com/techconfidential/behind-the-money/blog/behind-the-money/the-profile-of-socalled-cloud.php

©Copyright 2008, The Deal, LLC. All rights reserved.

Stallman not the only Cloud Critic

What Does 'Cloud Computing' Mean, Exactly?

A lot of people aren't sure, but one thing is for certain: Dislike for the phrase has brought together some strange bedfellows.

October 1, 2008
By Andy Patrizio
http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3775346/What+Does+Cloud+Computing+Mean+Exactly.htm

With so much talk about "cloud computing," it's easy to feel lost in the clouds. If you either don't understand the term, or don't see a reason for it, you're in good company.

Take Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, for one. During his recent Churchill Club appearance, Ballmer dismissed the uniqueness of the concept by saying, "When people talk about cloud computing, they're talking just about taking some stuff, putting it outside the firewall, and perhaps putting it on servers that are also shared or storage systems."

Oracle's always-quotable CEO Larry Ellison went one better, according the Wall Street Journal. Ellison declared during a recent analyst conference, "The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I have no idea what anyone is talking about. What is it? It's complete gibberish. It's insane. When is this idiocy going to stop?"

According to Gartner, you can blame hardware and software vendors for the confusion -- and the apparent outrage it's spawning. David Smith, a vice president and research fellow at the analyst firm, said he agreed that "cloud computing" represents another take on well-worn concepts, brought about as vendors slap the latest buzzword on their products if they think it will help them sell.

Full story at InternetNews

Copyright 2008 Jupitermedia Corporation All Rights Reserved.

Gartner Says Contrasting Cloud Views Creating Confusion

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 29 -- The term "cloud computing" is being loosely applied and defined differently, and it's creating a lot of confusion in the market, according to Gartner, Inc. Analysts say it is imperative to understand these different perspectives and set the proper expectations to obtain the anticipated benefits.

Gartner defines cloud computing as a style of computing in which massively scalable IT-related capabilities are provided "as a service" using Internet technologies to multiple external customers. However, there have been different perceptions of what is included in cloud computing.

"The term cloud computing has come to mean two very different things: a broader use that focuses on 'cloud,' and a more-focused use on system infrastructure and virtualization," said David Mitchell Smith, vice president and Gartner Fellow. "Mixing the discussion of 'cloud-enabling technologies' with 'cloud computing services' creates confusion."

The two prevalent views of cloud computing are as follows:

• The cloud is an idea that derives from the perspective of the Internet/Web/software as a service (SaaS). The focus is more on cloud than computing with the emphasis placed on access to services from elsewhere (that is, from the cloud). This cloud is a global-class phenomenon and a high-level concept that can refer to a range of services extending from system infrastructure (for example, compute services and storage services) through applications (for example, CRM) and business processes (for example, payroll services). Gartner's definition is along these lines, with the off-premises nature of cloud services being the point of reference, and applicability to intraenterprise use as a secondary effect.




• The second popular interpretation is a use of technologies, including virtualization and automation, that focuses more on the computing than on the cloud aspect, with emphasis placed on the technologies that enable the creation and delivery of service-based capabilities. This perspective is an extension of traditional data center approaches and can be applied to entirely internal enterprise systems with no use of external off-premises capabilities provided by a third party.

"Although these perspectives are different, there is a connection between them. Any provider of cloud computing services must have an environment that includes an infrastructure to support their delivery. Virtualization often is used to implement this underlying infrastructure to support delivery of the cloud computing services," Smith said. "Cloud system infrastructure services are a subset of cloud computing, but not the entire picture."

Gartner recommends that users clearly separate the consideration of cloud computing and cloud computing services from the use of cloud computing-related concepts and technologies for the creation of internal systems. Both perspectives (services and technologies) are valuable and should be pursued; however, they are two separate but related initiatives.

Gartner analysts will provide additional analysis on cloud computing during the upcoming Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2008, taking place Oct. 12-16 in Orlando, Fla. Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the IT industry's largest and most strategic conference, providing business leaders with a look at the future of IT. More than 6,000 senior business and IT strategists will gather for the insights, tools and solutions they need to ensure their IT initiatives are key contributors to and drivers of their enterprise's success. Gartner's annual Symposium/ITxpo events are key components of attendees' annual planning efforts. They rely on Gartner Symposium/ITxpo to gain insight into how their organizations can use IT to address business challenges and improve operational efficiency. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/symposium/us.

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Cloud computing is a trap, warns GNU founder Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman on cloud computing: "It's stupidity. It's worse than stupidity: it's a marketing hype campaign." Photograph: www.stallman.org

Web-based programs like Google's Gmail will force people to buy into locked, proprietary systems that will cost more and more over time, according to the free software campaigner

• Bobbie Johnson, technology correspondent
• guardian.co.uk,
• Monday September 29 2008 14:11 BST
• 
  

The concept of using web-based programs like Google's Gmail is "worse than stupidity", according to a leading advocate of free software.

Cloud computing – where IT power is delivered over the internet as you need it, rather than drawn from a desktop computer – has gained currency in recent years. Large internet and technology companies including Google, Microsoft and Amazon are pushing forward their plans to deliver information and software over the net.

But Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation and creator of the computer operating system GNU, said that cloud computing was simply a trap aimed at forcing more people to buy into locked, proprietary systems that would cost them more and more over time.

"It's stupidity. It's worse than stupidity: it's a marketing hype campaign," he told The Guardian.

"Somebody is saying this is inevitable – and whenever you hear somebody saying that, it's very likely to be a set of businesses campaigning to make it true."

The 55-year-old New Yorker said that computer users should be keen to keep their information in their own hands, rather than hand it over to a third party.

His comments echo those made last week by Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, who criticised the rash of cloud computing announcements as "fashion-driven" and "complete gibberish".

"The interesting thing about cloud computing is that we've redefined cloud computing to include everything that we already do," he said. "The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I have no idea what anyone is talking about. What is it? It's complete gibberish. It's insane. When is this idiocy going to stop?"

The growing number of people storing information on internet-accessible servers rather than on their own machines, has become a core part of the rise of Web 2.0 applications. Millions of people now upload personal data such as emails, photographs and, increasingly, their work, to sites owned by companies such as Google.

Computer manufacturer Dell recently even tried to trademark the term "cloud computing", although its application was refused.

But there has been growing concern that mainstream adoption of cloud computing could present a mixture of privacy and ownership issues, with users potentially being locked out of their own files.

Stallman, who is a staunch privacy advocate, advised users to stay local and stick with their own computers.

"One reason you should not use web applications to do your computing is that you lose control," he said. "It's just as bad as using a proprietary program. Do your own computing on your own computer with your copy of a freedom-respecting program. If you use a proprietary program or somebody else's web server, you're defenceless. You're putty in the hands of whoever developed that software."

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