Consumer tech has always been on a steady march towards the minuscule, and the most well-known anecdote is the PC. Computers once filled entire rooms, but laptops, now more powerful than ever, can slip comfortably into backpacks. Now, full Windows PC's can fit in the palm of your hand[1], and within this new class of computer, the Kangaroo proves its worth.
InFocus, the company behind this iPhone-sized Windows 10 machine, isn't the first to try to make monitor-less PCs ultra-portable. Intel has its $130 Compute Stick that runs Windows on a small 4.5-inch dongle. The Kangaroo is the same idea—with a few key differences. For one, the Kangaroo is only $100, incredibly cheap for what you get packed inside. Second, and this is the big one one for me, it's got a lot of ports.
No bigger than an iPhone 6s Plus. Teeny PCs are only possible because Bluetooth sucks significantly less than it did only a few years ago. You no longer need an entire streak of ports down the backside of your computer. In fact a lot of PCs like to go completely wireless and ditch ports entirely. That's great for their form factor, but impractical for most people. The majority of people don't have wireless peripherals packed away in their closets.
Compared to the Compute Stick's one measly USB port, the Kangaroo includes three and they're all a different kind of USB: USB 2.0, 3.0, and microUSB. This makes more sense if you want to use a keyboard and a mouse like most people in the universe would want to do. But this wealth of ports (its a lot for a PC this small!) still doesn't include an audio jack. Same goes for online connectivity—there's no ethernet port in sight. You'll still need to embrace the wireless ethos via Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11AC wifi.
HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and power port. The Kangaroo can also be charged and run on a battery, but only for a couple hours. But seriously, whatever. There are enough ports to make this a hacker's dream. Want to build an emulation station? The Kangaroo has you covered. Just need a portable email server or torrent box? You could do a helluva lot worse. Even business folks could find it appealing? Instead of dragging a USB stick around with your presentations you can load them on the Kangaroo.
If you don't need a Windows PC for major media editing or gaming, the Kangaroo can be a complete computer replacement—we're talking a fixed diet of light app use, social media, and other web stuff. Think of the Kangaroo as a brick-sized Chromebook for Windows.
For only $100 it's a super hackable steal.
README
- Extra ports make the Kangaroo more accessible than other mobile PCs that remain tethered to Bluetooth-only peripherals
- This little guy even comes with a fingerprint sensor, and it's actually good!
- Watch where you place this thing in your home. It will get REALLY hot.
- 2GB of RAM severely hampers an otherwise great device.
- There's a 4GB version, but you'll need to know how to install an OS to enjoy it. Regular folks need not apply.
http://www.amazon.com/Kangaroo-MD2B-...[3]
References
- ^ fit in the palm of your hand (gizmodo.com)
- ^ (mistakenly) (gizmodo.com)
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/Kangaroo-MD2B-... (www.amazon.com)
- ^ $100 (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Kangaroo MD2B Mobile Desktop Computer (Intel Atom, 2 GB RAM, 32… (www.amazon.com)
Source → Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Review: Tiny Computer, Huge Potential
