External Features
When it comes to features, the Compute Stick's external design is as minimalist as they come. For expansion, you'll get one USB 2.0 port for additional devices, and a micro SD card slot for extra storage; for our purposes, we used a 32 GB micro SD card without any trouble. Bluetooth 4.0 is also available on the Compute Stick, so if you have a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, you'll want to take advantage of the wireless feature and not waste the USB port.
Using Bluetooth with a keyboard worked well, for the most part. We used a Logitech Folio without any problems, but when switching to an inexpensive RockSoul Bluetooth keyboard, we noticed frequent disconnects and had to constantly re-pair the keyboard to the Compute Stick. In this case, we'll give the Compute Stick the benefit of the doubt since the Folio never had any trouble staying connected and the RockSoul brand keyboard was of questionable functionality.
The power button is awkwardly placed on the side of the Compute Stick, near the HDMI connector. Hopefully, later versions can fix its placement. Whenever we were unplugging or adjusting the device, we had to be careful not to accidentally press down on the power button when grabbing hold of it.
For power, the Compute Stick comes with a 3 foot power cable that plugs into the unit's power port on one end and a USB connector that plugs in the 5V plug on the other.
For physical security, the Compute Stick doesn't use a conventional Kensington security slot. Instead, it uses a couple of connecting notches on the upper corner of the case. To secure it, a thin metal cable would be inserted into one side of the Compute Stick and out the other. More of an industrial type of physical security, the cable could then be crimped down to lock the product.
