Touchpad configuration for Ubuntu 9.10 (grub 2)

October 6th, 2009

Ubuntu 9.10 now ships with grub 2 as the default boot loader, and this means a change in the instructions for making the kogan agora touchpad function under ubuntu.

After putting out a call for assistance on this, Tom has come through with the goods! In order to get the agora’s touchpad working with Ubuntu 9.10 and grub 2, follow the instructions in Tom’s comment, which I have reproduced here.

In a terminal:

sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

Find the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet splash” and change it to:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet splash i8042.nomux”

and then update grub:

sudo update-grub2

I haven’t tested this myself, so comments below on its effectiveness would be appreciated. Thanks Tom!

References: http://agoranetbook.kayno.net/2009/08/02/touchpad-update-ensuring-i8042-nomux-is-not-removed-when-your-kernel-is-updated/comment-page-1/#comment-13165

 

Posted in agora, agora pro, drivers, touchpad, ubuntu | 8 Comments »

ubuntu 9.10 (karmic koala) beta on the kogan agora

October 5th, 2009

In a bid to resurrect my kogan agora pro netbook to a usable state, I decided to upgrade to the lastest version of ubuntu, karmic koala, which has just gone beta.

sudo update-manager -d

This will kick off the update manager, and provide you with a single button to upgrade to version 9.10. After 30 minutes or so, you should be rebooting into a new kernel, and the new ubuntu.

The usual suspects that needed attention in the past (read: the touchpad and wireless networking) were both still working, and had obviously remained configured from the previous version.

Whilst I say “working”, the wireless adapter is connecting to my home wireless access point however the signal is still low and not picking up neighbouring APs.

There has been some improvements though. The physical wifi button is no longer a “glorified light switch“, as it was so well put by Andrew. Pressing the button results in the card shutting off.

The second welcome surprise is the return of “resume from suspend”. After changing the wifi card recently myself and others discovered the netbook would not resume from suspend. This now appears to have resolved itself.

The netbook remix interface is looking much fresher, as you can see in the screenshots attached below.

The only qualm I have so far with karmic and the netbook remix itself is that I cannot seem to locate the shutdown icon in the menus or interface. This may be because I upgraded from 9.04, but as it is beta I will wait and see, and use the physical netbook power button to bring up the shutdown options.

Another note to add – GRUB2 and EXT4, whilst being the new defaults in ubuntu 9.10, are not automatically upgraded:

ext4 by default

The new “ext4″ filesystem is used by default for new installations with Ubuntu 9.10 Beta; of course, other filesystems are still available via the manual partitioner. Existing filesystems will not be upgraded.

GRUB 2 by default

GRUB 2 is the default boot loader for new installations with Ubuntu 9.10 Beta, replacing the previous GRUB “Legacy” boot loader. Existing systems will not be upgraded to GRUB 2 at this time, as automatically reinstalling the boot loader is an inherently risky operation.

A comment in a previous blog entry on this site asks how to configure the touchpad in GRUB2. I am yet to investigate this, however is anyone has any info, please post below.

References

 

Posted in agora, agora pro, drivers, netbook remix, software, touchpad, ubuntu, wireless | 6 Comments »

kogan slashes the price on the agora netbook (again)

October 5th, 2009

Kogan has again slashed the price of the agora netbook, this time down to $299.

Netbook_newsletter_banner

It is only the low-end agora, so for $299 you get a 10″ netbook with 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard disk and a 3 cell battery.

There does however appear to be issues with the wireless network capabilities – you can read about this in other blog entries:

To purchase the kogan agora for $299, use the discount code NEWSLTR093 when you purchase online.

 

Posted in agora, wireless | No Comments »

kogan slashes $100 off the price of both agora netbooks

August 25th, 2009

Earlier this month kogan announced that both the kogan agora and kogan agora pro netbooks would be both $100 cheaper, at $399 and $439 respectively.

The difference between the two is still $40, and spending the extra on the pro is still money well spent if you are considering buying a kogan netbook.

You may wish to review some of the comments on this site regarding the wireless network capabilities of the agora netbook, however at $439, the kogan agora is a now a very cheap netbook.

 

Posted in agora, agora pro | 2 Comments »

kogan sent me a replacement wireless network mini card

August 2nd, 2009

After the problems I had connecting to wireless networks overseas with my kogan agora netbook, I emailed kogan support and explained the issues I had been facing.

A support representative emailed me back rather promptly (6 minutes later!) and acknowledged the under-performance of the VIA wifi card. They also offered to send me a replacement card, which is now being used in the agora netbooks.

