Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Remix Mini Review: a $70 Android Desktop PC (liliputing.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-it-out dept.

walterbyrd writes: Earlier this year, Jide released a 2-in-1 tablet called the Remix Ultra, which shipped with a custom version of Android called Remix OS. The software features a taskbar, a desktop, support for keyboard shortcuts, and support for running many apps either in full-screen mode or in smaller windows. The Remix Ultra tablet comes with a keyboard cover and touchpad, allowing you to use it like a laptop — and it worked... kind of. But the Remix Ultra is also kind of expensive. Now Jide is offering something much more affordable: the Jide Remix Mini is basically a small, low-power desktop computer that ships with Remix OS. After running a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise money (and awareness) this fall, Jide is now shipping the Remix Mini to customers.

20 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Jide Remix by mjc_w · · Score: 5, Informative

    I got one of these from the Kickstarter campaign. It works reasonably well. I haven't tried to do much with it, but as a tiny desktop computer it's OK.

    I had initial problems getting the display to work, because my monitor (a Benq GW1255) only accepted 1080p on its HDMI interface and the Remix output 720p. I first connected the Remix to a monitor that could handle 720p and changed the Remix's display settings, but I finally ended up getting a HDMI to VGA connector (from Amazon by CableMaster, about $10) and it now works fine.

    I use the Remix just for playing around. It prints fine with a Brother driver over my wifi to a 2360DW.

    I use my Apple keyboard (wired) with its attached trackball via USB, and they both work without any problems.

    So far, I like it.

    (Wow - I sure haven't posted in a loooooong time - look at my sig)

    --
    This is the Constitution.This is the Constitution under the Bush administration. Any questions?
    1. Re: Jide Remix by RDW · · Score: 3

      Linux->the new spiffy unusable UIs are standard so you need to hunt for a usable one.

      To be fair, if it takes more than 5 minutes to find a distribution like Ubuntu MATE, Mint MATE or Mint Cinnamon, or the packages for Xfce, LXDE or MATE in other distributions, then you're doing it wrong.

    2. Re: Jide Remix by Desler · · Score: 2

      What does Windows stop you from doing?

    3. Re:Jide Remix by OakDragon · · Score: 3, Insightful

      (Wow - I sure haven't posted in a loooooong time - look at my sig)

      $sig =~ s/Bush/current/; and you're set for life.

      --
      Dark Reflection
  2. Another STB by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This looks a lot like android set-top box. While they can perform some functions of a PC, they are still far. In that regard this modified android is a step in right direction, although it seems there are still things to be desired.

  3. cheap fanless server by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've been looking for a cheap low power fanless server that I could host a web server I could ssh into for my family. Think along the lines of managing chores, etc. Is this something that's fit for that task or are there better options (such as something even cheaper)?

    1. Re:cheap fanless server by Blaskowicz · · Score: 3, Informative

      Do you get linux drivers for it?, I mean without 3D acceleration (OpenGL) and without wifi but with wired ethernet still it would be fine ; but if you get a blank screen it's not nice and what such a device maybe lacks is a RS232 port that gives a serial console. I may be unfair here : Mali GPU do get some support but what about the specific SoC?

      If you intend to get a GNU userland running under Android thus negating most driver concerns, then why not, but the underlying Android OS will probably not get timely security updates.

      For all the petty dislikes I may have against the Raspberry Pis, they do get huge community support so you can run straight GNU/Linux or even BSD or other.
      ODROID have some favorable reputation. Banana Pi?
      Some PC hardware is not far at all in price (486 + BIOS or Atom + UEFI).
      Some complete 20 euro solution without special tricks would be great if we just want it to respond to pings, ssh and serve static or better html. I guess we'll get there eventually.
      Android computers are a bit like CP/M of old : they run the same software but CP/M machines needed their own custom BIOS (and warts of the time such as a hundred different floppy formats). End result you get a CP/M version tailored to your hardware and floppy. With MS-DOS machines except early ones the BIOS were compatible (and we ended up with 360KB floppy, 1.2MB, 720kB etc.) so you ran unmodified OS on unmodified machines of any vendor. I think we may get there : we'll have ARM + UEFI little boxes like we have x86 + UEFI ones. (and even MIPS + UEFI, etc.)

      We do have it easy even in the current situation because a lot of things are extremely standardized : USB, eMMC, SD, ethernet, Wifi, HDMI, VGA, PCIe. File systems too. It's beautiful that things can be used without special consideration.

