Pepper Computer: "we're not dead"

Pepper Computer, manufacturer of the original Pepper Pads and developer of the Pepper Linux OS, has admittedly seen better days. After months of silence from the firm's executives led forum members to write the company off as dead, CEO Len Kawell has finally responded to users' pleas and posted a summary of Pepper's current state of affairs -- but not before we left a message at headquarters stating our intentions to write up a deathwatch piece this week. According to Kawell, both the OS and Pepper Pad 3 -- which is manufactured and supported by Hanbit -- are still alive and well, though poor sales of Pepper-powered OEM devices have meant declining revenue for the company -- resulting in what sounds like considerable downsizing. At this point, without the money to pay developers, Pepper is looking to either sell its distro or open source it, although even the latter route requires resources that seem to be in very short supply right now. If you're looking to contribute to the project in some way, make sure to chime in by clicking on the Read link; you can help them out and help save us from having to pen yet another teary corporate obituary at the same time.

[Thanks, moorashj]

[mike @ Oct 24th 2007 12:58PM]

pepper pad picked a pack of fickle buyers

[Xee @ Oct 24th 2007 1:09PM]

"we're not dead"

Yes you are, you'll be stone dead in a moment.

[Heath Stahl @ Oct 24th 2007 2:05PM]

I don't want to go on the cart!

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 24th 2007 3:09PM]

I never knew they were alive...

[Nate @ Oct 24th 2007 1:13PM]

I guess my number one question is, who cares?

[TOFTOF @ Oct 24th 2007 1:15PM]

There is a company in France, named Ordissimo (www.ordissimo.com) that does the same.
But a lot nicer...And they make money!

[ldrn @ Oct 24th 2007 1:26PM]

Quick, someone tell Palm -- their new OS is ready and available cheap. ;)

[NxP3 @ Oct 24th 2007 1:26PM]

I think they should sue umpc makers who are copying their keyboard layout there. Get some money back :)

[Moorashj @ Oct 24th 2007 1:37PM]

I was the one who first contacted Pepper after they did not respond on the message boards...we are trying to get them to open up and let us work with them on not killing this device/OS. I thought Engadget could help us in finding what was going on with them..thanks Engadget for pushing it along.

[john @ Oct 24th 2007 1:53PM]

I like the layout of their design, but I've never heard raves about their linux implementation ... seems to me they could maybe get some milage if they worked with the maemo team. Make a version of the hildon gui for larger devices (not just the pepperpad, but for laptops and deaktops), as well as doing apps for that platform.

In fact, if they did that and ported open office to that platform, put a bigger hd in itand did a good job with integrating with the n800/n810, I'm sure I'd buy it for those things where the n800/n810 is too small.

Especially if it could act as a bluetooth hard drive for the tablets (keep the pepperpad in my backpack/bookbag when I'm using the tablet, using the pad's storage remotely, then when I get a task that needs the bigger device, sync them, and switch to the pepperpad).

[john @ Oct 24th 2007 2:04PM]

before anyone says "but nokia's tablets are the competition", I think they could be used in complimentary market niches... Isee the pepperpad as more of a competition for the laptop market than the handheld market. by adopting nokia's platform, though, they can both leverage, benefit from, and contribute to that ecosystem.

[Benson @ Oct 24th 2007 3:38PM]

I'm not so sure there's enough differentiation.
Look, 800x480 7" vs 800x480 4.1"? Not much difference with display (unless you have poor eyesight).
Physical keyboard? Well, before the n810 hit, yeah, but now, little difference there either.
20 GB hard-drive was good a while ago, but with SD prices as they are, 16 GB of SD is readily available.
800 Mhz Geode is significant, but that's about all it's got going for it.
If they have the resources to do it, which seems unlikely, a Pepper Pad 4 _could_ fill the niche you're looking for. Keep the CPU, or only marginal upgrade, and keep the physical form factor. But jack up that resolution, so it becomes more useful for OOo & such. Laptops are running 150 PPI, and the 770, N800, & N810 all are 225 PPI, so something a little better than this 140 PPI is in order.
And as far as interfacing with the N800, BT harddrive would be cool, but VNC (or perhaps X over BT) would be even better, allowing you to leverage the higher processing power as well as the storage.
I'd like to see them pull through, but it doesn't seem likely to happen -- hardware improvements just cost too much up front.

