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Intel Releases $99 'MinnowBoard Max,' an Open-Source Single-Board Computer

Posted by timothy on from the embed-and-deploy dept.

A few months back, we posted a video interview with some of the folks behind the Linux-friendly, x86-based MinnowBoard. TechCrunch reports the release of a more powerful version of the same all-in-one computer, now with a 1.91GHz Atom E3845 processor. According to the linked article, "The board's schematics are also available for download and the Intel graphics chipset has open-source drivers so hackers can have their way with the board. While it doesn’t compete directly with the Raspberry Pi – the Pi is more an educational tool and already has a robust ecosystem – it is a way for DIYers to mess around in x86 architected systems as well as save a bit of cash. The system uses break-out boards called Lures to expand functionality."

5 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. One of many by petes_PoV · · Score: 4, Informative

    There are plenty of other single or dual processor boards that will run Linux or Android, that are out already. Some are considerably cheaper. Unless the 64-bit Intel architecture is spectacularly more efficient than the A10, A13 and A20s we have access to already it's difficult to see what this board has that the Cubies and Olimex's don't already provide.

    --
    politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
    1. Re:One of many by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 3, Informative

      Being the owner of a Cubie -- the integrated Intel HD graphics chipset is potentially a huge feature for building apps that render graphics or video, which is something I do a lot of.

  2. Re:"Open source computer"???? by TeknoHog · · Score: 4, Informative

    There's basically NO open source hardware out there. And if there were nobody would be in a position to do much with it, because it would take a fab to make any change.

    • 1. There is the good old solder-it-yourself scene, ham radio style, hardware with a hard H.
    • 2. There is a lively FPGA scene, with the complication of mostly closed-source synthesis tools (like compilers). I don't regard this as a huge problem, as long as I can make hardware do what I want. If you're new to the scene, I recommend fpga4fun.
    --
    Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
  3. Re:"Open source computer"???? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    For most of the FPGAs I've used complete documentation for the clbs and different slices is available.
    In fact if you open up the design tools you can manually place hardware macros which means that you have exact information about the organizaiton of the FPGA.
    The parts that are hidden are mostly the software tools and bitstream format which they don't like people reverse engineering. But it's certainly possible.

  4. Or This ... by kjhambrick · · Score: 3, Informative

    Or for a ready-to-populate and run system at $129:

    Intel Bay Trail NUC Kit DN2820FYKH:

    http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-bay-trail-nuc-kit-dn2820fyk-arrives-just-128_134400

    -- kjh