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Norhtec’s second generation Gecko EduBook is in pre-introduction stage and is slated to release in July for under $200. The EduBook is the first netbook to use rechargeable AA batteries! Hold your horses, the netbook is ideal for use in developing countries and you will find it caters more towards schools in Africa and India than for your personal use. Still interested? Read on!

Rating – 6/7
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Top Features

Norhtec’s first generation 7” netbook raised eyebrows when it released ay $300 but was unable to leave a mark on the market. The second generation Gecko is larger at 8.9″, is targeting a different audience and looks extremely promising.

You’ll find that a lot of the features are ideal for third world countries. Norhtec has expressed interest in eventually releasing a slightly higher priced version to impress users in the US (including features such as 16 hour battery life and a 10” version).

• Rechargeable AA batteries – the Gecko promises a battery life of 4 hours on 8 batteries, and 6 hours on lithium ion batteries. Spare batteries are easy to carry around, and much cheaper to replace than the typical $100 per proprietary batteries.
• No bulky power charger! – all you need is an AC cable to power this baby. The adapter is built into the netbook. The cable also recharges the battery. One word: portable.
• Easily reconfigured – the Gecko uses a tiny all in one chip with internal slots, making it extremely easy to upgrade RAM and storage capacity.  It is also extremely customizable and you can choose what type of connectivity you need for it (3G, Bluetooth, WiFi etc.)
• No fan – there are no moving parts in this netbook. Without the fan, the Gecko is quiet, uses less power and doesn’t let dirt inside (very huge plus for third world countries!)
• Cheap! –The $200 version comes with RAM, 8GB storage, batteries and has Linux pre-installed. Norhtec expects to sell it in bulk at $150. Buying in bulk will result in low shipping costs. Institutions will also benefit from buying batteries in bulk.
• X86 compatible – While the processor can’t support heavy computing, it is X86 compatible and can support Windows XP and applications such as Skype and Java. The chip is reason the netbook has such low power consumption – it’s the most power efficient 1GHz chip available, using only 1.2 watts.

Drawbacks

• Weak processor and graphics – Primarily for light computing
• Looks cheap – Norhtec claims that the release version will look more sturdy than the current version which is being showed off at trade shows

Rating – 6/7

• Value for Money  – 1
• Speed and Performance – 0.4
• Screen – 0.8
• Keyboard – 0.8
• Portability & Battery Life – 1
• Looks and Design – 0.5
• Extensibility & connectivity –0.5
• *Bonus Point – for using rechargeable batteries and for getting rid of the bulky power adaptor

Specs

• Processor – 1GHz Xcore86
• Operating System – Linux/Ubuntu (can also run Windows XP)
• Memory – 256MB / 512MB / 1GB DDR2
• Storage – internal SD Card, has space for a 2.5” hard disk
• Display – 8.9” screen (1024 x 600)
• Connectivity – Ethernet. Optional WiFi, GPRS, Edge, 3G, 3.5G, EDVO etc.
• External ports – 3 USB ports, VGA port, SD socket
• Battery – 8 batteries, 4 -6 hours depending on type  (supports rechargeable batteries, Li-3S2P or LI-3S)
• Power – no external adapter, just a power cable
• Weight –  (no information)

The Bottom Line

The Gecko EduBook is a great buy for schools in developing countries, especially for bulk orders. If you travel a lot and intend to use a netbook for light computing, the Gecko will probably be the cheapest option available. I’d wait to see what kind of options they offer for the US/European markets.

via Norhtec, and comments section of the Engadget review and this Gecko EduBook video -

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