Intel Compute Stick Already Available In The Market
Reports have indicated that preorders for the PC-on-a-stick offering of Intel, the Intel Compute Stick, are already being accepted by Newegg. The dongle, which can be plugged into an HDMI port of a monitor, initially had an April 24 release date. However, the website indicated that a new release date of the dongle is on May 1.
The Windows version of the dongle has a price tag of $150 while the Linux version is priced at $110. While both versions were listed on Amazon, the Amazon listing does not show any release date or the price tag of the device.
The details of the dongle were released by Intel during the Consumer Electronics Show. The device is basically an HDMI dongle that can be connected into a monitor through an HDMI port. It features an Atom quad-core processor from Intel, 2GB RAM, and 32GB storage space.
When the Intel Compute Stick was unveiled last January, the company indicated that the retail price of the Windows 8.1 version will be at $149 while the Linux version will be priced at $89.
Using the Intel Compute Stick will be as easy as plugging it into the HDMI port of a monitor. Once the monitor is turned on and the device boots up, the user can start working using a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. While the device may not be a direct competitor to a laptop or desktop, it is useful for people who are always on the move and want to get things done wherever they are.
The device already has a competitor in the Asus Chromebit, which was announced recently. The Chromebit of Asus also connects to the HDMI port of a monitor and uses a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. The main difference is that the Chromebit uses the Chrome operating system of Google, and it does not have a Windows or Linux version. The Asus device is expected to be launched by summer and will have a price tag of under $100.
No statements were released by Intel in connection to the release of the Intel Compute Stick.