The Tiny Cotton Candy Computer Runs Android 4.0 ICS, Ubuntu
The little computer in a USB/HDMI stick evolves a little more.
Last year we reported on a product called Cotton Candy from FXI Tech that contains a dual-core ARM A9-based Samsung Exynos processor capable of outputting to a PC via USB or TV via HDMI.
When we first saw it, it was running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. At CES 2012, we've seen an updated version of the device running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as well as Ubuntu. The flash drive-sized device accepts a MicroSD card, so switching out to a different operating system is as simple as swapping out the flash card.
"One of the major benefits of the Cotton Candy device is its versatility," said Borgar Ljosland, CEO and founder of FXI Technologies. "By demonstrating two new operating systems on a variety of screens from PCs, to Macs to TVs, we further show the flexibility of the world’s smallest computer."
There may be some debate about whether or not it really is the smallest, but it certainly does pack a ton of potential in a very small package. We were also shown that the little stick can accept micro USB, which allowed for a USB gamepad to be plugged into the side for some gaming action.
We hope to see the final product ship sometime this year.
It would be awesome to play topgear 2 with the father in law on his TV with a device that I pulled out of my jacket pocket....
MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!
Maybe $200 if they make it. If someone like Amazon got this, you can bet it would be a sub $100 dollar item. And I would be surprised if they don't do just that in a year or two. I'm sure Amazon would love every TV set in America being tied into the Amazon store. Hell they might actually GIVE these away.
with the purchase of a compatible TV, for normal people just trying to upgrade their own TV to be subsidized.
Who the hell tosses out their tv every 2-3 years? I want to know so I can get myself some more televisions...
Well that was my point. . . . .
The point is that with a Smart TV, which has a built in computer, the built in computer will be obsolete after 2-3 years. But the TV itself will be theoretically fine. Although if you were using your tablet, for example, as a remote, it may have difficulty communicating with the old hardware in your system, making your entire tv somewhat "iffy." So a better idea is to just buy a regular tv and then make it "smart" by connecting a device like this to it.