More interesting info from http://www.cherrypal.com/GreenOpenFair/2009/12/19/the-open-secret-behind-the-cherrypal-africa-or-a-brand-is-a-promise-or-understatement-by-design/ to clear the confusion:

"...we buy access inventory, overcapacity, out-of-fashion shells, shells with minor cosmetic flaws, discounted limited batches, and other high quality though discounted components and systems, package them up and sell them under the Cherrypal Africa brand. Bear with me. What this means is that 5 randomly selected people ordering a Cherrypal Africa on any given day theoretically might get 5 different systems, with different configurations. [...] We soft-launched the Cherrypal Africa in November and started shipping early December. So far we got nothing but positive feedback from admittedly surprised customers. What we promised was a 7″ laptop, 400 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 2GM storage, and what we shipped were 10.2 inch, 1.6 GHz, 160 GB (new) laptops. A mistake? No, we call it understatement by design. [...] The Cherrypal brand promise is that you get at least or more of what we promise. So when we promise that you get a laptop with a 400 MHz processor it doesn't mean you actually get one. When we promise that you get Windows CE it doesn't mean that you get one either. Most likely you get much more. What we post in our online catalog as product description are minimum technology characteristics. In other words we "meet or beat" the Cherrypal Open Store online catalog promise."

And regarding the MIPS vs. ARM discussion:

"In order to avoid any confusion, do we use XBurst processors for the Africa, yes we do, do we use ARM processors, yes we do, do we use Intel processors, yes we do, we use any proven components as long as they are inexpensive, high quality, and meet or beat our promised online product specifications, and last but not least, allow us to manufacture low energy consuming systems."

So in conclusion, the Cherrypal Africa's tech specs can be just about everything. If you order one, you can't be sure if you get MIPS, ARM or x86 beforehand. Maybe they'll even ship MPC5121e based LimeBooks as Africas. They meet the Africa's minimum spec at least ;-)

The same type of generic sub-netbook are flying out on eBay atm for like same price

Nothing special unless it was MobileGT or PPC unless use wished to run linux on it.

7" 266-400mhz 2g-4g ssd etc

> unless it was MobileGT or PPC

MobileGT is the MPC51xx and MPC52xx kinds of PPC.

Quote:

Imagine making drivers and system software that runs on an indeterminate amount of different configurations, changing daily. Really, this Max Seybold is incredible. He takes advantage of the general igonrance people have about computers, making all "oh so easy", in order to make a business out of it. Topping it off with the "computers for poor people" (which, in itself, is VERY questionable) that's a trend nowadays. Sick.

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 25.04.2011 - 07:31 ]

Are you sure you are not in Seybold's payroll?

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 25.04.2011 - 07:32 ]

Quote:

Sorry to hear that. My comment is not an insult. I could react the same, and feel harmed by your response, but I won't.

Quote:

I won't. But yes, it can be considered lousy. Not false, because it's not an affirmation.

Quote:

It's a pity, because I've enjoyed very much your comments elsewhere in this site. I'll live with that.
I feel frustration coming out of you, am I wrong again?

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 20.04.2011 - 06:41 ]

Velcro, could he have been speaking sarcastically? I don't think there's a personal insult intended here, but I could be wrong.

Didn't mean to start a war here, I was just curious about the hows and whys of the Cherrypal Africa net book, which seems a good idea.

btw, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

Insightful interview with Seybold:

http://www.teleread.org/2009/12/24/cherrypals-max-seybold-talks-africa/

Thanks for picking that up Andreas. Max never ceases to amaze us. Have a look:

Cornell - Base of the Pyramid

It was a great project actually funded through USAID and the US State Department.

Let's just say we are working on the updated version of the plan now...

R&B

Quote:

I don't mean to sound negative, but these guys tend to forget that it's not the computer that provides access to the internet but the telecom infrastructure. And the situation in Africa isn't that great about internet infrastructures. Most of them are owned by ex-colonial western countries or dependant from them, and until the africans get full control of their own ressources and make it available for the masses i only see these attempts as pretty vain.
It's a very difficult market as it's mostly political before being commercial.

People there don't need netbooks, they need infrastructures first. And at the moment they are being developped by the chinese...

:-D

You are exactly correct. Maybe, we will write about this someday...

Agenda
China in Africa Today Seminar
6-7 March 2007

Tuesday 6 March

07:30-08:00 Participants in process at conference facility/light refreshments available

08:00-08:05 Opening remarks (Maj Gen Craig Koziol, JIOWC Commander)

08:05-08:30 China in Africa Today (Maj Gen Remkes, ECJ5/8)

08:30-08:45 Introduction/Admin (Lt Col Eric Brown, JIOWC)

08:45-08:55 Seminar Strategy and Process (Mr John Rendon)

08:55-09:10 Break

09:10-10:00 China's Strategy in Africa (Dr Peter Pham, Director, Nelson Institute)

10:00-10:30 China's Strategy in Africa: The Internal Perspective (Mr Joseph Lin, Associate Editor, Jamestown Foundation)

