Netbook runs Ubuntu

By Jonathan Angel
2009-08-18

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Denver-based System76 is selling a netbook that includes preinstalled Ubuntu 9.04. The Starling includes a 10-inch display, the usual Intel Atom N270 CPU, a 160GB hard disk drive, and a six-cell battery, the company says.

Linux is offered on too few netbooks, and often gets relegated to low-end models with miniscule SSDs (solid-state disks). Like the recently released ZaReason Terra A20, however, System76's new Starling offers preinstalled Ubuntu 9.04 on a netbook that's as full-featured as most others.

System76's Starling
(Click to enlarge)

The Starling, presumably yet again the product of an unnamed Taiwanese OEM, provides typical netbook ingredients, including the Intel Atom N270 and the usual 945GSE (945GCSE northbridge and 82801GBM southbridge) chipset and either 1GB or 2GB of DDR2 RAM. Storage is courtesy of a 160GB hard disk drive that spins at 5400rpm, System76 says.

Equipped with a 10-inch display, the Starling has 802.11b/g wireless networking, an Ethernet port, three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, and headphone and microphone outputs, according to System76. It also features an SD card slot and a VGA-resolution webcam.

According to System76, the Starling comes with a six-cell battery, though we didn't see a claim as to how long this will last.

Features and specifications listed by System76 for the Starling include the following:

Processor -- Intel Atom N270 clocked at 1.6GHz
Display -- 10-inch screen with resolution of 1024 x 576 pixels
Camera -- VGA-resolution webcam
Memory -- 1GB or 2GB of DDR2 RAM
Storage -- 160GB, 5400rpm hard disk drive
Networking:
- LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet port
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
Other I/O:
- 3 x USB 2.0
- 1 x VGA
- Headphone and microphone outputs
Expansion -- SD card reader
Battery -- Six-cell, lithium-ion
Dimensions -- 10.4 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches
Weight -- 2.6 pounds

Availability

According to System76, the Starling is available now, priced at approximately $360 for a 2GB/160GB configuration. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

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