2 PCs In One: CUPP Showcases ARM Module For Notebooks

CUPP Computing has come up with an idea how to dramatically increase the time available for web surfing time on a PC.

Simply replace a mobile hard drive with a 2.5-inch module, which integrates a TI 1 GHz OMAP DM3730 processor, 512 MB memory, a W-Fi chip as well as two interfaces for SD card slots. There is also a Mini PCIe connect to an SSD, which can be used to boot the notebook. According to the manufacturer CUPP Computing, the "Punk This" module enables users to achieve web surfing times of about 20 hours - and up to 40 hours with a low-power PixelQi screen.

The technology is also available with a desktop enclosure to be used as a media center, terminal or general connected device to provide web connectivity with low power consumption. The manufacturer includes Ubuntu Linux and Android 2.3 as operating system environments. The price for an individual module is promised to be less than $200 when the hardware is expected to become available later this year.

While we find a simple swap of hard drive and the Punk This module particularly enticing, the manufacturer is clearly heading down the OEM route where users can choose to use their notebook in a higher-performance x86 mode or as a simple web-browsing device. The integrated OS environment is provided as an "open platform" to give users the ability to modify their OS and its functionality.