We’re digging deep into the vault for the next entry in the Liliputing 2012 Holiday Giveaway. The NorhTec Gecko Edubook is a netbook with an 8.9 inch display, a low power keyboard and a nifty trick up its sleeve: It runs on AA batteries.
That makes it easy to replace the batteries if they die without relying on a proprietary battery. In fact, the whole laptop was designed to modular and easy to replace. You can pop out the CPU module and replace or upgrade it, or unplug the WiFi dongle tucked away in the case and swap it out for any other USB peripherals that you can fit in there.
NorhTec sent me a demo unit to test a few years ago, and I hung onto it for a while to see if the company ever got around to releasing a CPU upgrade. Since that never happened, I figure it’s time to clear the Edubook off my desk and send it to a Liliputing reader.
To enter this contest, please read the rules below. But first, let’s talk about what you’re trying to win.
About the Edubook
The Edubook has a 1024 x 600 pixel display and can use an internal SD card or 2.5 inch hard drive for storage. It has a relativelytiny touchpad and keyboard, but features a good range of input and output ports including 3 USB ports, Ethernet, VGA, and mic and audio jacks.
The netbook has a 1 GHz Xcore86 processor that uses just 1.2 watts of power. I’ve tested this laptop with Windows XP, WattOS Linux, and Puppy Linux. While it can run Windows, it feels pretty sluggish. It runs much better with Puppy or other light-weight Linux operating systems optimized for low-end hardware.
You can find support for NorhTec’s Xcore86 products at the DeviceOnChip website, including details on supported operating systems and drivers in the forums.
This particular unit comes with 3 different 8GB SD cards. One has Windows XP preloaded (but no activation key), one has WattOS (if I remember correctly), and the other has Puppy Linux.
While Windows XP might be more versatile for many users, Puppy is blazing fast on this netbook, while Windows is… freezing slow? I don’t know, what’s the opposite of blazing fast? Either way, Windows is kind of painful to use on this little computer but Puppy runs quite nicely.
Adding a hard drive might help a bit… the 8GB SD card Windows is running from has pretty low read and write speeds.
You should also be able to install almost any operating system you like. This contest is aimed at folks who are willing to tinker a bit.
The demo unit I’m giving away came with 8 rechargeable Ni-MH AA batteries… but apparently they died sometime in the last few years. The laptop still runs fine when plugged in, but you may need to supply your own batteries if you want to use it on the go.
How to win: Leave a comment by 5:00AM Eastern, 12/10/2012
This contest is only open to residents of the continental US. International shipping is expensive, so if you’re not in the US, you might want to wait until we’re ready to give away the MK802 III which comes in a small box and which we can afford to ship.
If you are in the States, just leave a comment before 5:00AM Eastern time, December 10th, 2012 and make sure you’re cool with the following:
- Please leave only one comment. If you leave more than one, all of your entries get thrown out.
- One winner will be randomly chosen from all valid entries.
- You have 48 hours to respond after you receive notification that you’ve won. If I don’t hear back by then, I’ll pick another winner.
- If you’ve won anything else from Liliputing in the past 30 days, please don’t enter again… we’ll just toss out your entry.
- Writers for Liliputing, as well as their friend and family members are prohibited from winning.
Please make sure we have a way to contact you. If you login to leave a comment with your email address, Facebook, Twitter, or Google+, that should do the trick.
Thanks again to NorhTec for providing us with this demo unit, and for agreeing to give it away to as part of our 2012 Holiday Giveaway!
I would give this PC a loving home – ideal for my struggling home business. I cannot afford to upgrade from my 10 year old laptop.
this would come in handy to configure servers and switches
Hello! I love this, and tried to get one at one point (but NorhTec was out of stock at the time). Amazing that now I might have another chance!
I would like to try this.
Another great gift for the kiddo
Me too.
I love the batteries!
OMG, “stylishly geeky”? AA batteries?? It’s adorable. yes please…
I love puppy linux…this would great to have. This little guy looks and reads very interesting..Count me in
count me in.
