These two has driven the PC market to evolve at a very fast pace.
We have seen the follwoing:
ChromeBooks, are low cost computers that can run Chrome OS and are fast, with very cheap hardware as requirements for this os is low. The Chrome first a fast Browser integrated with Google's Ecosystem, now also an operating system for embeded devices, and of course computers.
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| Chrome Logo, driving the market. |
Google is starting to use servers using low price CPUs, by Qualcom, and other manufacturers.
The introduction of small factor pcs in a chip such as the Raspberry Pi, was the beginning of the development of PC on a chip that has apurr a big community, and actually many projects, including games console are coming down the piple via open source market.
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| The Raspberry Pi PC in a Chip. |
Then we have small countries people are using their cellular phone and tablets are replacements to their Desktop computer. Because with a lower cost they can do most of the things they do on a computer.
During all this races and evolution, Microsoft and intel stayed behind. Microsoft bought Nokia, and developed a mobile version of Windows. At the same time, Intel developed cheaper chips,and it is in lline to come up with the Edison, a chip for wearable computers.
De fact that Chrome OS can be run on any arm computer, also, enter the stalishment of a new market to devices that can make TV smarts. This is an evolution of the apple tv, but now you can get Android based devises that are fast for under $30 dollars.
Microsoft failed to compete with Apple with their line of Surface. Which ad a version of Windows 8.0 stripped, lacked in number of native applications compared to Androids or IOS. Also, the operating system was not really designed for a good touch experience. Additionally the hardware was expensive to put together. it is not easy to come up and compete at the level of Apple when apple demans so many millions devices in sales, and can drive its suppliers, to give htem low price, or they caan develop their own parts from scratch. But this is another story in itself.
There is a series of events that might change the complete computing device arena for years to come:
Microsoft is giving away their Windows 8.1 for free to low end computer manufacturers.
Intel reduced prices of of the baytrail, or Atom platform which is a system in a chip. These are quad chore devices with pretty good graphics capabilities and low battery conpsumption that enable the surgence of a new market of low end devices starting with:
The fact that now, capable hardware is available for cheap, and the platform can run a full blown version of Windows, and leverage the already mature R&D under the x86 microcode, including Android itself for x86 which came out last year we have.
Android based tablets that are cheaper and faster than the Arm based ones.like the Asus Memo pad, the Dell Venue, and meno other players.
Transformer laptop/tablets running windows 8.1.
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| Asus transformer |
7, 8, and 10 inches tablets running windows 8.1.
These all includes Office 360, 1 TB of storage in cloud. But I have tried them and the performance rivals fast laptops.
I got the Winbook 7 to play around, and it has become my book, and multimedia box. Since I can connect a USB keyboard, it has a micro hdmi connector, I can use it a s a HTPC or a desktop.
My only concern is over time with the windows updates, the 8 GB of storage will probe to be too low. I can expand with sd card, and also sb drives, but the OS has to be on the drive c. Still looking for an answer for that, but if you want to have one of these long term, you must have the 32GB versions of these devices. Some come with a hardrive.
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| Wallmart sells this laptop/tablet for $179. |
I will update this post with more. For now, this is the fist issue.
Since this is a full blown 32bit/486 architecture you can load stuff like Linux. Follow the following instructions to boot from USB: How to boot from USB:
Intel introducing the HDMI Stick PC.
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