What's the Smallest Computer that Runs Linux?

More and more Linux-powered Ultra-Mobile PCs are appearing out of nowhere. I think it started with the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) which is merely 1.45KG in weight and have an approximate dimensions of 242mm x 228mm x 32mm. Then there's the ever popular ASUS Eee PC with light as a feather weight of 895g. The list is getting longer and longer already. If you think that these new breed of ultra-portables are the smallest computers in the world that are running Linux, then you have to read on.

Meet Picotux, considered as the smallest Linux computer on earth. Actually, there are more than a few kinds of Picotux available, but the main one is the picotux 100. It is 35mm x 19mm x 19mm and just barely larger than a RJ45 connector. Two communication interfaces are provided, 10/100 Mbit/s half/full duplex Ethernet and a serial port with up to 230.400 bit/s. Five additional lines can be used for either general input/output or serial handshaking.


The Picotux 100 operates a 55 MHz 32-bit ARM7 Netsilicon NS7520 processor, with 2 MB of Flash Memory (750 KB of which contains the OS) and 8 MB SDRAM Memory. The operating system is uClinux 2.4.27 Big Endian. BusyBox 1.0 is used as main shell. The Picotux system runs at 250 mA only and 3.3 V +/- 5%.


For more details on Picotux, visit their website at www.picotux.com.