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Gdium Liberty netbook uses USB key for a hard drive

Daniel Fleshbourne   via PCWorld on 09 January 2009 - 09:45 · 5 comments & 3598 views

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Here's a netbook with a twist: Emtec's 10-inch Gdium Liberty has no hard drive. Instead, it will ship with a bootable USB storage stick (dubbed the G-Key) that runs Mandriva G-Linux and has over 50 open-source applications pre-installed: including OpenOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird and Spam Assassin.

The novel concept would allow it to be shared amongst users (say, a family) who's individual G-Key's store their own files and preferences. G-Key capacities will initially be 8, 16 and 32GB when the Liberty goes on sale around April, starting at about $400. While a 64GB G-Key is also on the cards, the Liberty's built-in SDHC card reader and three USB 2.0 ports also help with storage expansion.

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(1 reply) #1 ThaCrip on 09 Jan 2009 - 11:26
could be good if windows can be installed to it
#1.1 neoraptor on 09 Jan 2009 - 12:49
a bit senseless usb is too slow for os(especially windows) storage. Also for that kind of cache you can get some netbook with ssd.
#2 shhac on 09 Jan 2009 - 16:25
This doesn't say if it is going to be a Live USB or the full Mandriva G installed as if the USB is really an internal HDD..

neoraptor said,
a bit senseless usb is too slow for os(especially windows) storage.
You've obviously never used Linux from a USB. After its loaded the necessary bits into the ram it is hardly different from using a hard drive.
(1 reply) #3 Corky842 on 10 Jan 2009 - 17:38
They've never heard of user accounts?
#3.1 SharpGreen on 11 Jan 2009 - 18:09
I'm sure they have, but if its a bootable USB drive, then you could take it to any computer and boot from it having all your apps and settings right there.

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