14 DAY TRIAL // The Ubuntu 14.04 LTS flavored Intel Compute Stick is finally going on sale next week, and it joins the Windows version that was already made available a while back.
It's been a few months since Intel’s announcement regarding the launch of a small mini-PC called the Intel Compute Stick that you can just stick into an HDMI monitor and get the full experience of an operating system. At that time, Intel explained that two versions are going to be sold, one with Ubuntu and the other one with Windows.
Despite the fact that it's a nice piece of hardware, the Linux community wasn't thrilled by the fact that the Ubuntu version has different hardware specs than the Windows one. The explanation is simple, they wanted to lower costs and Ubuntu has lower system requirements. Even so, Linux users said that they would buy the Windows flavor, delete it, and get Ubuntu on it.
Intel Compute Stick hardware specs
Everyone probably wants to know what the system specs for this beauty are, and so here they are: Intel Atom Processor Z3735F, Intel HD Graphics, 1GB soldered single channel DDR3 memory (2GB for Windows version), 8GB eMMC device built-in storage space (32GB for Windows version), integrated 802.11bgn Wi-Fi, one USB 2.0 port, Bluetooth 4.0 support, and a microSD slot.
"The Intel Compute Stick sets a new standard for stick computing devices. It enables the transformation of a display into a fully functioning computer. By plugging the Intel Compute Stick into any HDMI TV or monitor, and connecting it to a wireless router, keyboard, and mouse, users can work, stream media and play games. With 64-bit Ubuntu OS embedded, the Intel Compute Stick has all the performance needed for running thin client, embedded, collaboration or cloud applications," reads the announcement.
The good news is that the microSD slot will greatly expand the storage space, so it shouldn't be a problem. The Ubuntu-powered Intel Compute Stick is expected to be sold at approximately $110 (€99) at major online and retail stores.
