CES
(Computer Electronics Show) 2015 is a place where the unusual can surprise you.
But I never expected Intel to pull something so good at CES that I’d recommend
that you buy.
The
product in question is the Intel Compute Stick, basically a HDMI Computer
shaped like an oversized USB Dongle that plugs into your HDTV, turning it into
a computer as explained in the article “Intel’s
pocketable Compute Stick now has a release date and price”, published
January 7, 2015 by Adrian Diaconescu, Digitaltrends.
The
Intel Compute Stick comes with a Quad-Core Atom Z3735F Processor supported by 2
GB or RAM and 32 GB or Internal memory expandable by another 64GB and possibly
128 GB using the MicroSD Card slot.
It
runs Windows 8.1 and should run smoothly inside of 2GB of RAM as stated in the
article “Intel's
Compute Stick puts Windows 8 in the palm of your hand”, published January
8, 2015 10:16 AM PST by Nate Ralph, CNET News.
There
is no 3G or 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Internet built in; it's just got Wi-Fi
802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. As the Intel Compute Stick cannot be powered by
the HDMI Port, a micro-USB along with a micro-USB Cable are used to draw power
from a Power Adaptor or any free USB port on the back of your HDTV.
This
is not a device for streaming or casting like the US$59.95 Microsoft Wireless
Display Adapter as described in my blog article
entitled “US$59.95
Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter - Poorly designed 1080p P2P HDMI Wi-Fi
Direct Miracast Streaming Stick with No Streaming Content”.
US$149 Intel Compute
Stick – Computing Power in the Palm of your Hand
This
is just a straight computer that comes in two (2) flavours:
1.
US$149 Intel Compute Stick running
Windows 8.1 on 2 GB RAM and 32 GB Internal Memory
2.
US$89 Intel Compute Stick running Linux
on 1 GB RAM and 16 GB Internal Memory
There
may be more power versions, possibly running Intel's new Core M 14nm Processors
codenamed Broadwell as detailed in my blog article
entitled “Intel
Core M Processor codenamed Broadwell – How Fanless, Smaller and Thinner proves
that If Life Gives you Lemons, Make Lemonade”.
Due
to the fact it's clearly NOT a low Voltage processor running the Intel Compute
Stick, the Intel Atom Processor needs a cooling fan.
Other
than that overheating issue, mouse and keyboard are all you'll need to bring to
make the Intel Compute give your Smart TV some computer smarts to go along with
the best picture in the house.
The
US$149 Intel Compute Stick goes on sale in March 2015.
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