Console OS is a custom version of Android optimized to run on computers with Intel processors. Don’t have a PC that supports the system requirements? No problem — the developers of the operating system plan to launch a tiny, low-power device that comes with Console OS pre-loaded.

The iConsole micro is a TV stick with an Intel Atom processors and an operating system based on Android 5.0.

iconsole micro

The stick will feature a 64-bit quad-core Atom processor, 32GB of storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a microSD card slot and an HDMI connector. Just plug it into the HDMI port on your TV, hook up a power cord and you’ve got Android on your TV.

The device should be available this summer for about $129. It was unveiled at Mobile World Congress this week, and the folks at Mobile Geeks interviewed iConsole founder Chris Price about the device.

He says it’ll support Google’s Android TV user interface as well as a Console OS device which can be used as a general-purpose Android device for playing games, surfing the web, managing documents, or just about any other activity.

Note that Console OS currently supports the Amazon Appstore rather than the Google Play Store.

The device has an unlocked, 64 32-bit UEFI bootloader which means that if you want to install Windows, Ubuntu, or other operating systems, there’s nothing stopping you from doing that.

While this is hardly the first Android TV stick, it’ll be one of the first to feature an Intel processor. Price says it’s base on Intel’s Compute Stick platform.

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20 replies on “iConsole micro: TV Stick with an Intel CPU, Console OS (Android) software”

  1. This looks the same small form factor technology as the Hannspree Micro PC (as per http://www.stickpcstore.com/stick-pcs.html) which runs Windows 8.1 well. So if it does have the same RAM as the Hannspree this Android version should run very well indeed. I hope they offer the same storage too… 32GB!!

    1. Ah I just re-read and see that they will offer the 32GB… excellent… lots of storage for an Android based OS and if it is like the Windows stick PC (Hannspree) then it will support another 64GB!!!

  3. 1. Will it support CEC?
    2. Will it be able to be powered on autmatically with TV?

    1. 1. I think I might get in trouble for answering that one final-final, but probably. I’m going to be ticked if it doesn’t.
      2. Depends on the TV, but yes for the most part.

      1. Thank you 🙂
        1. HDMI CEC is important for a lot of people, so it’d be cool to have it in a such device.

        2. On the software side, it’s safe for system to be suddenly turned off? I ask because, as far as I know for Windows it can be unsafe.

        1. Most TVs continue to supply power to the USB port even when shut off. That’s both so that the device doesn’t crash, and also so things like phones/tablets that are connected to the TV can keep charging.

          When the video source is lost, the device will auto-sleep, driving its power usage down to about your coffee maker (or less, depending on how ancient your coffee maker is).

          The one exception to that is if you use Miracast or WiDi, in which case iConsole micro won’t auto-sleep and will continue to function. Yes, as we mentioned in the video, you can use iConsole micro with a wireless display too or Miracast receiver too.

          Now as to sudden-power-loss scenarios – that’s something we’re trying to improve on Android with Console OS. Things like better ExtFS checking in recovery and auto-repair. But Ext3/4 is quite robust which is why you don’t see Android devices bricking from being shut off inappropriately very often.

  4. iConsole micro has a 64-bit Atom CPU, but is running 32-bit UEFI… Just like Intel tablets.

    This is actually a good thing for us since it lets us pool resources and helps speed up shipping Console OS for other devices. So, stay tuned there is we don’t have Console OS in your device just yet.

      1. I think we were getting two questions chucked our way. But to be clear:

        * It has a 64-bit processor
        * The firmware is 32-bit
        * It will still run 64-bit OS & Kernel if you want it to

        Most people want us to go with UEFI32 because they’re afraid we’re skipping Console OS for UEFI32 devices (mostly tablets). We fully expect to support most UEFI32 tablets on Console OS – and we made sure iConsole micro was aligned with that.

        1. Thank you for explaining this. As a backer, I am disappointed that many people still aren’t getting it that UEFI32 support is on the fringe of completion.

      2. Nope, in that Intel-sponsored or endorsed video with Chippy interviewing him, he says 32-bit UEFI. It is 64-bit processing which he also remarks on that you likely got it confused with.

  5. Looking at that and I just thought: “Have anyone tried to install Console OS on the MeegoPad T01 yet?”

        1. I write and read by google translate. I do not understand:
          “Aw yiss”.
          Write it grammatically correct.
          Thank you.

          3. Can’t speak to that specific device, but we do expect to offer Console OS for other Compute Stick-based platforms. iConsole micro may have minor differences, but it’s our goal to maintain consistency.

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