Chromebit
| Manufacturer | Asus; Google |
|---|---|
| Introduced | March 31, 2015 |
| Cost | US$85[1] |
| Type | Computer on a stick. |
| Memory | RAM 2GB, ROM 16GB |
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Ports | HDMI, USB |
The Chromebit is a dongle running on Google's Chrome OS operating system. When placed in the HDMI port of a television or a monitor, this device turns that display into a personal computer. Chromebit allows adding a keyboard or mouse over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The device was announced in April 2015 and began shipping that November.
Functionality
A Chromebit turns a display with an HDMI port into a desktop variant of the Chromebook laptop, which runs Google's Chrome OS operating system. Chrome OS primarily supports a single application, a web browser, thereby relying heavily on an Internet connection for software functionality and data storage.[1]
Chromebits have a superficial resemblance to the Chromecast, another Google device. But whereas the Chromecast is designed to display video and still images on a television or other large-screen display, the Chromebit is a self-contained personal computer.[2] The device will compete against the Intel Compute Stick, which offers similar plug-in functionality using two other operating systems, Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu.[3][4]
Technology
Internally, the first Chromebit resembles a standard Chromebook laptop.[5] The device features 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as a USB 2.0 port at one end. The other end swivels, enabling it to fit into a variety of HDMI slots.[2]
Availability, models
Google announced the Chromebit on March 31, 2015. Google and Asus began shipping the first model that November.[6][7]
| Announced | Brand | Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2015 | Asus | Asus Chromebit | Rockchip RK3288 | 2 GB | 16 GB | |
References
- 1 2 http://chrome.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/chrome-os-is-here-to-stay.html
- 1 2 Hollister, Sean (March 31, 2015). "Google's Chromebit Turns Any TV Into a Chrome PC for $85". Gizmodo.
- ↑ Kessler, Derek (March 31, 2015). "Google Chromebit packs an entire Chrome OS computer into an HDMI stick". androidcentral. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ "Intel® Compute Stick". Intel. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ Bell, Karissa (March 31, 2015). "Google debuts the Chromebit, a Chromebook dongle for under $100". Mashable.
- ↑ "More Chromebooks, for everyone". Google Chrome Blog. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
- ↑ "This $85 Device Turns Any Screen into a Computer". US News & World Report. 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
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