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July 25, 2008

CherryPal, the modern thin client computer

The CherryPal C100 desktop is dead simple to set up and boots in 20 seconds. Users just enter a username and password to access the CherryPalCloud, which offers an incredibly easy, intuitive interface. CherryPal has no exposed operating system, so all application and functions are managed solely by a Firefox-based browser.

CherryPal, the modern thin client computer
Jul 21, 2008 19:47

As they all say: "When it rains, it pours." Low-cost computers are all over, we have the UMPCs, the Netbooks, and now a thin client computer called CherryPal Desktop. I took the liberty of visiting its Web site (www.cherrypal.com) and this is what I found about the company:

"CherryPal was founded by German-born tech entrepreneur Max Seybold in 2007. Seybold envisioned a new computer that would be affordable and would not suffer from the viruses and constant hardware maintenance that plague traditional PCs. His idea was to develop a low-cost, energy-efficient, easy-to-use computer that takes advantage of existing Web 2.0 technology. CherryPal formed a partnership with chip manufacturer Freescale Semiconductors and rethought what was needed to create a high-performance computing environment. By starting from the ground up, they were able to strip out the inefficiencies associated with traditional PCs to produce Seybold's dream of a small, fast, affordable and energy-efficient computer.

With offices in Silicon Valley, the UK, and Hong Kong, CherryPal's team includes leading software developers and computer engineers from around the world.

The company claims that the CherryPal Desktop is the most affordable, easiest-to-use and greenest desktop computer available. Price is US$299 (13,455 peso).

CherryPal is the greenest and most affordable
The CherryPal desktop consumes just 2 watts of power, compared to the 114 watts of power used by the average desktop machine, delivering a 98 percent decrease in energy consumption. In addition, it also uses 80 percent fewer components, dramatically reducing the amount of resources it takes to manufacture a PC. And because there are no moving parts, the CherryPal desktop can last a decade or longer, eliminating the need to replace a computer every two to three years.

CherryPal is the easiest PC to use
The CherryPal C100 desktop is dead simple to set up and boots in 20 seconds. Users just enter a username and password to access the CherryPalCloud, which offers an incredibly easy, intuitive interface. CherryPal has no exposed operating system, so all application and functions are managed solely by a Firefox-based browser. CherryPal does all operation system and application upgrading and installation, meaning there is no maintenance required. Because there are no moving parts, there is little possibility of hardware failure. CherryPal also offers a free 24/7 helpline.

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 bootup.

CherryPal software
CherryPal's operating system is based on a version of open-source Debian/GNU Linux that has been highly customized; the browser is based on a version of open-source Firefox. The CherryPal's browser supports all major browser plug-ins including Adobe Flash 9. CherryPal is using a 400MHz Freescale processor and runs Linux (Debian) and a Web browser.

I would love to see this in the Philippines, or maybe I can get one if and when my trip to Hong Kong pushes through. For now, maybe I can ask my fellow blogger Victor Cheung to give us additional insight on this CherryPal Desktop.

source link -- CherryPal, the modern thin client computer - CNET Asia Blogs: InfoChat by Jerry Liao, Philippines

Posted by staff at July 25, 2008 01:43 PM

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