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New Chip Offers Virtual Windows Desktops, On TVs

Posted by timothy on from the and-nothin'-on dept.

angry tapir writes "Ncomputing on Friday announced a chip that could turn devices like TVs or set-top boxes into virtual desktops through which users can run Windows applications or access the Internet. The Numo chip contains a dual-core processor based on an ARM design that will allow devices to run Windows multimedia applications when connected to a host machine like a desktop or server. The setup uses the company's Vspace software on host machines to set up remote devices as virtual desktops."

6 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting Idea by errgh · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Virtual first post. Most newer TVs can already play networked media files, show sport scores, weather and some can even do light browsing - all from either a ethernet or wireless network connection. This seems a bit ad-centric, maybe for light kiosks or informational displays.

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    1. Re:Interesting Idea by davester666 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Um, you really need a dual-core ARM chip to be able to Windows Remote Desktop?

      Cuz that seems to be what the summary says, that the Windows app runs on a real desktop, and this CPU only does the remote job.

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  2. Welcome back, WebTV! by JustNilt · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Actually, it looks to be potentially more useful than WebTV ever was but only time will tell. There are quite a few of my home user clients that would probably prefer something like this to a full blown system.

    Wonder how long it'l take to actually see in a live product and how much it'll really cost. The numbers in the article appear to be a manufacturer's cost.

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  3. Why? by zmollusc · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Most computers have tv-out, newer tvs have vga or dvi or hdmi inputs, why do i need another gadget to go between the two? And what about the starving hollywood executives? This looks like a way of intercepting the precious bluray pixels and selling them to support terrorism!! OMG!!!

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  4. Re:Windows apps? by GNUALMAFUERTE · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It probably supports VNC, so you can probably connect to any kind of host OS. Again, it's better to just build a cheap Atom based microitx pc next to the TV.

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  5. Re:Forget TVs by gbjbaanb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The real killer app for this is Google's settop box. Android linux providing: TV recording, TV guides, internet-streamed video, internet-streamed games/apps, video jukebox (hopefully from local or LAN storage), plus connectivity to remote services too.

    Add a keyboard and a trackpad and most people would not need a PC at all - and that means they wouldn't need Windows at all. Hmmmm.