back to article Intel shows Google how to stick it real good

Intel has loosed its Chromebit-killer, the Compute Stick, on the market with pre-orders open at NewEgg, Amazon and other outlets. It's more expensive than the expected sub-$US100 price tag on Chromebit: a Linux Compute Stick is available at Newegg for $US109.99 and a Windows 8.1 version is $US149.99. Google seems to have done …

  1. Fazal Majid

    This should be compared to the Amazon FireTV Stick

    Which only costs $40, for equivalent hardware. Gives some idea of how much Amazon is subsidizing them.

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: This should be compared to the Amazon FireTV Stick

      Doesn't the FireTV Stick compete with the Chromecast? If so not quite the same thing as this but the price will be the same as there is no need for subsidy at this end of the market.

      1. Test Man

        Re: This should be compared to the Amazon FireTV Stick

        "Doesn't the FireTV Stick compete with the Chromecast?"

        Yes, so indeed not the same thing, as it's not a full computer.

        1. h3

          Re: This should be compared to the Amazon FireTV Stick

          It is a full computer. It is not like the Chromecast. (It is locked down but the hardware is there).

  2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    In one direction, Chromebit wins on WiFi, with 802.11 ac against Compute Stick's measly 802.11 b/g/n, while Intel has double the memory of Google's offering.

    The table lists both as coming with 2GB RAM.

    Intel certainly isn't giving up easily but one has to wonder about the wisdom of "Intel inside" for this kind of market. Google is pushing a completely Chinese kit with no OS licence fees, Intel chips cost more to make and then increases costs by having different models.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      But not everyone wants to sell their soul to the devil in order to get cheap shiny, shiny.

      1. dogged

        And some have no souls to begin with.

        I could see this being popular with the kind of idiot employer who buys endless horrible HP boxes. Although I note that the default version is supplied with linux, so maybe not.

  3. batfastad

    Hello darkness my old friend

    Ah yes, the default HTML table styling, how I have missed thee!

    1. P. Lee

      Re: Hello darkness my old friend

      I thought it was a double-line border, but I may be behind the times.

      1. batfastad

        Re: Hello darkness my old friend

        Pure unadulterated HTML... table cellspacing="0" border="1"

        Party like it's 1999 dudes.

        Please add a simple TABLE { border-collapse:collapse; } into your CSS, I beg you.

        1. phil dude
          Coat

          Re: Hello darkness my old friend

          I *HATE* CSS.

          Carry on...

          P.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Party like it's 1999 (I was dreaming when I wrote this)

          Hey c'mon, be fair guys.

          It's not *that* long since the days when, if a table was needed in an article here, what you got was a *picture* of a table.

          Can we not giive the boys and girls some credit?

          OK, I'll get me coat, and me Raspberry Pi Beret.

          Peace.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Looks like same amount of RAM to me, storage not defined (up to 64 doesnt explain how much it has) and how would your external monitor be smaller than a low end laptop. Surely no one has 15" or small monitors laying around the place anymore.

  5. James Boag

    Big difference Chrome OS runs on limited hardware, Windows lololololololol clunck smoke flames lawsuits !

  6. djack

    HDMI features?

    If these things support HDMI-CEC and Ethernet over HDMI, these could make a nice MythTV frontend.

  7. Nelbert Noggins

    The biggest advantage and reason why the extra $10-$50 price is worth it is the use of an Intel Atom and not yet another Arm processor, which means you can really choose the OS to use.

    It will have driver support for all the necessary things in a low power cpu environment. Good luck getting Linux hardware drivers for the Rockchip processor with full hardware support. It's still the achillies heel of Arm SOC systems, the poor manufacturer support with drivers. The Samsung Chromebook with the Samung Arm chip is still a closed shop for drivers, like most Arm based systems.

    The Intel stick looks the best bet for a low power device at the moment. It is likely to be missing protected audio path in Windows for HD Audio streaming the same as the Z3735x based tablets/stbs, this shouldn't be a problem under Linux.

    So for a low power all in one Steam/XBMC/MythTV/<streaming service of your choice> device/PC with full HD picture, Audio HD bitstreaming and X86 application support or a Chrome OS device with messy Linux install, partial/difficult driver support and cross-compiling or zero support for less popular applications...

    Suddenly it doesn't look more expensive. I keep looking for a nice Arm based platform for the desktop, but the sticking point is still the hardware drivers, usually for audio and video. :(

  8. The Eastonator

    Why the vents?

    I'm not sure why the Compute Stick needs alot of vents? If you compare to the other Windows 8 based stick PCs (e.g. http://www.stickpcstore.com/stick-pcs/shop/windows/stick_pcs.html) they don't have anywhere near the amount of vents (which is good in terms of preventing dust in the inner unit). The Hannspree is very similar in terms of specs? I have Googled and can't find anything in terms of overheating problems?!?!?!

    1. Nelbert Noggins

      Re: Why the vents?

      I guess it's either for looks purposes because the designer said it was 'some made up garbage reason to look cool' or its to prevent the CPU throttling kicking in. I've no idea whether the Atom throttling would kick in before the case got hot enough to notice in something like the Hannspree.

      For most use cases it probably wouldn't be noticed if the CPU throttled.

  9. Mage Silver badge
    Boffin

    Hmm Fat

    Won't fit on any of my main TV's HDMI ports. Really given size (depth and width), power consumption, need for a keyboard, mouse etc, a box with an HDMI socket makes more sense.

    It's a gimmick making it into an HDMI "stick". Even if final version has narrower elongated swivel head.

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