Concept models (via FXI)
Only a short time after intensely successful Raspberry Pi hit the market, copy-cats came sweeping in to grab some of the frenzy.
FXI, a Norwegian hardware and software developer, has recently announced that the company plans to release their USB-stick sized computer later this month (May, 2012). The stick, dubbed Cotton Candy, is designed to connect to any screen and turn it into a personal computer. Does this sound familiar?
FXI states that the device can be used to complement mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and notebooks but can also provide ‘smart’ capabilities to standalone screens such as TV’s. While Cotton Candy may be small in size, it none the less houses some pretty big hardware. Providing the computational power is an ARM Cortex A9 1.2GHz processor that’s coupled with a quad-core ARM Mali -400P GPU to deliver HD content (native support for MPEG-4, H.263/4) with resolutions up to 1080p on HD-capable screens. The device packs 1 GB of dedicated memory and the ability to upgrade to 64 GB through micro-SD cards for increased storage of media. Another impressive feature of Cotton Candy is its plethora of connection options that include USB (male) 2.0, micro-USB (female) 2.0 and HDMI. The software it uses is pretty much rounded out with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and Ubuntu with a virtualization client for Windows, Linux and Mac (sorry no iOS). Content on-screen can be controlled in various ways with integrated keyboards found on tablets and notebooks, or wirelessly with the devices built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections that let you use your smartphone as the interface.
As it stands right now, only Scandinavians will be able to lay their hands on Cotton Candy at the end of May (2012), while the rest of us have to wait till the end of 2012 and should retail for about $200.00 US. The price is nearly 6 times that of the Raspberry Pi. Are the differences worth the extra $165?
Cabe