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Tiniest Linux COM Yet?

Posted by Soulskill on from the go-small-or-go-home dept.

DeviceGuru writes: "An open-spec COM that runs OpenWRT Linux on a MIPS-based Ralink RT5350 SoC has won its Indiegogo funding. The $20, IoT-focused VoCore measures 25 x 25mm. How low can you go? Tiny computer-on-modules (COMs) for Internet of Things (IoT) applications are popping up everywhere, with recent, Linux-ready entries including Intel's Atom or Quark-based Edison, Ingenic's MIPS/Xburst-based Newton, Acme Systems's ARM9/SAM9G25 based Arrietta G25, and SolidRun's quad-core i.MX6-based MicroSOM. Now, an unnamed Chinese startup has raised over six times its $6,000 Indiegogo funding goal for what could be the smallest, cheapest Linux COM yet."

5 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. Internet of Things isn't by Gothmolly · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Just like "Web 2.0" and other non-concepts, this term gets used to pretend something is a new version of something else, just because its "Internet". Its a small computer, just like small computers that are already in things. Get over it.

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    1. Re:Internet of Things isn't by psergiu · · Score: 5, Informative

      > It occurs to me that this is just the sort of device that the Raspberry Pi people could very well have come up with in the 2 or 3 years since since the Model A and B were developed. It's a shame they never took the concept further.

      They did, in April: http://www.raspberrypi.org/ras...

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  2. Re:Not what I was thinking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Smallest .COM? That would be zero bytes, and on DOS 2.11 it would have the funny effect of running the last program you ran, if it was compatible with executing itself in place again.

  3. This tiny wifi enabeled computer has a killer app by TalShiar00 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently it has a pin out dedicated to PORN ;)
      https://images.indiegogo.com/f...

  4. Re:all of it? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's the whole thing (RT5350 SoC (OpenWRT device tree file), 32MB of RAM and 8 of Flash, along with the antenna and assorted support passives).

    The board that provides wired ethernet and USB in their usual connectors(and presumably with the magnetics for ethernet) and a micro-USB +5v input is additional.

    So you can get fully up and running for $20 (and a +5v source to apply to the correct contact), presumably good for adding a wifi connection and a moderately capable command-and-control module to something that can hang from the GPIO or USB data lines.

    If you want the wired interfaces, and a little case, and need a PSU, because this isn't being integrated into something, it'll cost more.