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The world could run on older hardware if software optimization was a priority

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848 points turrini | 1 comments | 13 May 25 10:31 UTC | HN request time: 0.601s | source
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armchairhacker ◴[13 May 25 13:08 UTC] No.43972524[source]▶
Is there or could we make an iPhone-like that runs 100x slower than conventional phones but uses much less energy, so it powers itself on solar? It would be good for the environment and useful in survival situations.

Or could we make a phone that runs 100x slower but is much cheaper? If it also runs on solar it would be useful in third-world countries.

Processors are more than fast enough for most tasks nowadays; more speed is still useful, but I think improving price and power consumption is more important. Also cheaper E-ink displays, which are much better for your eyes, more visible outside, and use less power than LEDs.

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1. bluGill ◴[13 May 25 13:32 UTC] No.43972776[source]▶
> Or could we make a phone that runs 100x slower but is much cheaper? I

Probably not - a large part of the cost is equipment and R&D. It doesn't cost much more to build the most complex CPU vs a 6502 - there is only a tiny bit more silicon and chemicals. What is costly is the R&D behind the chip, and the R&D behind the machines that make the chips. If intel fired all their R&D engineers who were not focused on reducing manufacturing costs they could greatly reduce the price of their CPUs - until AMD released a next generation that is much better. (this is more or less what Henry Ford did with the model-T - he reduced costs every year until his competition adding features were enough better that he couldn't sell his cars.

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