[Moorashj @ Oct 24th 2007 2:05PM]

john,
there was a lot of potential, bluetooth keyboard and mouse, video camera that was supposed to have Skype added, ability to watch movies, listen and stream music, read e-books, remote control av devices, email, surf, etc. This was what I really wanted. The keyboard is easily worked. Some complained about the internet connectivity with wifi but i never had any issues. The HDD was only 20gb but it works. The OS was certainly in need of further updating. I have used this device so much I dont even think I really need a desktop any longer..would hate to see them disappear.

[john @ Oct 24th 2007 4:32PM]

I feel the same way ("do I still need a desktop?") about the N800/N810 (which I'll just call NIT for now, "nokia internet tablet"). But, there are times when the NIT screen is just too small. And they don't have a HDD, nor video out.

I think if then Pepperpad became the "big brother" to the NIT, then they could easily compliment each other. When I'm truly mobile, and don't need a big screen, I use the NIT. When I'm not near a desk, but need a bigger screen or faster keyboard interaction than the the NIT, I pull out the pepperpad. When I need a desk size monitor, I hook one up to the pepperpad. And then I use some form of syncing software to keep the NIT and the Pepperpad coordinated.

And, really, the 20GB HDD might be enough, but it'd be nice if it was closer to 60GB.

If they were fully integrated, then it would give both communities more options. It means that the software platform (maemo) could grow to larger markets without Nokia having to risk a move out into the non-handheld market. It means that Pepper can leverage all of the work going on for maemo (applications, etc.), and perhaps lure Nokia customers to using pepper products to compliment their NITs.

I see it as a win/win/win, but I'm kinda biased in that I love my N800 :-} (but strongly admire the design of the Pepperpad)

[boriquajake @ Oct 24th 2007 4:19PM]

Please, do not disrupt the Monty Python chain with your tomfoolery, young man. The next line should have been something about thinking you will go for a walk, and then someone else would have mentioned kings not having shit all over them and we all would have been happy, you stupid bastard.

[Srayer @ Oct 24th 2007 3:25PM]

That looks amazing. I would kill to have one right now.



Oh sorry, I was looking at the pizza in the advertisement below the story.

[Furious Styles @ Oct 24th 2007 3:52PM]

"Wait . . . I . . . still ... function!" - Galvatron

"Wanna bet?! Umpphh!!" - Starscream [Petty kick ensues]."

[John M @ Oct 24th 2007 4:23PM]

CEO Len Kawell has finally responded to users' pleas and posted a summary of Pepper's current state of affairs -- but not before we left a message at headquarters stating our intentions to write up a deathwatch piece this week

Give me a break Engadget...Wouldnt want the almighty and powerful tech blog to write up a "deathwatch piece"...Can you say little man syndrome

[jimmyfinch @ Oct 24th 2007 9:35PM]

Come on people....

wouldn't you like to be a pepper too?

[Peppy @ Oct 24th 2007 10:14PM]

Do a barrel Roll!


...Also if it could control everything in my house I'd be willing to give it a roll...

[jeff @ Oct 24th 2007 10:24PM]

I think the PP3 is actually a pretty nice package. Unfortunately for those who want to do actual work it is underpowered. It would be a good alternative for the sony Mylo (also lost in the market) if it were not for the $700.00 price tag. For ~400 bucks you can get a reasonably powered notebook, load Open Office or your favorite IDE and get some work done. If the price were realistic (300-400/comparable to other internet tablets) I would have one each for my wife and kids. jd

[Mike Klein @ Oct 25th 2007 5:38AM]

There is nothing to fault re: the hardware. The PP3 is fast enough to play all codecs with no chop/etc. I can't say this about most other devices I own.

The keybd is excellent and dpad/thumbwheel work well. The 2-way IR learns all codes and blasts out so well you don't even need to aim it. The unit is slightly ruggedized and has a "hard" touch screen.

My bro's 3.5 year old went to town with the device and pbskids.org and had a hell of a time entertaining himself for hours.

Get real work done? Never on a umpc...the spec is only 800x480? 480v isn't enough to display most application dialogs (tbird, etc.)

Problems are with their software...it is only 1/2 complete. They have slightly archaic versions of flash/etc. and due to their closed desktop it isn't a matter of doing a simple pkg update...you had to wait for them to uprev their end.

If they had only put Ubuntu or some other distro with a real desktop...it would've been a far superior product...but then it wouldn't have fit into their "hotel/living room"/webpad niche they were supposedly targeting.

I won't be selling mine because what it does do...it does excellent.

I will probably end up turning it into the "uber" remote control for wifey...just a single screen with like 15 big buttons (appropriately labelled) for most common operations. It should work far better than "advanced" remotes with macro ability...only to watch your wife toss the remote onto the bed after hitting a button which fires off 5 commands...4 going into the comforter!