iLife MP8 Micro PC similar in size to a smartphone charger

[HEXUS]

And Gigabyte has launched its smallest ever motherboard, the GA-PICO3350.

Read more.

[3dcandy]

Is it an Intel or Realtek LAN then? Both are mentioned...

[scaryjim]

How long 'til we get a micro PC that just plugs straight into a 3 pin socket then...? Can't be far off...

[Irien]

The only notable thing is that it has an intel CPU rather than ARM. Otherwise it is conceptually pretty much identical to the Cubox-i series from Soidrun which have been available for a while. https://www.solid-run.com/nxp-family/cubox-i/

Still, it is nice that something this size can also now run Windows, as that'll do much better in terms of market acceptance, and the modern USB etc is also good

[nar53]

I suppose these little things will be of some use to someone. Probably not me though.

[matts-uk]

How long 'til we get a micro PC that just plugs straight into a 3 pin socket then...? Can't be far off...

They have been around for several years now.

Globalscale lead the field with the Sheeva Plug, Guru Plug and Dream Plug. The Globalscale plugs are strictly Linux. However, Quanta have taken the concept to Windows with their Compute Plug. Although I very much doubt these diminutive devices will be running Crysis anytime soon.

[scaryjim]

They have been around for several years now.

Globalscale lead the field with the Sheeva Plug, Guru Plug and Dream Plug. The Globalscale plugs are strictly Linux.

I'd be more excited if all of those products weren't EOL and based on a 2 decade old ARM instruction set

I note that they do a Sheva64 with updated (albeit still ARM) instruction set, but looking at the pictures it's at least twice the size of the others, and I'd be pretty worried about having it hanging off a wall socket (particularly the horribly under-engineered US 2-pin ones).

However, Quanta have taken the concept to Windows with their Compute Plug. Although I very much doubt these diminutive devices will be running Crysis anytime soon.

And I'd be more excited about that if the article wasn't a) 4 and a half years old, and b) practically the only result you get for googling "quanta compute plug". Or indeed, just "compute plug". Compute sticks, mooted at the same time, at least made it to market. The fact that someone produced a concept device 4 years ago doesn't mean that we get it.

Yes, OK, it's not a new concept. But currently no-one's making an x86 plug-in micro PC that you can actually buy, so my question stands: when will we get one?

[Rubarb]

Think you can get them now (or something very much like it) Intel compute stick anyone? and I think its even smaller than this.

[AETAaAS]

Yes, OK, it's not a new concept. But currently no-one's making an x86 plug-in micro PC that you can actually buy, so my question stands: when will we get one?

While there are probably some use cases, I suspect running all the requisite cabling (peripheral, display, etc.) to a socket rather than just a power cable to the PC is less desireable. The use cases I imagine already have a processor and necesary functions in them, even though they may not be general purpose processors (security cameras, smart devices, NAS, access points).

But I can see an office scenario with mains plug PCs; having display and data over USB-C to a monitor with an integrated hub for keyboard, mouse, etc. Thats probably for the future when the standard is more established and cheaper, or for some modern upstart who has to have their 'clean and modern' office credentials signed, sealed and delivered.

There is probably a 30-second Instagram craft video where someone hot glues a Raspberry Pi to a USB charger. Otherwise, 3D print your own RPi socket charger mount.

[cheesemp]

Think you can get them now (or something very much like it) Intel compute stick anyone? and I think its even smaller than this.

Yes - PC on a USB/HDMI stick. Looked into them a few times. Several other manufactures made them (ASUS?). I guess these a little more useful but still seems a silly claim...

Edit: Here we go - Atom based - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RDF2LY1/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_knfSDbA64AWMT

[Gentle Viking]

So what is it ? 2 C / 2 T or as mentioned elsewhere too 4C / 4T

It could be a nifty car PC, which i still want after all these years.

[Rad77]

How long 'til we get a micro PC that just plugs straight into a 3 pin socket then...? Can't be far off...

They have been around for several years now.

Globalscale lead the field with the Sheeva Plug, Guru Plug and Dream Plug. The Globalscale plugs are strictly Linux. However, Quanta have taken the concept to Windows with their Compute Plug. Although I very much doubt these diminutive devices will be running Crysis anytime soon.

Apart from the neat form factor of the device when on its own they don't actually seem that practical until they can be completely wireless. Having that form factor with anything big plugged into it seems a bit pointless.

As almost every other small, cheap, mains powered device of any complexity attempts to get the power supply out of the box and into a wall wart (much easier and cheaper than trying to cram that stuff inside and keep it cool I assume) I think that for now the most practical of the tiny form factors is still a small box attached to the back of a monitor, isn't it?

[matts-uk]

I'd be more excited if all of those products weren't EOL and based on a 2 decade old ARM instruction set

You can still buy the Sheeva and Dream plugs from New IT, as far as I know. Used a couple of the Sheeva plugs for an embedded LAMP stack on a bespoke project but that was 10 years ago. There are better options these days, IMO. Everyone knows about the Pi but the last time I wanted a low power embedded LAMP stack, to repurpose a DAB radio as an internet radio, I slapped Armbian on a $10 Allwinner board.

And I'd be more excited about that if the article wasn't a) 4 and a half years old, and b) practically the only result you get for googling "quanta compute plug".

I came across the Quanta while trying to recall the name of the Sheeva plug. Seems to be around the time the Wintel camp were trying to muscle into the Maker market. I remember the blitz of Windows IoT and x86 device press releases but very little seemed to come of it.

Yes, OK, it's not a new concept. But currently no-one's making an x86 plug-in micro PC that you can actually buy, so my question stands: when will we get one?

I would say the 'concept' failed to gain traction for good reasons. A wall plug is subject to mains electrical requirements that vary across the World. Not an insurmountable problem but meeting different build and safety requirements across international markets is going to impact on OEM and VAR margins. Cheap PoE has emerged since the plug concept came along and for most use cases a plug might fit, (that I can think of,) PoE is probably a better and less expensive choice.

The MP8 and Gigabyte pico boards look interesting but their success will come down to cost, IMO.

[persimmon]

AFAICT n3350 is 2c/2t but n4100 is 4c/4t . This does seem impractical unless its running headless and keyless.. Pi-Hole etc ..