[Arm-netbook] Fwd: Re: Ya Nanonote

[Alexander Stephen Thomas Ross]

On 27/02/13 19:47, luke.leighton wrote:
> On Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 4:11 PM, Scott Sullivan <scott at ss.org> wrote:
>
>> The EOMA-CF variant is meant for space critical devices
>
>   yes.
>
>> and is different
>> from the EOMA-68 which is the primary focus.
>
>   hence why i'm doing these two CPU cards first.  space is veery tight,
> so it's pretty much going to need a complete custom casework
> design.... per CPU.  that's about $10k just for the casework.
>
>> I don't think we've heard of anyone targeting the CF variant yet, hence
>> why it's being advocated for such a small device like the Nanonote.
>
>   i see no reason why a tiny laptop using EOMA68 should not be made.
> it'd have to be about 20mm thick, but could easily be something like
> 95 x 70mm.
>
>   screen: 3.5mm, PCMCIA holder: 6mm.  PCB: 2mm.  case back: 1.5mm
> keyboard: 2mm.  case top: 1.5mm.  components: 2mm max height.
> battery: 3mm.  comes to 21mm - ok, maybe pushing it.
>
> l.

Werner (One of the top people.) thoughts:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Ya Nanonote
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:47:11 -0300
From: Werner Almesberger <werner at almesberger.net>
Reply-To: English Qi Hardware mailing list - support, developers, use 
cases and fun <discussion at lists.en.qi-hardware.com>
To: English Qi Hardware mailing list - support, developers, use cases 
and fun <discussion at lists.en.qi-hardware.com>

Alexander Stephen Thomas Ross wrote:
 > Make it future proof by using the smaller rhombus-tech.net EOMA-CF
 > compact flash sized card.

Short of building it out of very large chunks of rock, there's
nothing future-proof :-)

I think EOMA/CF and a device like the Nanonote go in different
directions. EOMA/CF looks like a good choice for people who don't
want to mess with highly integrated electronics, who have only
a small number of peripherals, and who don't need a high degree
of customization.

For example, if you're making a robot and just need a "brain" for
connectivity and to talk to your power electronics, EOMA/CF could
be a good choice, since it would come completely built and tested.

However, a system like the Nanonote is designed around the SoC,
and the circuit is arranged to fit a non-trivial mechanical design.

The EOMA/CF module would not be a good fit in that regard:

- there are very few I/Os, barely enough for a keyboard,
- has interfaces useless for such a device (SATA, Ethernet, etc.),
- lacks essential ones like audio or MMC,
- the LVDS interface doesn't look as if it could talk directly to
   a low-cost LCM,
- with everything being in one block, layout is very constrained,
- and there are several connectors integrated in that module, so
   you'd also heavily constrain their placement, the placement of
   the module, and get worse overall mechanical characteristics.

For anyone building a Nanonote-class device, a potential reuse of
the EOMA work could be the electrical design and of course the
drivers, though. EOMA could be a good base for that also because
it shares similar goals for driver openness.

- Werner