Computer on a Stick - Turn Your Home Devices or Phone Into Your Computer

Published on November 20, 2011 By DrJBHL In Personal Computing

I was rather happy to read on this potentially tremendous source of savings for folks. Computers aren’t cheap… desktop, laptop, tablet… whatever.

FXI (a Norwegian development company) has developed a USB 2 (USB 3 promised in the future) stick with Android 2.2 on it, but states Linux and Windows 8 should present no problems to it either, as well as faster processors for the unit in the future. It’s totally portable and should be able to turn any device into your PC supporting up to 1920x1080p resolution.

FXI has codenamed this "Cotton Candy" because it weighs all of 23 grams, just like the confection (and, this is "sweet")

Right now its specs are (see the pic, also):

Quad Core ARM® Mali™-400MP Graphics Processing Unit
– Quad-core ARM Mali-400MP 720p / 1080p OpenGL ES v2.0
– 30M Polygons, 1.2 GPixels / s

ARM® Cortex™-A9@1.2GHz
– NEON extensions
– TrustZone extensions

Connectivity
Wifi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

Memory
1GB DRAM
Up to 64GB memory local storage (microSD)

Software
– Android
– Ubuntu
– Virtualization client for Windows, Linux, Mac, embedded

Video / Audio / Media Support
– 480p/720p/1080p decode of MPEG4-SP/H.263/H.264 AVC/MPEG-2/VC1
– MP3, AAC, AAC+, Real Audio
– JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG
– Additional video, audio and image formats can be supported through 3rd party codecs

Connectors
– USB 2.0 male form factor for power and connection to devices that supports USB mass storage
– HDMI 2.1 with audio for connection to devices that does not support USB mass storage

Weighing only 21 grams and so energy-efficient that it can be powered from a USB port

Cost will be less than $200

Here’s a nice little Youtube vid:

And some pics:

So, I’m thinking this is going to make life a good deal easier for folks who have to use computers with their work and play… lot easier getting through an airport as well.

Now you can also save on utilities. This is a less wasteful way of doing things… as long as the kids let you have the TV…

What are your thoughts about this?

Sources:

http://www.fxitech.com/products/

http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/technology-news/33519-usb-stick-dual-core-comp-can-run-windows-8-future.html

http://blog.laptopmag.com/usb-stick-contains-dual-core-computer-turns-any-screen-into-an-android-station

Comments (Page 2)

theAVMAN

on Nov 20, 2011

I love this concept !!

Thanks Seth I cant wait !! Any word on a release date ?????

DrJBHL

on Nov 20, 2011

Harley - I'd follow the website: http://www.fxitech.com/products/ Contact them and ask to be kept up to date...

gmc2 - Computer = $200. The rest... Newegg.

gmc2

on Nov 20, 2011

Doc, I was only mentioning that your statement was sort of incorrect and that additional equipment was needed. I wasn't interested in wanting one or to increase my monthly cell bill by upgrading to a smart phone.

DrJBHL

on Nov 20, 2011

Not incorrect at all.

Every computer needs input devices: A keyboard, unless it has a touch screen, and a mouse or a variety of touchpad... again, a peripheral and not the topic at hand.

If you want to discuss peripherals, please start another thread since that is not the main subject of the OP. So let's move on.

gmc2

on Nov 20, 2011

DrJBHL

reply 19

If you want to discuss peripherals, please start another thread since that is not the main subject of the OP. So let's move on.

I have no idea of what it is you're attempting to get across, I was commenting on the original post and interjected my take. If you didn't like that you could have just ignored it and I wouldn't have made any other comments.

Jafo

on Nov 20, 2011

Years ago......

QNX ....an operating system on a 1.44 floppy....

neone6

on Nov 20, 2011

Uvah

reply 4

Nice! Now imagine it having its own storage. For me I'd like to keep my graphics handy and check this out, if you have one of those big screen LCD TV's that can double as a monitor. Holy crappola! I'd go bonkers in a heart beat.

ditto that

Dr Guy

on Nov 21, 2011

The limitations of a computer are still the input and output. You need a screen, and you need a keyboard big enough to type on. Once they make a stick with holographic capabilities and virtual keyboards (the technology is there, just prohibitively expensive), they will have a killer product!

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