Linux/Windows laptop vendor MALIBAL that caused quite a fuss last year when suggesting against supporting Coreboot and in turn blocked shipping of products to states/countries where the involved developers were located is now pursuing an initiative of made-in-America laptops. But it’s going to be a lengthy journey and first they are soliciting investments to first pursue American-made keyboards and touchpads.
MALIBAL announced today “Project Liberation” with their goal of American-made laptops with the first phase being “the first truly American-made laptop input devices—TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) keyboards with maglev switches and precision haptic touchpads—as the foundation for eventually creating the first American-made laptop ever.“
For the American-made components they are seeking to partner with existing US manufacturers to modify production lines as needed. With their American-made input devices they will also come with “open-source firmware” and of a modular design for the hardware.
If they succeed at making US input devices, their second phase would be the display and battery being made domestically. That would be followed by the laptop motherboards as phase three and then phase four would be the complete laptop.
For the first phase of the US laptop input components they estimate it would take 24 months and need $3M in manufacturing, a $1M supply chain, $500K R&D and testing, and $500K for an initial production run. For that they are looking for individual investors to invest in MALIBAL with equity stakes in the company and investment perks of discounted laptop purchases the first year. No word was shared in their announcement how much they anticipate all four phases to cost or how long they expect it to take for this American-made laptop.
It will be interesting to see what comes of MALIBAL’s efforts and senses like some of Purism’s efforts. Linux PC vendor System76 has also been pursuing made-in-America manufacturing and so far have been successful at making their own in-house computer cases and keyboards.
Those curious around MALIBAL’s Project Liberation can learn more via the MALIBAL.com page.
