Dell's Thumb-Size Ophelia PC Shipping Aug-Oct Quarter
Dell is shipping Ophelia to testers now.
As promised, Dell is now shipping its Android-based PC-on-a-stick, AKA "Project Ophelia," to beta testers and expects to ship a final product during the company's next fiscal quarter, or between August and October. It's about the size of a standard USB stick, and plugs into the HDMI port of any HDTV or monitor, turning it into a makeshift Android-based PC. Ophelia is expected to sell for around $100, and have access to Google Play.
"Built on Dell Wyse software technology already used on millions of devices, Project Ophelia transforms ordinary displays into a window to entertainment, communications and a person’s own personal cloud," the company said in January. "The product addresses a variety of uses being fueled by the growing need to access cloud-based apps and resources at any time, or whenever a larger screen high definition digital display provides a superb user experience."
With Ophelia, Dell is banking on customers who depend on the cloud for storing documents, photos, music and video. It's a lightweight PC alternative that can be carried in a pocket or on a key chain, seemingly eliminating the need for a laptop-sized bag. Bluetooth connectivity means users can also carry their favorite Bluetooth mice and keyboards to complete the mobile PC experience. All they need is an HDMI-based screen.
As of May, the device featured 8 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for adding more. Powering this stick-sized PC is supposedly an SoC with two Cortex-A9 cores clocked at 1.6 GHz, and Android 4.1.2 "Jelly Bean." Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity allows it to access the local network so that users can stream movies, play games and install apps from Google Play.
Jeff McNaught, executive director of cloud client computing at Dell, said that Ophelia was developed to be an inexpensive alternative to tablets and PCs. It has builtin support for Wyse's PocketCloud, which allows users to access files stored on PCs, servers or mobile devices. "We've done a number of things in the software of the product and outside that will make it interesting," he said.
Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, said that Ophelia could be attractive to companies unsure about moving up to Windows 8 and buying the necessary equipment. Using Ophelia would be a cost-cutting yet radical move, replacing desktop hardware with pocket-sized components and Windows 8 with the highly-familiar touch-friendly Android.
Dell is actually working to add enterprise-features to Ophelia to differentiate it from other consumer-based PC-on-a-stick devices using Android. These features include the ability to remotely shut down and wipe it clean if it's lost or stolen, and to keep a record of what the user is doing with the device. It will supposedly be easy for IT to manage as they do with Android-based smartphones and tablets.
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Dell actually plans to pitch Ophelia as a pocket-sized client to the Enterprise sector. "We want to make sure when we release the product that it's perfect. The enterprise is one market we understand," McNaught said.
Ophelia will supposedly be offered through cable companies and wireless carriers starting in August, followed by Dell's website in the months to come.
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Giovanni-L Gadgets are getting to the point extreme gimmickness. People don't need most of the things launched. I'm actually quite puzzled as to how all of the new products being released are still profitable...Reply
Seems like people just listen to ads and go on a shopping frenzy... And worst of all: if you tell them they are wrong and don't need it, they immediately become hostile and try to defend the damn things as their offspring. DAMNIT, MARKETING PEOPLE! I HATE YOU!!! -
rad666 11277511 said:Gadgets are getting to the point extreme gimmickness. People don't need most of the things launched. I'm actually quite puzzled as to how all of the new products being released are still profitable...
Seems like people just listen to ads and go on a shopping frenzy... And worst of all: if you tell them they are wrong and don't need it, they immediately become hostile and try to defend the damn things as their offspring. DAMNIT, MARKETING PEOPLE! I HATE YOU!!!
Unfortunately, most people do what the talking box tells them to do.
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Aaron Briggs Giovanni i couldn't agree with you more. I blame the mobile market it has brain washed people to buy stuff asap cause your current stuff is crap. Hell they have commercials of people throwing 700 smartphones in the trash cause its old. Its sadReply -
daekar Isn't this a bit superfluous when it won't be long before smart phones dock with screens and keyboards, and you use the same device at most locations?Reply
It seems like this is not particularly useful except in engineering exercises. I can't imagine companies using this kind of technology when WYSE already has quite secure and competent thin clients out there already without the downsides of these USB devices. And really... how often do you come across touch-enabled stand-alone screens in a work environment? And who the heck imagines that anybody is going to do work on a computer without a keyboard?
Touchscreens are for portability and content consumption. A workstation with keyboard and mouse (with or without touchscreen) is for work and content creation. These USB things are... well I can't really think of any way they could be useful that another device can't do better except for browsing the web on a big format TV... and who does that? -
enewmen 11278068 said:So how long until we are going to see x86 thumb drive PCs? My bet is within 5 years
x86 and Microsoft seem far behind in this area. -
digiex I can buy other not so known brand with the same or better specs./features with half the price.Reply -
leshka Its already available in Win8.1 as Windows To GoReply
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Windows-To-Go
11279286 said:11278068 said:So how long until we are going to see x86 thumb drive PCs? My bet is within 5 years
x86 and Microsoft seem far behind in this area.
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enewmen 11281421 said:Its already available in Win8.1 as Windows To Go
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Windows-To-Go
11279286 said:11278068 said:So how long until we are going to see x86 thumb drive PCs? My bet is within 5 years
x86 and Microsoft seem far behind in this area.
That's only the OS in a USB thumb drive. There is no x86 computer in the USB drive. A thumb-size x86 PC will need to be a full PC (x86 CPU, GPU, RAM, Chipset, SSD or Micro SD, etc.) and a HDMI port out the back for a monitor - and a USB hub for connecting a keyboard mouse, etc..
Using the Windows to go, you will need to plug the USB drive in a real computer and the PC will boot/run the OS off the USB drive. A nice feature, not no where near a PC on a stick. -
JPNpower I see this as the future public PC. A desk with wifi, hdmi display and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Quick work with your PC everywhere you go!Reply