14 DAY TRIAL // When the Pico-ITX came out, the general impression was that further miniaturization of PC form factors wouldn't come for quite a while. VIA just proved that assumption wrong by showcasing what will likely become the new standard in mobile embedded computing, the revolutionary Mobile-ITX form factor. This new 6cm x 6cm computer-on-module specification is meant to enable future development of ultra compact embedded systems.
"With Mobile-ITX we have again pushed back the barriers that limit just how small an embedded industrial PC can be," said Daniel Wu, vice president, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "Mobile-ITX enables the creation of a new breed of ultra-compact, portable networked devices suitable for a range of applications, particularly in modern medical and military segments."
The Mobile-ITX is Via's answer to the growing demand for smaller and more compact x86 platforms. The product uses a simple, modular approach to portable IPC computing and offers the possibility for the creation of lightweight devices with easy-to-use connectivity and rich feature sets. The form factor is currently the most compact computer-on-module form factor on the market and CPU modules based on it integrate both the core functionality of CPUs and memory, as well as support for CRT, DVP and TTL display. The central processor's I/O signals are mapped to two unique, high density, low profile connectors located on the module's underside and the CPU-baseboard distance is only 3mm.
Further capabilities of the Mobile-ITX include support for HD Audio, IDE, USB 2.0 and even PCI Express, as well as SMBus, GPIO, LPC, SDIO and PS2 signals. This wide range of compatibility is possible through customizable baseboards and the very low power consumption (5 Watts) make the Mobile-ITX very well suited for mission critical systems.
Besides being very well suited for mission critical and ultra-slim systems, the new form factor can also withstand vibrations of up to 5G. This mean that the Mobile-ITX can even be used in-vehicle and in industrial machines.
Information on the Mobile-ITX may be found on Via's official site.