14 DAY TRIAL // There used to be a time when all personal computers were desktop computers. Then the laptop was invented and, later, PCs and consumer electronics started to take smaller, more compact shapes. Every year. The Tango is the culmination of the desktop's evolution along that graph.
We actually first came upon the Tango PC way back in January, when the tiny, fanless, ungradeable computer system first surfaced. Then came the Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign.
You see, Tango PC did not have the luck of being thought up by an established company with capital available to spend on uncanny R&D concepts. Instead, its inventors appealed to consumer interest.
The Indiegogo campaign was not enough to get all their plans off the ground, so the team behind the device went to Kickstarter next. And the campaign there was fully funded the other day.
Which is very curious, because the cheapest offers are still up for grabs. Ergo, you can get a Tango PC + Docking station + 32GB SSD + 4GB RAM + Windows 7 Trial Version just for $349 / €349.
The specifications are definitely good for something you can slip in a pocket and take wherever you go. It's like having a second wallet.
The specs are adjustable, of course. While 4 GB is the “normal” memory amount, you can opt for 2 GB and 8 GB as well.
Also, the CPU is an AMD A6-5200 2 GHz quad-core processor, since AMD APUs have better integrated graphics than Intel chips.
Moreover, the 32 GB SSD is only the starting capacity. You can get as much as 1 TB if you are willing to part with the required cash. This is why the funding goal was reached without the lowest worthwhile bids being claimed: everyone selected higher-end versions of the Tango.
Which is understandable. After all, the prospect of carrying desktop-level performance in a 7-ounce / 200 gram case is pretty hard to pass up. You can use it as an office tool or entertainment device just as easily after all.
Needless to say, the Tango PC has a headphone jack, Wi-Fi, USB 3.0 (one port), USB 2.0 (three ports), and a video output (HDMI). Finally, you can get Windows 8 instead of 7, though you can install another OS later (Linux, Unix, Chromium).
You can purchase the Tango PC with or without a tiny docking station ($89-99 / €89-99). The docks will let the cartridge-sized system play the role of IPTV boxes or older gaming consoles.