Small PCs are continuing to evolve to meet the varying needs of every consumer. There’s no doubt that small PCs are becoming some of the most successful creations in the history of computing. Apart from their tiny size, their most compelling feature could just be their budget-friendly prices.
Recently the world’s first nine dollar computer was launched as a Kickstarter project.
This low price computer is named as CHIP, and it is created by the company Next Thing.
CHIP is a computer. It’s tiny and easy to use. CHIP has all the functions of a full computer. Work in LibreOffice and save your documents to CHIP’s onboard storage. Surf the web and check your email over wifi. Play games with a bluetooth controller. With dozens of applications and tools preinstalled, CHIP is ready to do computer things the moment you power it on.
CHIP is a computer for students, teachers, grandparents, children, artists, makers, hackers, and inventors. It pre-loaded with Scratch – an easy to learn language that teaches the basics of programing by making stories, games, and animations. It is a great way to add a computer to your life and the perfect way to power your computer based projects. Some are calling the $9-CHIP a Raspberry Pi killer.
CHIP is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional ports for HDMI and VGA. At such a tiny size, it’s quite amazing to think that it packs 512MB of RAM, 1 GHz processor and 4GB of storage. It’s also compatible with a light version of Debian Linux. It is designed to work with any screen. Old or new. Big or small. It can run THOUSANDS of free applications from the open source community.
Next Thing has also introduced the $49 Pocket CHIP, a handheld computer that the CHIP can plug into, complete with a 4.3-inch resistive color touch screen , a 3,000 mAH battery and “clickey” keyboard. The Pocket CHIP is not meant to replace a smartphone, but it could bring portable computing to the masses for a very affordable price.