I quickly took up the offer, and a week later, the new Ralink wifi card arrived in my mailbox (see the picture gallery below).

Change over of the card was very easy – power down, remove battery, remove single screw for the back panel and slide open the panel. Next I used small pliers to carefully lift off the two antenna connectors, and then after removing the single screw holding the card down I was able to pull it out. Installation of the new card was the reverse of the removal of the old.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in agora, agora pro, wireless | 23 Comments »

touchpad update – ensuring “i8042.nomux” is not removed when your kernel is updated

August 2nd, 2009
agora touchpad

agora touchpad

If you followed the post on this site where I explained how to enable the touchpad on your kogan agora netbook (http://agoranetbook.kayno.net/2009/04/25/oh-my-touchpad-doesnt-work/), you (as well as Josh) have probably found that every time the linux kernel is updated, your touchpad stops working until you add the i8042.nomux option back to your grub menu.lst file.

I have however found a way to solve this, and have just updated my netbook with Ubuntu Netbook Remix to the latest kernel (2.6.28-14) without losing my touchpad. Here is what you need to do:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in agora, agora pro, netbook remix, touchpad, ubuntu | 6 Comments »

australia’s cheapest netbook – really cheap!

July 27th, 2009

If you follow kogan technology on twitter (@KoganTech) you have probably heard that starting midnight tonight (27th July 2009) they are having a four day “Super sale”. A follow up tweet states:

Fancy a 10″ Netbook for $399? Sale starts at midnight – Subscribe at www.kogan.com.au for updates

$399 is a very good deal – 20% off the normal price.

Hopefully the pro version (2GB, 6 cell battery) will also be discounted, as in the past it has missed out on any price reductions. I feel however that the pro being only $40 more and packing twice as much memory and battery, as well as bluetooth, is high in demand, and the lesser netbook (1GB, 3 cell battery) is high in supply. Somewhere there could be a factory full of the 1GB, 3 cell battery netbooks, hence the really cheap price.

It is still a great deal though (assuming the tweet comes to fruition) considering you can get a 6 cell battery for $65 and memory is very cheap these days.

 

Posted in agora, agora pro | No Comments »

kogan releases spare agora netbook battery

July 25th, 2009
Additional 6 cell agora netbook battery (courtesy kogan.com.au)

Additional 6 cell battery (courtesy kogan.com.au)

When kogan first announced the agora netbook, I remember vividly a comment over at the whirlpool netbook forum:

Meh.

I’d rather buy a proper brand name, like Asus or Dell. When your you-beaut Kogan has a dead battery or you need a replacement part such as a keyboard after the warranty expires, what will you do then? Order one from Kogan?

Well, in the case of the dead battery – yes, just order one from kogan! For $65, plus postage and handling, you can now get an additional (or replacement if your original is ‘dead’) battery.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in agora, agora pro | No Comments »

kogan agora wireless performance (VT6656 Via Arena adapter)

July 22nd, 2009

17-agora-via-wifi

My kogan agora pro has just returned from six weeks abroad, where is was regularly put to the test booking flights, trains, accommodation and other general duties.

There are many great things to like about travelling with the agora netbook – it is light and easy to carry in a backpack, the battery life was good and only needed charging every few days, and on flights it makes a great video player to pass the time.

There is also a downside – the under-performance of the wireless network adapter. On many occasions at hotels and in pubs and restaurants I was unable to connect to the free wifi on offer. Some networks were visible in the network manager but I could not connect to them, whilst other networks would simply not appear in the available list. Very frustrating!

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Posted in agora, agora pro, wireless | 12 Comments »

mobile internet on your kogan agora netbook

May 18th, 2009

Three mobile broadband USB key (image courtesty of three.com.au)

UPDATE: I have just tried the kogan agora netbook coupled with a borrowed 3 USB mobile broadband internet key, and the setup was exactly the same as described below.

The kogan agora netbook is designed to be taken anywhere – on the road, on the train, down to the local, etcetera. And being a netbook, its primary use is the internet – email, the web, instant messaging, etcetera.

So it’s safe to assume that people are going to want to use mobile internet devices with the agora – be it a 3G USB dongle or mobile phone – to connect to the internet. So safe to assume, that Matt has already asked how this can be achieved.

Thanks to the gnome NetworkManager applet, connecting to these devices is easy! First off, connect your USB dongle or mobile phone (by USB – my Nokia 6120 works fine, just select “PC Suite” when you connect the USB cable). Next, from the Preferences menu click Network Connections, and then select the Mobile Broadband tab.

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Posted in agora, agora pro, netbook remix, ubuntu, wireless | 2 Comments »

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