shrinking PCs appear at LinuxExpo :: Running Debian on Flash Platform

Incredible shrinking PCs appear at GNU/LinuxExpo
More info on small GNU/Linux systems.

For those who need something a little smaller, over at the Debian stand Cambridge-based firms Aleph One and Toby Churchill Ltd were demonstrating Balloon -- a tiny (100mm by 55mm) ARM-based computer running a port of Debian GNU/Linux. Although the device is aimed at applications for the disabled -- Toby Churchill is a leading manufacturer of text to speech devices -- the companies were demonstrating it running a Web server with PHP scripting, as well as ports of a number of text to speech packages.
"You can think of it as a Compaq iPaq without the touch screen," said Toby Churchill software engineer Mike Bane, who helped port the text-to-speech applications to Balloon. Bane demonstrated Balloon running text-to-speech applications from DECtalk, Babel-Infovox and Elan Speech at the expo, but noted that other companies would be able to use the freely-available reference design for other applications such as for use in car stereos.