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Intel 'Compute Stick' PC-Over-HDMI Dongle Launched, Tested

Posted by Soulskill on from the minimally-elegant-product-names dept.

MojoKid writes: Intel has officially announced the availability of their Compute Stick HDMI dongle, and has lifted the embargo on early tests with the device. The Compute Stick is essentially a fully-functional, low-power, Atom-based system with memory, storage, and an OS, crammed into a dongle about 10cm long. There will initially be two compute sticks made available: one running Windows (model STCK1A32WFC) and another running Ubuntu (model STCK1A8LFC). The Windows 8.1 version of the Compute Stick is packing an Intel Atom Z3735F processor, with a single-channel of 2GB of DDR3L-1333 RAM and 32GB of internal storage, though out of the box only 19.2GB is usable. The Ubuntu version of the Compute Stick has as a similar CPU, but is packing only 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. All sticks have USB and MicroSD expansion capability. It doesn't burn through any benchmarks, but for multi-media playback, basic computing tasks, web browsing, HD video, or remote access, the Compute Stick has enough muscle to get the job done, and it's cheap, too: $99 — $149.

10 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Cripple Linux? by realilskater · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why in FSM's name are the Ubuntu version hardware specs lower?

    1. Re:Cripple Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Probably true, and a commentary on the overhead required to run Windows. Even so, it would be nice to run Ubuntu on the other version without having to pay the "Microsoft tax" to get the upgraded hardware. A higher price is fair, but paying for a license you don't use is silly.

    2. Re:Cripple Linux? by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Why in FSM's name are the Ubuntu version hardware specs lower?

      I think because they want to sell a cheap, low spec one and MS doesn't like people shipping Windows on underspeced hardware.

      Anyway, my old eee has 1G RAM and to be honest it's beginning to get rather spartan even for web browsing.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    3. Re:Cripple Linux? by Dracos · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Makes me wonder about the economics of producing these things. Apparently something related to the OS choices makes it worth Intel's while to develop separate models and the infrastructure to build each one, rather than just building the higher spec model and slapping either OS onto it.

      It's things like this that hearken back to the glory days of the Evil Empire, and why people find it difficult to trust MS now.

    4. Re:Cripple Linux? by hawguy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      For the last 24 years: LINUX ISN'T STUPID BLOATWARE! IT RUNS GREAT ON ANY HARDWARE!!!

      Hardware maker in 2015: OK, you're right. Here ya go.

      Fanboys: OMG!! CRIPPLED HARDWARE!!

      It's still a valid complaint -- why give the Ubuntu device half the ram and 1/4 the storage? Even if Ubuntu *requires* less resources than Windows, the applications that people want to run may not. Chrome, in particular, seems to grow to consume all of my RAM whether I run it on my old 2GB laptop or my 16GB desktop. And the Windows device has 19GB of usable storage -- more than 3 times the total amount of storage on the Ubuntu stick, Ubuntu users store data too, especially on a device well suited to be a media player.

    5. Re:Cripple Linux? by fisted · · Score: 3, Informative

      There were probably around 10-20 machines involved in you posting this comment here. One of them runs Windows.

      --
      CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
  2. Cheap in which universe?! by itsme1234 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There are a bunch of tablets on Amazon right now with Z3735G (which I assume is about the same if not better as the Z3735F) for less than $100.

    They come (of course) with battery, probably charger, screen (of course) and so on. How is this stupid stick "cheap" for $100-$150?

    1. Re:Cheap in which universe?! by barc0001 · · Score: 3, Informative

      These HDMI sticks are meant for a certain thing, and replacing a tablet isn't one of them. But try taking any one of those cheap tablets and connect it neatly to your TV and let me know how that's working for you. I am betting none of them have HDMI out capability at that price point.

      The point of these sticks are to be a media device, or a low power workstation/presentation device and to be relatively simple to integrate into a large display for both uses, which it is.

  3. Re:"...crammed into a dongle about 10cm long..." by ichthus · · Score: 4, Informative

    It would be an upgrade for me. :(

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    sig: sauer
  4. Re:Heavy? by minstrelmike · · Score: 3, Informative

    In the article, he advised using the extension cable and not plugging it directly in. The article is good, not by the vendor.
    It even has a little fan inside that puts out a high-pitched annoying whine after longterm use.