The Linux distribution that comes with most versions of the 3K RazorBook, Alpha 400, and similar Xburst-powered mini-laptops is a bit limited, to say the least. While it comes with a web browser and a few other utilities, adding third party applications can be a chore. Last month we mentioned an alternate Linux distribution called 3MX that makes the Xburst…

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Sakar International is showing off a familiar looking netbook at Toy Fair 2009 this week. The mini-laptop is clearly based on the same design as the 3K Razorbook 400, Elonex One T+, and a whole bunch of other laptops that are likely all coming from the same factory in China. Long story short, the Sakar MiniBook is a cheap computer…

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You know all those stories about the “world’s cheapest netbook” you keep seeing that all seem to point to the same laptop, but with different names? That’s because they’re all produced by the same Chinese company, Exon Technology and distributed worldwide by companies that use a dozen or so different names for the same device. Two Liliputing readers have put…

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The 3K Razorbook 400, TrendTac/Skytone Alpha 400, or whatever else you want to call the cheap netbook made by Exon Technology, may not be the most powerful computer around. But it’s certainly one of the cheapest, typically selling for $250 or less. But these little laptops tend to run a custom version of Linux that’s hard to alter, replace, or…

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You know those cheap mini-notebooks with a custom LInux operating system, a tiny touchpad, and a 7 inch display that seem to be all over the place? Apparently they’re all made by the same company in China. And that company, Exon International Technology, is giving them a bit of an upgrade. Or at least a lateral-grade. Exon recently replaced the…

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It looks like there are two more netbooks in the world based on the same reference design as the 3K Razorbook 400. French site Blogeee noticed a new netbook available from RueDuCommerce called the SurfOne INOS1, which sells for about 189 €, or about $257 US. It has a 400MHz Ingenic CPU, a 7 inch 800 x 480 pixel display,…

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  With Quarta announcing plans to shoehorn Windows CE onto netbooks including the Acer Aspire one and Lenovo IdeaPad S9, I decided it was time for another look at a netbook that’s actually designed to run Windows CE. The 3K Razorbook 400 (which goes by many different names in many different countries) is a tiny little notebook, even by netbook standards,…

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As promised, Menno Dijk has uploaded a series of useful applications for anyone using a “little linux laptop.” These laptops go by many names, including the 3K Razorbook 400, the Skytone Alpha 400, the Bestlink Alpha 400, and the Yinlips Micro PC. But they’re all basically the same device, and if yours is running Linux, odds are you’ve been having…

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So you weren’t impressed by news that hackers had figured out how to gain root access to the Alpha 400 laptop? Well here’s a new hack for you. While the company behind this ubiquitous mini-notebook (also known as the Razorbook 400 and the Trendtac Ultra Mobile PC), has decided to offer an optional WiFi USB dongle instead of built-in wireless…

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The “world’s cheapest laptop” goes by many names. In some countries it’s known as the Alpha 400, while others call it the Razorbook 400. But all the variations have one thing in common so far: They run a custom version of Linux that makes hacking/tweaking the operating system pretty difficult. When Laptop Magazine’s Joanna Stern got a first look at…

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While the OLPC XO Laptop never really hit that mythical $100 price point, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to sell a laptop for little more than a Ben Franklin. Alibaba is selling the so-called “World’s Cheapest Laptop,” for just $130. The only catch? You need to order 50 or more laptops to get that price. The laptop is basically a…

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When you buy a computer from a well known company, there’s a good chance it was actually manufacturer by a less well known company that specializes in producing OEM computers and electronics for big companies like Acer, HP, and Dell. Every now and then you’ll even find two companies selling nearly identical machines based on the same OEM design. For…

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