The Intel Compute Stick is a tiny desktop computer crammed into a stick small enough to slide into your pocket. But it’s not the only PC-on-a-stick. Chinese device makers Mele and MeegoPad have their own models, as do Epsen, Beelink, and Hanspree.
But don’t be surprised if you start to see a lot of models that look like the ECS PCoS in the coming months.
That’s because ECS (Elitegroup Computer Systems) is a Taiwanese company that makes products which are sold under the brand names of other companies. Sometimes that means PC makers will contract with a company like ECS to manufacturer a product based on their specifications… but sometimes it means ECS designs a product in-house and then licenses the design to other companies.
The PCoS falls into the latter category: it’s a tiny PC stick that measures about 4.7″ x 1.5″ x 0.6″ and which features an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core Bay Trail processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, an HDMI connector, a USB 2.0 port, micro USB 2.0 port (for power), a microSD card reader, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.0.
ECS says the system supports Windows 8.1 with Bing, but if it’s anything like the Intel Compute Stick, it should also support Ubuntu and possibly other Linux-based operating systems.
Unlike some PC sticks, but like the Intel Computer Stick, the PCoS has a fan to help keep the system from overheating. There are vents in several parts of the case.
Japan’s Mouse Computer launched a PC stick in April which is pretty clearly based on the ECS PCoS design. But ECS actually has a few different design options, including the Mouse Computer-like version with rounded edges and a more boxy design.
via Notebook Italia
is it not time for cherry trail already!?!? we want stick PCs that can play H.265!
Cherry trails are unlikely, to be supplied to the OEMs free of charge. That means, devices utilizing it are gong to be much more expensive ….
how about a round-up with a shoot-out of all those sticks? I would like to buy one, but amidst all the noise it’s hard to pick one I feel confident about.
Wait till the skylake ones are out, these things only support 2gb, neutered by the processor.
maybe not Skylake, but Cedar City. But, yeah, for the rest of the spec sheet, those sound fabulous.