Chromebit

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Chromebit
Manufacturer Asus; Google
Introduced March 31, 2015; 20 months ago (2015-03-31)
Cost US$85[1]
Type Computer on a stick.
Memory RAM 2GB, ROM 16GB
Connection Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Ports HDMI, USB

The Chromebit is a dongle running Google's Chrome OS operating system. When placed in the HDMI port of a television or a monitor, this device turns that display into a personal computer. Chromebit allows adding a keyboard or mouse over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The device was announced in April 2015 and began shipping that November.

Functionality[edit]

A Chromebit turns a display with an HDMI port into a desktop variant of the Chromebook laptop, which runs Google's Chrome OS operating system. Chrome OS primarily supports a single application, a web browser, thereby relying heavily on an Internet connection for software functionality and data storage.[1]

Chromebits have a superficial resemblance to the Chromecast, another Google device. But whereas the Chromecast is designed to display video and still images on a television or other large-screen display, the Chromebit is a self-contained personal computer.[2] The device will compete against the Intel Compute Stick, which offers similar plug-in functionality using two other operating systems, Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu.[3][4]

Technology[edit]

Internally, the first Chromebit resembles a standard Chromebook laptop.[5] The device features 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as a USB 2.0 port at one end. The other end swivels, enabling it to fit into a variety of HDMI slots.[2]

Availability, models[edit]

Google announced the Chromebit on March 31, 2015. Google and Asus began shipping the first model that November.[6][7]

Announced Brand Model Processor RAM Storage Size
March 2015 Asus Asus Chromebit Rockchip RK3288 2 GB 16 GB

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Chrome OS is here to stay". 
  2. ^ a b Hollister, Sean (March 31, 2015). "Google's Chromebit Turns Any TV Into a Chrome PC for $85". Gizmodo. 
  3. ^ Kessler, Derek (March 31, 2015). "Google Chromebit packs an entire Chrome OS computer into an HDMI stick". androidcentral. Retrieved 2015-03-31. 
  4. ^ "Intel® Compute Stick". Intel. Retrieved 2015-03-31. 
  5. ^ Bell, Karissa (March 31, 2015). "Google debuts the Chromebit, a Chromebook dongle for under $100". Mashable. 
  6. ^ "More Chromebooks, for everyone". Google Chrome Blog. Retrieved 2015-12-21. 
  7. ^ "This $85 Device Turns Any Screen into a Computer". US News & World Report. 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-12-21.