It’s not a huge amount is known about this
board from Intel at the moment, but suffice to say it's tiny, and looks and
sounds very intriguing. The Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing) will measure in
at 100 x 100 mm and, if what's being bandied about is true, will be designed to
work with an Intel Core i3 mobile CPU. Alongside this there will be two SO-DIMM
RAM slots, with a maximum of 4GB, two mini PCIe slots, HDMI, USB 3.0,
Thunderbolt, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth - which in real world terms means it will be
able to run the likes of Windows 7, or even Windows 8, on a unit that can fit
in the palm of your hand.
The semi-mythical Intel NUC. Could this Core i3 mini-board kill off ARM?
Of course, you'll lose the openness that
comes with the likes of the Beagle Board, or the Raspberry Pi, but having a
small PC that runs a familiar system may lure those people and institutions who
have avoided open systems and hardware due to the learning curve they involve.
Plus, if the alleged price of $100 comes through, then we could see the next
generation of mobile devices powered via this board and running Windows 8.
Could this be the Android killer of 2013?
The Intel NUC is rumored to see the light
of day sometime late this year, although we think it may be later and that
you'll be lucky to see it at $100.
Intel NUC Specs
Ø
Intel Core family processor socket
Ø
2 x RAM SO-DIMM slots
Ø
2 x mini PCIe slots
Ø
HDMI
Ø
USB 3.0.0
Ø
Thunderbolt
Ø
Wi-Fi
Ø
Bluetooth
VIA VAB-800
VIA has gone all out to create a plethora
of mini boards over the last year or so, with the newest of the ARM-based
boards, the VAB-800. Measuring in at 100 x 75 mm, this Pico-ITX board comes
with a choice of either an 800MHz or 1 GHz Cortex-A8 CPU, 1GB DDR3 SDRAM, two
independent GPUs for 2D/3D acceleration and 'flawless' 1080p video, four USB
ports, mini HDMI, VGA, 1x SATA and an Ethernet port.
VIA's VAB-800 is an ARM based powerhouse. Ideal for a mini HTCPC?
Although it's only just been announced, and
prices have yet to be determined and argued out, there is the possibility that
should you purchase one, then you'll find it comes pre-installed with either a
choice of Android 2.3, Ubuntu 10.04 or Windows Embedded Compact 7 - but there's
no word regarding Windows 8...yet.
Granted, this is a little extreme when put
next to a Raspberry Pi, or the Beagle Board, but this new wave of teeny, tiny
boards are clearly turning out to be something of a cash cow for the
manufactures of such things, hence VIA getting into them in a big way. Keep
your eyes out for this one.
VIA VAB-800 Specs
Ø
800 MHz Free scale Cortex-A8 1GB RAM Silicon
Sil9024A
Ø
4 x USB
Ø
Free scale SGTL5000 Audio 1 x mini HDMI 1 x VGA
Ø
1 x SATA 1.5Gbps connector
FXI Cotton Candy
The Cotton Candy, by FXI Technology, is a
USB stick sized computer that measures in at roughly 80 x 15 mm. However don't
be fooled by the diminutive dimensions of this little beast, within the innards
is an ARM Cortex-A9 Dual Core 1,2GHz CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 1GB DRAM, Micro SD
storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, two USB ports (male and female) and HDMI. It's
capable of outputting 1080p video, booting to the internal OS via USB and
turning a normal TV into an Android-based Smart TV.
The smallest PC in the world? At least for now it is...
It comes shipped with Android 2.3, but
later units are rumored to have Android 4 installed and the likes of Ubuntu for
ARM can be installed, along with other popular distorts that support that
particular flavor of CPU.
Unfortunately, and this is the bit that
stings at the moment, the Cotton Candy comes in at a whopping $199, somewhat
more expensive than the Raspberry Pi wouldn't you say? However, you are paying
for what must be one of the smallest computers in the world, and as more of the
units are sold, FXI has stated that they will drop the price as the development
evolves over the coming year.
Cotton Candy Specs
Ø
Dual core 1,2GHz Exynos CPU
Ø
1GB RAM
Ø
Micro-SD card storage
Ø
2 x USB
Ø
1 x HDMI
Ø
Wi-fi 802.11 n/g/b
Ø
Bluetooth
Many More Alternatives
There are of course many more alternatives
to the Raspberry Pi, but we just don't have the space to mention them all. But
if you're interested, Google the following projects and see what you think:
Mele A1000 DuinoMite, VIA APC, Arduino, and MK802 (the Cotton Candy contender),
the Gooseberry and the A10 Media PC (the bare board). Clearly, the future is
looking exceptionally small, and rather tasty.
