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posted by janrinok on Saturday January 14 2017, @09:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the now,-where-have-I-put-my-computer? dept.

Intel announced the Intel Compute Card at CES 2017. The devices are slightly larger than a credit card and are intended for release in mid-2017. Actual dimensions are 94.5 mm × 55 mm × 5 mm (compare to 85.60 mm × 53.98 mm for an ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 credit card):

The Intel Compute Card has been designed to be a universal computing platform for different kinds of devices, including those that do not exist yet. The ultimate goal is to simplify the way companies develop equipment, use, maintain, repair, and upgrade it. Creators of actual devices have to design a standard Intel Compute Card slot into their product and then choose an Intel Compute Card that meets their requirements in terms of feature-set and price. For example, PC makers could create systems in all-in-one or clamshell form-factors and then use Compute Cards instead of motherboards. For corporate customers that need to provide a lot of flexibility (and, perhaps, solve some security concerns too) - every employee has a card and can switch between PCs. In other markets such as automated retail kiosks, vendors can easily provide upgrades to deliver better functionality as Intel releases new Compute Cards in the future.

From a technology standpoint, Intel's Compute Card resembles the company's Compute Stick PC. However, its purpose is much wider: it is a small device that packs an Intel SoC or SiP (including Kaby Lake-based Core processors with vPro and other technologies), DRAM, NAND flash storage, a wireless module and so on into a small enclosure. Nonetheless, there are a number of important differences between the Compute Card and the Compute Stick. The Compute Card is a sealed system with "flexible I/O" in the form of a USB Type-C and an extension connector. The "flexible I/O" is not Thunderbolt (obviously, due to power consumption concerns), but it handles USB, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort connectivity and has some extra pins for future/proprietary use. Intel is currently working with a number of partners to enable the Compute Cards ecosystem. The list of global players includes Dell, HP, Lenovo and Sharp. There are also regional partners interested in the new form-factor, including Seneca Data, InFocus, DTx, TabletKiosk and Pasuntech.

Wait a second, it's just a smartphone without the screen and cellular connectivity!

Intel's existing Compute Stick line is not being updated with Kaby Lake processors (although given the similarity between Skylake and Kaby Lake performance, that may not say much about the future of Compute Stick).


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 14 2017, @10:10PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 14 2017, @10:10PM (#453926)

    I also see it being a security nightmare.

    Nope, security becomes simple, just like idiots want it. When your card gets hacked, you throw it away and buy a new one.