Comment by adrianwaj
1 day ago
This is the most cost-effective mini PC right now, that I've found. Also, one of the smallest.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005575993915.html
I'm not so fond of it because it has a fan. But if you could use it at home, and then had a "phone conversion housing" you could attach it to a belt and have a smartphone. Run wired earbuds out it. Have a trackpoint nub.
Here is a $15 screen. https://medium.com/@lee.harding/building-a-real-time-hn-disp...
There's something elegant about only requiring 1 computing device for everything. Even put it in the car!
It's what Steve Jobs would want.
The power draw looks like it's at least 4W with a max of maybe 45W. That's maybe 7 hr with a 10000 mAh battery assuming it's sleeping the entire time and not really doing anything. Not very practical for people used to a small phone lasting all day without a charge.
Surely there's a way to power down parts of it to reduce the draw? Is that a thing? Like having a V8 and only bringing in cylinders when they're needed. Couldn't cores be disabled or memory modules? On-demand telco and wi-fi. Even having minimal threads activated and perhaps on-demand DRAM over a typically DRAM-less SSD.
These ideas would have to go into a new design.
Also see: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004564646188.html
"At just 155 x 80 x 19mm, this pocket-sized M6 mini PC is perfect for travel, fitting easily in handbags or pockets."