Is that a penguin in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Do I really need to tell an Ars Technica reader why a Linux computer that can fit in one's pocket would be so cool? Probably not. These machines are the ultimate in small form factor, trading power and performance for size, portability and convenience. The navigation of this tradeoff is of paramount concern: give up too much power, and the device is useless; too little, and it'll be inconveniently large. I've taken a look at how two products, The BlackDog Pocket Linux Server and the Waysmall 200BT, navigate these treacherous waters.

My primary question is simply whether the devices are useful. Any schmuck can put together a gizmo with nice packaging and pretty lights in a small form factor and charge US$200 for it. Do these devices transcend gimmicky geek gadget status? The target market for each of these devices seems to be Linux enthusiasts of one sort or another. Given that they're trying to make money off folks that are technically adept, these tools need to provide features that would both be useful for a geek/programmer/sysadmin, and aren't easily replicable with some instructions off Make.

I'm going to assume anyone interested in these gadgets is comfortable with a *nix command line. The BlackDog tends to be a little more user friendly and snazzy, while the Waysmall is intended for someone who's not only comfortable on the command line, but also comfortable compiling and programming C.

I'd like to take a moment to thank Realm Systems and Gumstix for being enormously helpful in getting me units for review. Nice, helpful, intelligent folk are hard to come by these days.

And now, on to the candidates

Gumstix Waysmall 200BT

Gumstix Waysmall 200BT

Manufacturer: Gumstix (product page)

MSRP: US$174.00

Gumstix Inc. is named after a piece of gum for one very simple reason: they make computers that are the size of sticks of gum. This is not hyperbole:



These cards are so small that space-time is warped around them,

seeming not unlike the effect of a wide-angle lens.

This is the Gumstix Connex 200 and the netMMC daughter card. These provide pretty similar functionality to the unit I'm actually reviewing, but without the luxurious white case we'll see in a moment. The Connex snaps into the daughter card, which provides the Connex with an ethernet connection and an MMC slot (on the bottom). Like Voltron, except without lasers or '80s kitsch value.



Battle mode.

There are lots of daughter cards available from Gumstix, including one that provides audio. This modular design approach is both convenient and easy on your wallet, since the add-on cards cost less than US$40 and can be paired with any compatible mainboard, allowing you to swap features in and out depending on your need. Additionally, there's Gumstix's Robostix which seems to be more suited for custom electronics projects, providing easy-to-solder headers on the board. Enough about the other products, let's see the one I'm actually reviewing.

Contestant #1

The Waysmall 200BT is very similar to the Connex 200 above. The difference is that it's based on the slightly different Basix board, has Bluetooth, USB, MMC, and RS-232, and that it comes in a white case. The Connex offers more flexibility than the Waysmall, both in its choices of daughter cards, and in its packaging. The Waysmall, on the other hand, provides a complete package out of the box. Getting up and running with a Waysmall took under half and hour, and its variety of connectivity options mean that it should be able to function in a variety of roles. The Waysmall really tries to be a pocket computer, whereas the Connex and (even moreso) the Robostix, are intended for more specialized applications.

Without further ado, behold a table containing the Waysmall's stats:

Processor Intel XScale PXA255 200MHz Memory 64MB SDRAM Flash storage 4MB Power requirements 3.4-5.2V Dimensions 83mm x 36mm x 15mm Operating system Custom Linux, kernel 2.6.11

Price US$174



Nice case. Nice case to die in!

Despite its prepackaged nature, the waysmall is not entirely inflexible. The case is easily removable, revealing a mainboard and daughter card that could be replaced with another, though the case wouldn't fit any more. If you're intending to futz with the Waysmall's hardware, you may as well just buy a Connex main board, a daughter card, and a case separately.



the bluetooth and MMC are on the main board, while power,

serial and USB are provided by the daughter card

Now that everyone's met each other, let's get down to business...