GWJamaica

The NorhTec Gecko Surfboard features a full-size QWERTY keyboard with a numeric pad that also acts as a low-profile computer case. The Gecko Surfboard has a 1GHz x86 SoC (system-on-chip), 512MB of DDR2 RAM, an SD/SDHC card or and optional IDE 2.5 inch hard drive for storage, plus VGA and composite video out.

Best of all is the price: NorhTec expect the Linux based Gecko Surfboard to cost just $99 and the Windows XP version to be roughly $150 when they arrive in January 2010. Not for everybody, no, but if you’re looking for a straightforward way to get online and want a full-sized keyboard, the Gecko Surfboard looks like an interesting possibility.

For such a basic, low-cost device, it also includes a surprising range of standard connectivity, including VGA and composite video outputs, 10/100 ethernet, USB 2.0, serial, audio i/o and optional WiFi or 3G.