    2. Re: cheap fanless server by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2

      How much CPU do you need? You can spend about $16 total on an older PogoPlug and little USB flash drive, put Arch on it, and run a tiny server. Works fine for a DNS backup or low-bandwidth Tor relay and will hardly dent your power bill.

      http://amzn.to/1NdkLhF

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  4. Too expensive. by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 4, Informative

    I saw Android 2-in-1s going for 80 last week. And Win10 2-in-1s starting at $100. And those include display/keyboard/trackpad so they're ready to go out of the box. They're not amazingly powerful but neither is this thing. Why would I pay $70 for something in the same class that lacks input devices, a display, and a battery? $25 tops.

  5. why not Pi ? by DanDD · · Score: 2

    I get that people that live on their phones may be fond of their apps and the app store(s) and the environment they are used to, but please consider:

    The Raspberry Pi 2 (under $40), running Raspbian, is a very usable Debian Linux based desktop environment, unencumbered by the limitations of Android.

    'sudo apt-cache search ' will yield all sorts of interesting things worth investigating, and maybe even a few worth 'sudo apt-get install '

    Android for anything other than a phone is rather pointless.

    --
    "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." - H. G. Wells
    1. Re: why not Pi ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I guess the most obvious answer to this is "familiarity". Most people who chose the remix probably have some kind of experience with Android through their own phones. But not everyone is interested to learn Linux nor to setup the pi (which doesn't even come with a case similar to the remix) just to get a simple computer going. I bought one mainly for my 7 year old son to do basic research on the internet and watch YouTube clips and get his feet wet on basic computer usage. It works great for that purpose.

    2. Re:why not Pi ? by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 2

      A set-top box for grandma where she can use the same OS on her TV that she already has on her phone?

      The walled garden of Google Play sounds simpler than explaining the intricacies of dpkg to a non-nerd.

    3. Re:why not Pi ? by hughbar · · Score: 2

      Yes, that both the blessing and the curse at the same time. I have an Android TV stick that I can SSH into from my phone, but I hate all the 'Androidiness' + unknown bits that 'may' steal date. Currently I have a PI attached to my TV, web server, xrdp available in the house and that's fine. However I would like to see a pre-packaged, easy to use Linux stick or mini-PC.

      --
      On y va, qui mal y pense!
  6. Android? Forget it! by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sorry, but Android is totally unusable as a desktop operating system. (And I'm not saying that it's particularly usable on phones either.)

    But how about installing some good GNU/Linux on it? Does it run?

    1. Re:Android? Forget it! by blind+biker · · Score: 2, Informative

      Good thing that the Jide isn't running plain Android, but a desktop-oriented fork called Remix OS. The review itself does not find severe issues with using the OS or the apps in desktop mode. Maybe you should, you know, read the review?

      --
      "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
    2. Re:Android? Forget it! by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 4, Informative

      You're missing the point, which is that an "Android Desktop PC" does not have the kind of applications you'd want to have on a desktop PC. This "Remix OS", a slightly modified version of Android, just runs Android apps developed for phones and tablets. To quote the review: "Remix OS does a pretty good job of making some Android apps feel like they were designed for desktop use, but there’s only so much the OS can do if apps don’t play along."

    3. Re:Android? Forget it! by phorm · · Score: 2

      It may not have the applications that *YOU* would want on a desktop PC. To be fair, it doesn't catch all the ones I'd want either, but for many of my family members it could do all they need, specifically:
      * Email
      * Browser
      * Netflix
      * Skype
      * Media Player(s)

      Personally what I'd like to see is something that works better for non-touch non-keyboard devices. Android TV boxes are awesome, but I've not seen any that do particularly well with the basic remotes (I don't necessarily blame Android for this, a lot of it is app design, i.e. Netflix is pretty horrible with just a standard up/down/left/right OK remote).

  7. Re:Android on desktop? by CastrTroy · · Score: 3

    Exactly. Android and iOS are significantly handicapped because they are designed to work on a phone with almost no resources available. iOS bascially tries to not have a file system at all. Android is missing critical things like the ability to mount a network share. Sure you can access them through apps, but I'd rather just have any application be able to read files from the network transparently.

    This is the reason that even for tablets I think that iOS and Android are useless. Sure they may work most of the time, but when I need to do something more advanced, they fall flat. Simple features are missing that would be present in any modern desktop OS.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  8. If you want an inadequately powered desktop... by sparky81 · · Score: 2

    ...a raspberry pi is half the cost of this,

  9. GPL Violation? by pecosdave · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Was going to load up RemixOS on a VM to try it out, looked at the website found this:

    Disclaimer: Remix OS is only licensed to authorized business partners and pre-loaded on specific product models of those partners;it's not intended for personal use.

    I know they have their part of the software that doesn't have to be GPL, but the rest has to be released. Scrutinize....

    --
    The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.