Intel's Compute Stick
The Intel Compute Stick (ICS) can be thought of as the offspring of a Raspberry Pi and Google Chromecast. It emerges as a tiny computer CPU, RAM and storage on a small motherboard contained within a reasonably well finished case. Protruding from the case is a HDMI male adapter ready to plug into any display boasting its female counterpart.
The ICS is a full working PC with Windows 8.1 for Bing a quad core Atom processor Z3735F running at up to 1.83 GHz, 2 GB memory, 32 GB of on-board storage, b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot.
An Ubuntu version reduces the RAM to 1GB and storage to 8GB. As the RAM is soldered on-board and cannot be upgraded, buying the Windows version and installing Ubuntu rather than making do with the reduced memory size could be the best option.
There is only a single USB 2.0 port on the ICS, due to the very limited size of the stick. For further expansion an external USB hub is required.
The ICS has an active airflow design, as it sucks in air at one end, goes over a heat-sink and then blows it out the other. The fan can barely be heard when idling and even when the CPU is under a heavier load, can only be heard in a silent room.
Wireless and Bluetooth capabilities are included as standard. Although the wireless works quite well, it may not be enough for streaming high amounts of data, such as 3D graphics.
In use, one end plugs into a display through its HDMI port and power is provided through the micro USB port. The power plug provided puts out power at 2A, which seems to be the standard in newer smart phones and tablets these days.
The Intel Remote Keyboard is a new app for Android* and iOS* mobile devices that allows users to wirelessly control their Intel® NUC and Intel® Compute Stick. The app allows the use of a smartphone or tablet as a keyboard and mouse, improving your HTPC or entertainment experience.
Features
- Default Keyboard that includes PC keys such as Windows*, CTRL, ALT, ESC
- Optional Native Keyboard that enables support for custom keyboard capabilities such as Swype* and dictation
- Full Windows®10 gesture support
- Sensitivity slider for high DPI mobile devices
- Support for multiple languages: English, Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
System Requirements
- Mobile App – Android 4.0* and later, iOS 7* and later
- Host App – Windows* 8.1 and later; Linux* coming in late 2015
Setup
- Download the Intel® Remote Keyboard mobile app from the Google
- Play Store* or Apple App Store* for your mobile device.
- Download and install the Intel Remote Keyboard host app from the Intel® Download Centre on your Intel® Compute Stick or Intel® NUC.
- Open the app on your mobile device.
- Select the computer from the device list and scan the QR code on your computer’s screen (first use only).