[Power] Quick notes re the XO-1.75, 15w solar panel, 12.1.0

[Nicholas]

Hello everyone,

Cross-posting, apologies in advance if unwanted..

OK, great distro 12.1.0, feels solid and reliable on the 1.75. Just a
couple of things, "browse" has a contextual menu which states you can
open a link in a new window when right-clicking, this doesn't work.
New tab would be more useful here IMO anyway. As mentioned before on
the olpc-nz list, there is a small problem with the formatting of the
wikipedia application.

I've been using the XO-1.75 from solar power only. Not intensively but
it works well and this is probably first laptop that has been designed
to run from solar power (15w panel) only. It will do this easily from
my informal tests (haven't run it from AC at all). The 12.1.0 on
XO-1.75 is extremely power friendly, generally at or under 300000uA at
6.5v or under 2w while running. This concurs with an Ubuntu running
Tegra which is a dual core Arm based cpu which runs 2.7w which is
about what I got when the 1.75 was running flat-tack. My own
rule-of-thumb with solar devices (everything I own runs off solar) is
that you need to be able to charge the thing faster than you can use
it and the XO-1.75 certainly does this.

The prototype solar panel has become rather concave from being in the
sun with minimal use.
Personally, I think it needs dimensionally-stable backing, such as
composite board used by portable panel makers Voltaic
(aluminium-some-kind-of-plastic-aluminium). I can't see any other way
around it, either that or a proper flexible panel materials a-la CIGS
and others.. Yes I know about what they cost. I just don't think this
material will last in the long run. This thinking partially comes from
being told crystalline solar cells have the consistency similar to
that of a potato chip. Lastly, after using this panel for a week or so
I'm convinced at least 3m lead length is needed as well.

I will be sending this solar panel back to Tabitha with the XO (thanks
for the loaner 1.75) for olpc-nz list members to use and for
demonstration purposes. Can users of this panel please keep in mind
this is a prototype panel and if they find anything useful out about
it to please contact Richard Smith or post on the power olpc list to
keep the information flowing.

That's it, thanks to everyone especially Tabitha, Tom and Richard.
Kind Regards, Nicholas