10:30-11:00 US Policy in Africa (Ms Claudia Anyaso, Director of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs, DoS)

11:00-11:30 EUCOM Africa Strategy (Maj Gen Remkes, ECJ5 J5/8)

11:30-13:00 LUNCH/Administration

13:00-13:30 Why are African Governments attracted to China's regional efforts? (Ambassador Robert Gribbin)

13:30-16:30 Group Discussions: Strengths and Weakness of China/US Approaches in Africa (Mr John Rendon)

13:30-14:45 Topic: Resource development and trade (Discussion leader: Dr Douglas Yates, American University of Paris)

14:45-15:15 Break

15:15-16:30 Topic: Infrastructure development and economic aid (Discussion leader: Mr Bill Buck and Ms Raquel Velasco, Genesi)

16:30-17:00 DAILY WRAP-UP

17:30-20:00 Reception/Dinner (Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine)

....


R&B


[ Edited by Genesi on 2009/12/26 23:57 ]

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 20.04.2011 - 06:35 ]

I seems to me that statements in this thread have been made in the extreme in both directions and the truth lies somewhere in the middle, just as it usually is when any discussion becomes too passionate, or heated and emotions get involved.

I hope cooler heads can prevail and the tension can be lowered here as the negative emotions toward each other only hurt the value of the discussions on these forums and there is already too much arguing and even hatred on too many websites today.

Can't we all (including myself) make more of an effort to discuss differing opinions in a more civilized manner and also make an effort to make this World a better place to live in?

Quote:

and you seriously think that the chinese will let Cherrypal using the infrastructures ? well maybe...but not before they had put a chinese netbook into every african hand : )

The effort must be global when it comes to Africa, selling cheap gadgets is not enough. You must think infrastructure + device + service. Otherwise you'd better sell unbrellas in the desert

> not before they had put a chinese netbook into every african hand : )

Funny thing is that the Cherrypal Africa netbooks which are MIPS/XBurst based *are* of Chinese production :-) Maybe (some of) the ARM or x86 based ones as well.

> Insightful interview with Seybold:
> http://www.teleread.org/2009/12/24/cherrypals-max-seybold-talks-africa/

Updates:
(1) http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:www.teleread.org/2009/12/29/cherrypal-orders-any-delays/
(2) http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:www.teleread.org/2009/12/29/cherrypals-max-seybold-econo-laptops-set-to-arrive-in-two-weeks-of-date-of-order/
(3) http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:www.teleread.org/2009/12/31/cherrypal-shipping-status-update/
(4) http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:www.teleread.org/2010/01/06/cherrypals-max-seybold-responds-to-order-cancellation-and-other-concerns/

Edit:
Made all links refer to Google cache because articles were taken offline. Probable reason:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=745937#post745937

Edit #2:
Clarification from TeleRead:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=746819#post746819


[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf on 2010/1/19 6:36 ]
[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf on 2010/1/19 12:16 ]

Hilarious. Wonder what Max Seybold will do next time. Fortunately for him, the world is full of lamers who consistently fall into his fashionably labelled scams: First, "save the world with the two watt computer" (which was based on a real product), then "save your pocket with the hundred dollar laptop". Ignorance is to blame, not him.

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 20.04.2011 - 06:42 ]

> Seybold claims that Cherrypal prioritized deliveries to poor countries, and we can't
> necessarily expect those recipients to jump on blogs and report back

I think they could put their new gadget in good use by doing so ;-)

> There were people a year or so ago who said the original Cherrypal nettop was vapor and
> just conception drawings created by computer graphics people, and that wasn't true.

There were also people who claimed that for the price of a Cherrypal Bing alone both a C114 and a Bing would be delivered, and that wasn't true. Nobody got a Bing back then, not even separately.
And there were people who told tales about some mysterious cloud being established, which led some other people into buying Cherrypal's product. Remarkably, there's no such cloud up to now.
And there are people who claim that the Green Maraschino Cloud will go online ("again", as they falsely claim) no later than 6 weeks from now. We'll see if that holds true this time.

> there are people who claim that the Green Maraschino Cloud will go online ("again", as
> they falsely claim) no later than 6 weeks from now. We'll see if that holds true this time.

Did it?

> Edit:
> Made all links refer to Google cache because articles were taken offline. Probable reason:
> http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=745937#post745937
>
> Edit #2:
> Clarification from TeleRead:
> http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=746819#post746819

Seybold's own stance on this:

"I made myself available to bloggers of relatively unknown sites as well. When I turned down their request to provide free review units the tone of their coverage became obviously hostile. In one case I had to send a cease and desist warning since the accusations were without any substance and didn't represent in any way what I had mentioned in interviews."
Source: Cherrypal blog entry from a week ago

If you want to know about Cherrypal's "underwear crisis" then have a full read ;-)

Further insightful finds:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/eng/1663805096.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mar/1685012708.html

That blog entry's FIRST phrase:

"Cherrypal is probably the only major laptop vendor being accused of scam"

What does "probable" refer to? To the scam accusation, or to considering themselves a MAJOR vendor!?