JackPC, the in-wall thin-client

It's probably not going to do you a whole load of good around the house, but a company by the name of Chip PC's apparently working on a very small AMD Alchemy-based in-wall thin-client PC device that runs Windows CE called the JackPC. The specs aren't too terribly important since all the real computing is done on the server end (ok, fine, it's got a 333 or 500MHz CPU, 64 or 128MB of RAM, DVI out, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and power over Ethernet support), but we're definitely curious to see if they'll actually get these out the door for $300 a pop within three weeks like they're claiming.

[Via WindowsForDevices]

[Markie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Is it just me, or is there a NIC missing here?? or do they expect you to connect it to a USB modem or something, hmmmmmmmmmm

[A88 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I expect the NIC will connect at the rear or be wireless.

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

These guys have been making thin clients not much bigger than this for years, though not in this form factor. The ones I evaluated were small rectangular blocks about 2"*2"*6" so still very small. You could use these at home if you run linux as most of them will run an x terminal but these things really are not much more than dumb clients. Some do have a native web browser though.

[hoob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

If you read the description, there's a port on the back of the device to connect ethernet to it..and stuff.

[enko @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Damn, now we have to upgrade our walls every year...

[Psiven @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

As a contractor, these things are mega el cheapo. What's more indicative to this unit's sales are whether it can stream a hi-def movie at 30 fps. What kinf of ehternet controller is on that thing, is it gigabit?

[Rod Elder @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

No gigE, 10/100 only...

[dsol @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

It is so beautiful.

[brian_redbeard @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

it can't be gig-e if it has PoE.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

You know, I'm surprised it's taken this long to come out with something like this. I mean, for big business this makes total sense. Why buy a bunch of CPUs to sit on the desks of every employee? Just jack your keyboard, mouse, and monitor into the wall and start working. All of the software and files live on the server which really makes sense for a business.

I'm sure it would just obliterate the IT costs of going around from moron to moron fixing their CPUs.

[Pacey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

HOLY CRAP! I want this.

I just had visions of this in the kitchen, the living room, the home theater, etc...

[Gil @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Holy crap I can think of so many uses for this it's ridiculous.

Product of the year!

[Reuben @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

And it does have line out as well.
Makes for an interesting concept if you consider a central media library accessible by these things.

Also I gues you could also easily control and view web cams etc. I am really interested in this thing, and the fact that they are thin clients mean you can get multiple in each room without worrying about upgrades.

Then again laptops and wifi....

[Adrian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Problem with thin client is the server support it then needs. Much more powerful and mroe expensive servers, that are even more critical to keep running.
Also need a very good network setup, else when you get 50 people all trying to do the same thing at once it slows to an absolute crawl dragging everything off the server.

If you can get the infrastructure right, great stuff.

[DJA @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Actually Sun has a thin client not much bigger than this. We tested them out at work as replacmenet for our Unix work stations. The problem was that even though it was a thin client it still had a 'Thick' price tag...

[Will Hunt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Why a thin client like that could run PuppyLinux
with all those multimedia tools androom left over and wifi too check it out!