That is a fascinating machine. I’ve wondered why they didn’t standardize on replaceable batteries by now. Even if AA batteries are lower voltage, they’re smaller than the usual 18650 cells that are used in most run of the mill laptops. Great little machine for Linux, I’d love to see first hand how it manages with Debian instead of Puppy.
I will date myself here, but my TRS-80 Model 100 was a great machine mainly due to the fact that AA battery use meant that I never had to find a place to plug it in. Since most disaster scene logistics officers ensure that pallets of AA batteries are available, having this machine would ensure that I can continue to communicate even if there is no AC power.
I want!;!
This seems amazing, i’d love to throw android on it and just have a little net book…
I’m gonna win this one I can feel it.
Looks like what I need
All those AA batteries are giving me bad Game Gear flashbacks.
It’s a shame they never released a replacement CPU module – I thought that was a brilliant idea.
nice little machine. 8 batteries is too environmentally unfriendly though
haha WINRAR
I like it!
Hi…I will Win this Give Away….
I would love to have this one—reminds me of my old Dell Mini 9. That had a lot of snap-in replacement capabilities as well.
I want one
Fingers crossed.
Hello hello hello!
That reminds me — I need to buy more AA batteries, anyway!
This looks useful for the kids. Has anyone looked for these on eBay?
It would be nice to win once, just so I can find out if I’m entering the drawing correctly.
Better stock up on batteries!
like i said i can never win any thing but here I try again,,,tnx for the opportunity
Here’s to winning!
Have enjoyed following the posts for quite a while now, thanks.
I would love to try Puppy Linux on this netbook.
amazing giveaway! thanks for the chance!
Cool to win this! And your review was very thorough.
Please, count me in!
Definitely a very interesting netbook. I’ve been trying to find a laptop or notebook with Linux, but have wanted something that was inexpensive, like the NorhTec Gecko Edubook.
Hi
In
This would be so awesome to have
I’d be the only person on my block with one… that’s for sure.
Likely
This would make my Christmas.
you can skip me this time! also, Can it run Ubuntu?
Looks like it should be given away…with all of our technology, one would want more than AA.
Here’s hoping
The NorhTec Gecko Edubook would solve all my problems – Tiny Tim Cratchet
I bet the batteries make it weigh a heck of a lot more!
Merry x-mas I would love to have this under my tree
I can find a great use for this!
This could help me out alot where I go.
I’m in, I hope I win.
Can u believe a 72 yr old wud like to have it?
I’ll take it!
Looks super cool!
cool netbook with AA batteries
Looks cool
Awesome review thanks for all the photos. I would la la LOVE to win!!
Go ahead make my day!!
get at me!
Very cool
Yes that looks like fun. Better get a dozen recahargeables.
This looks like a very cool retro laptop for light use!
wow… that is an interesting little device.
I’m in.
Count me in
I would love this!!! Puppy Linux rocks and who wouldn’t want a netbook that doesn’t require a proprietary battery. Send it my way…
Count me in
Great for camping!
Would make me a very happy camper!
looked quit cool!! want one…
Bingo!
Haha omg.
Very cool
Please pick me!! thanks
Neat. Count me in.
Wow! First time to read a computer that runs on AA batteries. I could finally have a dedicated Internet computer with this device.
AA+!
Count me in for this…. I am keeping my fingers crossed for this. 🙂
weight of this unit?
Would love to take it for a spin, count me in!
I, too, thought the battery idea was great, the modularity even better – but only if they would issues new modules. Time has show that they don’t. Too bad. I’ll give it to the neighbor kids. (if I win, which I doubt.)
It’s like the matrix
Cool, Count me in.
Might get one even if I don’t win.
Another one for Ghana
Looks cool.
It runs on batteries? I have those!
It’s so cute! I’d love to have one.
Neat idea with the AA batteries, but what does that puppy weigh?
Do they still make tham and what is the price point?
me me please.thank you.
computer running on AA batteries, so cool
Well, here it goes…
Looks interesting to me!
