starlingSystem76 may not be a household name, but the computer company is pretty popular with Linux enthusiasts, because it’s known for building and selling PCs preloaded with the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution. The company’s latest machine is the $359 Starling Netbook, which comes with the recently released Ubuntu 9.04 OS. 

Aside from the operating system, the computer’s specs seem pretty standard:

  • CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
  • Display: 10.1″ 1024 x 576
  • RAM: 1GB
  • Storage: 160GB HDD
  • Connectivity: 802.11b/g, Ethernet
  • I/O: 3 USB ports, Headphone, Mic, SD card reader, 
  • Webcam: 0.3MP
  • Battery: 6 cells
  • Dimensions: 10.4″ x 7.1″ x 1.3″
  • Weight: 2.6 pounds

The computer comes with a 1 year warranty. You can pay extra for a 3 year warranty or a USB DVD burner. 

System76 also has a nettop computer that has a dual core Intel Atom 330 CPU, but which is a tiny desktop instead of a laptop. That means you’ll need to provide your own monitor, but the Meerkat Nettop prices start at just $249.

via Works With U

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15 replies on “System76 launches Starling Netbook with Ubuntu 9.04”

  1. Like someone said already, if a company isn’t bound to Microsoft’s Netbook XP restrictions why only ship with 1 GB and the 576 vertical pixels sucks too.

    I don’t know if it will sell for less than its list price but I would not pay $359 for it when I can get a Lenovo with an XP license (just in case), long battery life and the same underwhelming screen resolution for less. I could install Ubuntu on it and maybe eBay the XP license if I were so inclined.

    1. I wouldn’t buy a System76 notebook not because of the price. It’s fair to expect a premium given they are supporting Linux given that a Microsoft Windows system will not support Linux as well. Most people don’t even realise the problems they’ll encounter with systems that work tomorrow if they continue using Linux.

      The problem with System76 is they are using chipsets which aren’t free software friendly and that will ultimately lead to incompatibility later.

      I prefer https://www.thinpenguin.com/ to most others because of this. The company does a better job of supporting end-users and understands both the technical and social reasons for using free software over proprietary. I wish more companies would get with the program. ZaReason might be good too although I had issues finding out if they support free software or not. At least once I thought they might given the chipsets had solid support for free software. The only thing is they don’t sell that many so it might have been chance.

      1. As long as you have the System76 driver package installed, you’ll be fine. On their latest laptops (Gazelle Professional is an example), all driver really does is enable some hardware buttons, and improve already existant Ubuntu drivers so it works 100% with their hardware. And their drivers are open source, so there is no reason for distros not to carry some version of their driver package.

  2. Looks like Ubuntu Netbook remix to me. Tried it, but didn’t like it a bit. The normal Jaunty 9.04 is much better for a linux hacker.

  3. Is this a “re-badged” version of another popular netbook? It kinda looks like a HP Mini, or a 10″ Acer Aspire.

  4. Why don’t they offer upgrades to 2gb ram and 500gb hdd. They aren’t bound to Microsoft’s restrictions.

  5. Another netbook missing 24 vertical pixels. Nice someone is supporting Linux. It is getting a bit rare these days. Rebadge or not, if I was shopping for another netbook I would like to support a company that backs Linux.

  6. Underwhelmed. I had heard this one was coming, and had higher hopes.

    160GB hard disk, by the way, in case people hadn’t already guessed.

    1. (which is a bit bizarre, if they’re not beholden to Microsoft, but then odds on this is just a rebadge of something else that usually is)

  7. Follow the link to system76, then click the “enlarge view” of the keyboard – –
    It looks to me to be actually usable –
    both alt keys, both ctrl keys, both shift keys (in right place) – Whoot!

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