Spring 2016

Tiny Computers

Power in a Small Package

Sarah Schmidt

What are tiny computers?

Tiny computers can perform many of the tasks done by regular computers even though they are much smaller. With their compact design, fanless CPUs, and low power consumption, for some applications they can be a substitute for your regular sized desktop PC [i].

As efficient and compatible as these tiny computers are, there are limitations. In general, these machines are not as powerful as a regular sized PC,even though almost all computer components have been miniaturized. The amount of overall processing power won’t be as much as regular sized PCs, since additional components can be added to regular sized PCs to increase power, and functionality. With tiny computers, there is no space for add-ins, which can be inconvenient if a program requires more resources to run well.

What can you do with tiny computers?

The site Yawarra, a vendor that specializes in tiny computers, provides a detailed list of several tasks tiny computers can accomplish as easily as a regular sized desktop PC [ii].

Tiny computers can run many server processes and regular desktop applications with their powerful CPUs and plenty of Random Access Memory (RAM). Since tiny computers are physically small, they are efficient space savers, leaving more floor and desk space for other items. They are quieter than most desktop PC machines as they are fanless. Tiny computers consume significantly less electricity (as little as 5 to 10W under full load) [ii]. There is neither need nor in most cases ability to replace or upgrade any parts of the tiny computer; the parts are built to last for the life of the device.

Examples of tiny computers

Kangaroo Mobile Desktop

The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop can be purchased in Canada for less than $200 and is about the size of a deck of cards. It has a built in battery that allows it to run for hours without being plugged in. There are docking pieces that allow the user to add ports (e.g. use an iPad for a screen instead of a regular monitor) and it has an accurate fingerprint reader. Its specifications include a quad-core Intel Cherry Trail processor and 2GB of memory. Additional storage can be added with a microSD card or a USB hard drive. Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm audio jack. This tiny computer comes with a tiny port extender which includes an HDMI output, USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, and a power connector [iii]. It comes with a 64 bit version of Windows 10 Home installed and 17 of 32GB of free storage for other applications and programs.

PINE64

This simple single board computer is affordable and has 64 bit computing power, hence the “64” in its name. This is the world’s first USD$15 tiny computer. This tiny computer comes installed with the Android Lollipop 5.1 operating system, allowing you access to over 1.6 million apps on the Google Play market [iv]. The computer also supports Ubuntu Linux, openHAB, OpenWRT, and other operating systems⁴. PINE64 earned more than $1.5 Million in funding from Kickstarter, with over 35,000 backers supporting the creation of this tiny yet powerful machine. This tiny computer performs like a regular desktop PC, allowing you to browse the internet, play games, watch videos, use , etc. As of March 2016, the Pine64 is available for pre-order. Once the Pine64 hits the market, further information and reviews will be available on the many features of the Pine64.

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized computer that can plug into a computer monitor or TV screen. It has regular desktop computer capabilities such as browsing the internet, playing high definition videos, word processing (Microsoft Word etc.), and playing video games [v]. The creators of Raspberry Pi hope that this tiny computer will be used by children all over the world who want to understand how computers work and how to program them. The Pi has many add-ons that are not included with the base product: an SD Card (recommended: 8GB class 4 SD to start), display and connectivity cables (HDMI/DVI to a monitor), keyboard and mouse, and a power supply (recommended at least 5V microUSB).

Your Smartphone

Today’s smartphones have more in common with ultra-portable computers than an old style wall mounted or desktop telephone. There are mature app ecosystems for Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile operating systems and external peripherals available to provide much of the functionality of a desktop PC on your phone. While tiny computers are still largely a niche market, expanded functionality of the computer in your pocket is well established and growing.

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