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Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

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Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#161

Post by Navarr »

tim333 wrote: post #149
vinay427 wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a 15-25% VAT in most European countries as far as I know while state sales tax is added on top of the purchase price here in the US. That brings it closer to parity.

Adjusting for 19% vat and one euro = usd 1.07 that would make the price EUR 95. It's annoying when the prices get jacked up. I guess they are probably giving a middle man some cut but it's unnecessary these days. Just sell direct and don't bother discriminating against non US persons.

I think there's a lot more involved in international sales and logistics than "discriminating against non US persons"

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#162

Post by xigency »

While this is surely interesting, it sort of ignores the point of what a computer is. Look at the Raspberry Pi for example. It affords a computer for $20-$30 or less than half this price, for something that simply computes without the peripherals.

If someone needs a computer for free they can go to the library. While the 'Chrome OS' might be more powerful than a Pi, you would never know since all it does is connect to the Internet. The amount of storage is also irrelevant since most users won't figure out how to store anything on the stick and flash storage is approaching $0-$2 in price.

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#163

Post by xigency »

Jedd wrote: post #84
annnnd wrote: post #62

A few ideas how to make it better: - include a small screen so I can still do stuff even if I don't have TV at hand - use touch screen so I can use it without mouse / keyboard too - use Android instead of Chrome OS so I can play games with it - while you are at it, can this thing make phone calls too? In other words, why not just make it simple to plug an Android smartphone to peripherals (screen, mouse, keyboard)? T…

To answer your EDIT2 - I suspect it's because your main / original post was somewhere between not-funny, and not-useful. That is, you described a device that already exists (a mobile phone) in a roundabout way, and seem to be demanding that this device should be yet another mobile phone -- rather than considering the features of this particular device as delivered. It's possible that neither ASUS or Google considered…

This isn't slashdot. Why should posts be funny or useful to receive karma? This is a discussion forum.

Furthermore, Google is in the phone business so why shouldn't they provide this when it is essentially the same cost on the market.

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#164

Post by digi_owl »

skrowl wrote: post #150
jon-wood wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm still hoping the smart TV thing will turn out to be a brief fad, and we can all get back to just buying a dumb screen that other things can be plugged into. The software on TVs I've experienced is universally awful, my parent's one is particularly bad - you can go and make a cup of coffee in the time it takes for the Netflix app to start. When I heard that I bought them a FireTV stick and haven't looked back.

Stupid licensing will prevent this, I'm afraid. I have a nVidia Shield TV plugged in to my 4K Smart TV that I do almost everything on, but I still have to use the smart TV app for Amazon Instant since Amazon stubbornly refuses to release it for stock Android.

In an upturn, everyone is collaborative. In a downturn, everyone builds silos...

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#165

Post by DanBC »

annnnd wrote: post #62

A few ideas how to make it better: - include a small screen so I can still do stuff even if I don't have TV at hand - use touch screen so I can use it without mouse / keyboard too - use Android instead of Chrome OS so I can play games with it - while you are at it, can this thing make phone calls too? In other words, why not just make it simple to plug an Android smartphone to peripherals (screen, mouse, keyboard)? T…

> My point is that I don't see a niche that couldn't be better served by a smartphone,

Digital signage.

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#166

Post by kedean »

joakleaf wrote: post #125
dzhiurgis wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd rather see less features, but more polished and faster interfaces. You'll be plugging your devices anyway. It's like car stereos - just let me plug AUX cable and we are square for next 10 years.

The flatscreen producers would probably prefer you came back every 2 years to buy a new TV with updates to their OS, instead of just every 10 years.

Sure, but unless they stop supporting external hardware, nobody is going to. It's kind of like embedded GPS in cars; it's cool at first, but nobody actually pays Garmin and Tomtom the ridiculous fee for map updates, they just use the slightly crappier old ones.

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#167

Post by hewhowhineth »

gambiting wrote: post #157
hewhowhineth wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get those Rockchip HDMI sticks for $50 on aliexpress, shipping included (RK3288 ones support 4K). They usually ship with Android 4.4 these days. But for $70-$80 you can get a stick with Atom Z3735F 2GB/32GB and have full desktop OS, Windows or Linux.

You will need to pay import tax + handling charge though. Don't know about the actual prices in Germany, but in UK this would cost you another ~$30 on top of the Aliexpress price.

You're right. That may ruin it for some. It differs a lot from country to country, I guess. Where I'm at the moment there is no import tax on <150 EUR items, and handling is 1 EUR.

Re: Google and ASUS Launch the $85 Chromebit, a Chrome OS Desktop on an HDMI Stick

#170

Post by thoughtpalette »

sfjailbird wrote: post #120
pickettd wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I picked up a $50 Nexus Player (Android TV OS) last month for this purpose. It replaced a first generation Raspberry Pi B that was actually pretty decent as a Kodi box (I used the Xbian distro). So far I'm really happy with the Nexus Player. I like that it gets Android TV apps (like Kodi and Moonlight for game streaming from my desktop) and also supports Google Cast. It also has a usb port that supports things like k…

Why did you leave the Raspberry? Also, I have similar requirements as you (mostly want to play media off my NAS through XBMC or any other player with sufficient format support), but I want to use a remote rather than mouse and keyboard - is this possible with the Nexus Player or is there another good solution for this?

There's an iOS app where you can control XBMC from your smart phone. It's pretty awesome.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/official-kodi-remote/id52048...

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