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Google's Chromebit Micro-Computer Launches (techcrunch.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Back in March, Google announced the Chromebit, a small computer crammed into an HDMI stick that runs Chrome OS. The device, built by Asus, has now launched for $85. It weighs 75 grams, runs on a Rockchip ARM processor, and includes a USB port. It has 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, and connects via 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. According to Tech Crunch, the Chromebit is not particularly fast, but it's usable for basic tasks. "As long as the work only involves web apps (or maybe a remote connection to a more fully-featured machine), the Chromebit is up for the job and can turn any screen into a usable desktop."
They crammed nearly everything else into that connector, why not a power source?
The HDMI automotive spec includes power.
For regular HDMI, I wonder if you could jam some extra electrons through it via power over ethernet. Find the dumbest device that pipes ethernet through HDMI and the dumbest device that does PoE and slap em together.
What're you buying for a screen, a 52" Plasma TV?
I bought my daughter a decent Chromebook (new) for $150. For $85 (as this thing is) - add the cost of of a keyboard and mouse - and you're close to that. I don't think this is going to fly too heavily for $85.
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Having to plug in a USB cable just to provide power is foolish.
But sometimes you dont need a laptop. I was thinking about using this instead of Chromecast and being able to access all my google play + amazon prime movies at the same place. My friend owns a store and he was thinking of using it as a transaction service station.
If you don't have a mouse or keyboard, how do you plan on using it when you get to your destination? Are you going to buy new ones every time you travel somewhere?
Also, with web apps and storage, they don't need your hardware to get to your data.....they just need a warrant provided to Google (or whatever provider you use). Hopefully you meant something else (like a VPN or Tor or whatever).
Not when you can get something like the Kangaroo for $15 more:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...
Has an Intel cpu, 2gb memory, 32gb built in storage and comes with Windows 10 (home) but can run Linux also.
There about eleventy-billion VGA displays sitting in closets, storage rooms etc. Our office still uses VGA for everything despite the displays supporting HDMI. A female HDMI to female VGA adapter is about $6 in bulk. Skylake finally dropped support for analog VGA but I suspect these 32 bit stick computers still do VGA out over HDMI. You could really provide some serious value to users with old "garbage" 17" VGA flatscreens that you would otherwise have to pay to get taken away.
moox. for a new generation.
male genitalia.
Wonder if there's going to be a chatroulette for Chromebit ?
Make sure everyone's vote counts: Verified Voting
No keyboard, no mouse, no screen ... cheaper to just buy a laptop, or even a full Chromebook.
Except if you already own these - especially in plentiful supply. If your chromebook/laptop keyboard breaks, you just replace it with another cheap one, right? Oh wait, you have to replace/fix the entire unit.
Make sure everyone's vote counts: Verified Voting
<pause>... narf!
Nope, didn't help. At all.
The ability to add a USB webcam and USB Microphone. This device would be the PERFECT way to get Google Hangouts into the corperate world of small "Huddle" type meeting rooms.
Why is it that Apple and Google never ever thinks of the corporate and company uses for their products?
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
We've had all these micro computers for over 2 years already running Chrome, linux and now Windows. Just go to Amazon, you have plenty to choose from (My favorite was the MK808). You can run Netflix, hulu, amazon prime, whatever on it just the same. What changed? What's so special? Seems Google is way late to the party on this when there are WAY better offers and devices just on Amazon alone.
Yep. Problem is 99% of all TV manufacturers don't supply more than 0.5A of power there. Every stinking time we try to use a stick powered via the HDMI and it fails, we have to plug in the USB as well. and on some sets an external USB power as they cant supply any real power out their USB jacks.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
"Don't expect blazing performance from the quad-core Rockchip SoC that powers the device, but it's perfectly usable."
The device in question is the size of a pack of gum. It's nice to be living in the future.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
..so there's still the possibility to add a webcam that has a microphone using that (or hook up the keyboard/mouse with that and use a USB webcam) but you're going to need to power. Perhaps for such a setup a Chromebox would be better?
There are quite a few compact bluetooth keyboards available.
It has USB. Plug a in hub (which can also be pocket sized) and you've got four or five USB ports. Of course, some keyboards have a USB hub built-in, so you don't need a separate hub.
In the future, you're going to get computers as prizes in breakfast cereals. You'll throw them out because your house will be littered with them.
How relevant!
Obviously we should use them to create a Beowulf cluster.
Chance favors the prepared mind.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
Sounds like good specs. Any chance this thing can run an X server? Could make any TV network connected computer monitor!
AB HOC POSSUM VIDERE DOMUM TUUM
You can buy a chromebook for $159.99. That includes a screen, touchpad, keyboard, wifi, and power supply (battery) that doubles as a UPS, bluetooth, 2 usb ports, hdmi port, audio in/out, takes micro sd cards for extra storage, webcam. In terms of both value for money and usability, the chromebit fails.
Have fun using the chromebit stick at school, work, or someone else's house - it's not like many people are going to want you to fiddle with their TVs or have monitors just sitting around ready for you to plug in (nobody's going to go into the garage to dig out that old lcd or tube screen for you unless you agree to take it with you when you leave).
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
By the time you buy a keyboard, webcam, audio in/out, bluetooth, sd card storage adapter, a usb hub, and a screen, it's way more expensive than just buying a chromebook (and you don't need to drag those extra things around when you go to the restaurant).
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
No different than having to replace the entire unit if you break your chromebit (or more likely use it if you're carrying it around from place to place), so what's your point?
Just buy a cheap tablet - you get all that the chromebit offers, plus a touch screen and portability, for $50 bucks.
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.