Quicktop instant-on operating systems for green ICT

Splashtop, BlackTop and Windows PE are cut down operating systems being used to provide quick access to a few frequently used applications on desktop and laptop computers. The could be a much more energy efficient computers. The idea is that you can quickly browse the web, play a video or check your email without having to wait for the main operating system to boot. On some laptops, such as Dell's, a separate low power processor is used, which greatly increases battery life. If such applications prove popular, then the main computer and operating system could be left unused most of the time.

It may seem bizarre to have a computer with a powerful processor and hard disk left unused, but is much the same as is done with high performance motor vehicles. The four wheel drive mechanisms of most four wheel drive vehicles are not used, as they drive on sealed roads. However, the drivers still value the availability of the system. Similarly some car makers have introduced systems for shutting down cylinders in car engines, so for example an eight cylinder engine operates as a three cylinder engine. It would make far more financial and environmental sense to simply buy a two wheel drive car, with a small engine (my car has a 1 litre three cylinder engine for example). Buying an off road vehicle with a large engine and then drive it on suburban streets makes not practical sense. However, people still buy these vehicles and use them. So it the manufacturers try to make them as efficient as possible. In the same way it may make sense to provide notebook and desktop computers with instant on operating systems and processors, which are what is used most of the time.

It may be feasible to retrofit desktop computers with low power instant on functionality. This would consist of a small nettop PC which was inserted between the peripherals and the main PC. The screen, keyboard, mouse, printer and other devices would be plugged into the nettop and then than would be plugged into the main computer. Most of the time the user would be interacting with the nettop computer and operating system. On those rare occasions when they wanted to do something it was not capable of, the nettop would start up the main computer. In reality this would hardly ever happen. Also, of course, it would make more sense to use a shared central virtual computer, not have one on every desk. But in many cases it is not possible to convince the user, or their ICT staff to give up the desktop PC.

For offices, one workable arrangement might be to build the nettop computer into a VoIP telephone handset. This would then have perhiperals, inlcuding a screen, keyboard and mouse plugged into it. An optional desktop computer could also be connected.

iPhone Netbook

According to Register Hardware, "OLO promises Foleo-style iPhone-Air laptop combo" (Tony Smith, 13th October 2008 10:50 GMT), company OLO is promising a netbook small notebook computer into which an iPhone fits. They are skeptical as to if this is a real product. It has some appeal. What might make more sense is a desktop iPhone PC.

Some months ago I went into the new Apple Store in Sydney and asked if I could plug a keyboard and screen into an iPhone, to make it a desktop computer. The staff looked at me sceptically and said they thought not. After some hunting around they found there was an adaptor for plugging an iPhone into a large screen. The iPhone also has a USB port and this should just need extra software to support a keyboard and mouse. What this would make possible is for that you could plug your iPhone into a charging cradle and then use it as a desktop computer with a large screen and keyboard. However, this would be hampered by the iPhone's limited memory and processing capacity. What might make more sense would be a low power low cost nettop computer which the iPhone would be plugged into.

A netbook could be similarly designed to slot in an iPhone, but it is not clear what advantage this would have. The netbook will have little extra battery power to recharge the iPhone and the iPhone touch screen will be little better than a netbook's pad. You might as well save all the trouble of a new mechanical design and link them with wireless.

Nettops the new desktop PC?

Intel have released a Dual-Core version of its Atom Processor and computer makers have started releasing small low power low cost desktop PCs based on it. Such devices already existed with Via processors, such as the Zonbu. AMD are following with their AMD UVC processors. But Intel's name will do most to popularise such products. Just as there has been a flood of small low cost "Netbook" notebook computers, I expect we will see a flood of small low cost Nettop desktop computers within a few months. These may replace most sales of desktop PCs within a year.

If you have fast Internet connection for access to storage and net applications and are not trying to do anything needing a lot of power (such as video editing or video games), then a Nettop should be more than adequate as a home or office computer. However, users may be less forgiving of a limited function and performance desktop PC, than they are a tiny notebook. When using a notebook you can see the advantage in portability, traded off for performance and storage. But a Nettop is going to look just like any other desktop computer (apart from the tiny little processor box).

Apart from low cost, one of the advantages of the Nettop/Netbook computers is low power use. But the Intel Atom 330 uses 8 watts, whereas the single core units consume 2.5 watts. Also the larger chip will cost more.

There are likely to be at least two types of desktop computer built from these chips: the lower power chips will be used for Thin Client computers, running little more than a web browser. These will need the Internet for their storage and applications. Higher power units will be able to run more applications locally and have local storage.

Which type of computer becomes popular will be decided by the customer and the result may not necessarily be rational. Just as people buy more expensive off road four wheel drive vehicles, but never take them off road, they may select more expensive PCs which can operate away from the net, but never do so. This already happens with many corporate computer purchases. Over-optioned PCs with accessories such as DVD ROM drives and capable of running extensive software are purchased, but the corporate IT staff then spend their time trying to stop many of the features being used for security reasons. It would make more sense to buy cheap and secure Thin Client computers, but staff prefer the illusion of independence.