I’ve never wanted something so bad as this unit, count me in!
Thanks for the give aways 🙂
I think Robots stole my luggage…..
Please enter me in the give away. Retired on social security this hits my target price point – free
This is a sweet giveaway.
count me in
So cool!
That looks like a ton of fun to tinker with!
That’s quite a reliable piece of notebook. It qould be great to have it. P.s. i’ll pay shipping cost!
Bring on the Norhtec 🙂
I would love to have to take along to Ghana where it would be very useful if there is a power shortage.
Ah, what the hell. I’m in too.
Cool idea. Shame they abandoned it.
This looks perfect for tinkering. Then I can pass my current tester on to my wife or son…
In.
would love to win it
What an interesting device. I could let my kids use this for learning.
I kept waiting for an improved version of this unit to enter the scene, since I love the idea of using AA batteries for power.
My 5th grader uses Google Docs at school. This would be a fine machine for him to do his work at home. Maybe ChromeOS will work on this box.
Always had my eye on this little guy. Too bad they never developed it into a viable product.
This thing will strike up conversation, I like it. It has a cheap cool factor to it. Let me win!!
Which way to the beach.
Very cool. Love the “modularity” and battery option.
Id love this little netbook
Love the stock batteries and hack-ability. Would love to see this under the Xmas tree.
This would be a great machine for a low budget college student I am related to. Put me on the giveaway list please. 🙂
This is one of the most quirky laptops I have seen in a while. should be a blast to mess with!
Funny enough, I’ve got a spare 40gb laptop drive laying around I could pop in, get a decent Linux flavor up and running, and then donate to my local community center.
This sounds like a fun tinkerer laptop.
Very cool!
Sounds alright
I wonder if rechargeable AAs work with this..
Huh, interesting
that computer would certaintly fun to tinker with, if it does not work out i will donate it to one of my customers kids who would need it more than me for xmas or new years
Wow, for once, a laptop that doesn’t rely on proprietary batteries. They should build more of these.
Oooo that would be fun to play with!
My first tinkering was with a Commodore 64 – that’s 64K for non-history buffs – so playing with any minicomputer would be a blast. Retiring after a career stuck with Microsoft, it would be fun to play with any other OS.,,
This would be a nice way to check out Linux distributions.
would love to win it 🙂
I want to win!
hello, please santa !
sure, why not
Count me in please.
A laptop that runs on AA batteries, YES PLEASE!!! I will load slitaz and use it every day.
Neat! I had an old Apple 1400cs I converted to run off rechargeable AA batteries. Too bad about the lack of CPU upgrades.
This is a device I find intriguing. Count me in!
Please count me in.
Looks like a fun challenge. Count me in. Thanks.
Wow, I remember when you reviewed that thing originally.
You can count me in.
The AA batteries seem like they may be more cumbersome than helpful.
very cool with the aa
This would be fun to tinker with!
Please! 😉
yes please
I’m in.
I love oddball quirky computers… I want this!
OK. Here I am. Batteries? Hmm. . .
Im in..
Looks like a fun toy!
I’m in.
I’m not an american, so I hate you all 🙂
I always learn something new when I tinker.
This unit would be great to have for our non-profit to use for accounting. Did it have the XP OS on it that comes with it too? There should be a new CPU out in the early part of next year… don’t know if that release will be plug-in-compatible with this older unit?
add me to the drawing
Blast from the past
Looks like fun to play with.
They should do this with more computers
This is so awesome! count me in
Add me to the list. So retro.
Like the common battery solution – saves the day in out of the way places.
I have GOT to try this out!
Nice Gecko!
Hot dog.
As it turns out they did in fact release a upgrade module. It was a little over a year ago iirc.
I like tinkering.
I am in
Sure why not.
Such a novel computer, really want to play with it.
I see lots of costco packs of batteries in my future!
In for one… Thanks!
Yes please thank you!
This is a comment.
Let’s do this thang!