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Dual-Core Android PC Now Comes On a USB Stick
absolut.evil writes "FXI Technologies has taken a dual core smartphone-esque computer and put it into a little USB stick. Neat. This allows you to plug into anything with a screen, USB port, and input device and run your own instance of Android. It weighs 21 grams and contains 'a dual-core 1.2-GHz Samsung Exynos ARM CPU (same as in the Galaxy S II), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI-out and a microSD card slot for memory.'"
Consumer pricing has not yet been established, but product is expected to be available in volumes the second half of 2012.
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
Good. Now I can play Angry Birds on my computer at work.
Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
I can understand developers would like this, since the android emulator in the SDK is slower than molasses in (northern) December. I suppose ICS would not be an issue to get on this for the future.
But $200 seems a little steep since a real tablet can be purchased for that price range (although with perhaps with less CPU/RAM). $50-$100 would probably be the sweet point.
Actually this reminds me of something I thought of when Siri came out. How long is it going to take for someone to come out with a screenless / keypadless phone that is pure voice recognition (built into a headset like a BT headset??)? Same thing for GPS units (rather than being distracted by a map you just have to listen to the directions, much like having a person reading you directions "like in the old days"). That would extend battery life, reduce costs, although would also reduce it to the basic functionality (sorry no angry birds).
Perhaps they're using the device as the server?
Dark Reflection
You're missing John Barrow (D), Karen Bass (D), John Conyers (D), Howard Berman (D), Ted Deutch (D), Ben Lujan (D), Adam Schiff (D), William Owens (D), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), and Melvin Watt (D). Surely if we're going to support the (R) candidates we should support the (D) candidates with the same beliefs.
>"plug into anything with a screen, USB port, and input device and run your own instance of Android"
*WRONG*
The word "anything" could not be more WRONG. It specifically says in the article that you have to run "special software" that is MS-Windows or MacOS *only*. That is not "anything" with a screen. Exactly how would plugging that FXI "computer usb stick" into my Mandriva Linux desktop machine, Xoom Android tablet, my Fedora Linux laptop, or my RHEL server going to give the FXI access to my keyboard, mouse, network, and monitor without very specialized and deeply-rooted software to support it?
Then, even if it is an MS-Windows or MacOS machine, that doesn't mean it will be able to or allowed to run such alien software.
The article says it has WiFi, Bluetooth, and HDMI on the FXI, so it has a LOT of possibilities, is fascinating, and really cool. I don't know why the article and the summary have to step out of bounds with such sensationalist stuff like "anything with a monitor".
Though the current prototype runs Android 2.3, Borgar told us that the ARM-based hardware can run Ubuntu Linux currently and future versions should be able to run the ARM version of Windows 8.
With Ubuntu installed, the Cotton Candy can even be turned into a mobile file or web server!
RTFA next time.
Again scandinavians with an innovation. after first osmosis power plant, wood chip power plant, and many more. not to mention software (linux).
............ not. that is despite compared to u.s. and the resources, riches and population it has, scandinavia is not even comparable. in total they dont even amount to good 10 mil+ population. resources - almost none. colonies and satellite nations - none. nothing. nada.
behold how social democracy (Called socialism in u.s.), govt. funded education, social security etc leaves a nation behind in development and innovation.
Read radical news here
Though the current prototype runs Android 2.3, Borgar told us that the ARM-based hardware can run Ubuntu Linux currently and future versions should be able to run the ARM version of Windows 8.
With Ubuntu installed, the Cotton Candy can even be turned into a mobile file or web server!
RTFA next time.
RTFA? RTFA?!?!?!
THIS - IS - SLASHDOT!
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
Because you'd have to transform the display into a MPEG-2 data stream with maximum bitrate of 19.2mbit/sec, then modulate it onto an 8-VSB carrier (to work in the US) and COFDM (to work in most other places). It's nontrivial. 8-VSB, in particular, is a bitch to do. The wireless video modulator ALONE would have added a MINIMUM of $50 to the manufacturing cost, and THAT'S if they dusted off the Zenith chipset DirecTV was planning to use before the MAFIAA killed their plans for using 8VSB for whole-house HD video distribution over existing 75-ohm cable to keep the development costs down to a minimum.
Furthermore, 19.2mbit/sec MPEG-2 would utterly suck for high-contrast "computer-type" applications where you're displaying things like windows and rendered text at high resolution and framerates. If you buffered it to take advantage of predictive frames to increase the effective bandwidth, you'd end up with annoying lag. If you tried to do the whole thing with I-frames, your text would be a fuzzy macroblock-ridden mess.
I wonder... does anyone else realize this could be used to create upgradeable smartphones? You would have a phone with touchscreen and battery, with a recessed USB port. Then just slide this device in, and in a couple years when you want to upgrade buy a new usb stick PC. If they could fit the baseband radio in this device that would be truly revolutionary.