AOpen shows next-gen mini PC

Remember AOpen? The company made headlines earlier this year with its mini PC, a small form factor box that critics found to be a little too similar to the Mac mini. Well, AOpen has redesigned the mini PC (or actually designed it for the first time, if you believe the first one was a direct Mac rip), and will be showing off the new version at CeBIT. The new version is apparently even more diminutive than its predecessor, with a total weight of about 5 pounds and measuring just 6x6-inches. It's expected to include support for WiFi, Bluetooth, IR, and will be able to run a number of Intel processors, including Core Duo.

[Via the Raw Feed]

[krasi @ Feb 24th 2006 5:29PM]

have one of those and mac mini beside it with a kvm and you set. whenever those are released i would invest in one exspecially with a core duo prcessor.

[Joe Smith @ Feb 24th 2006 6:09PM]

And what's this? Design from '86?

[fowler @ Feb 24th 2006 6:27PM]

i'd buy it for the bun warmer.

[skid @ Feb 24th 2006 7:45PM]

i mistook that thing for one of those camping porta potties. i feel like opening the lid to see what kinda present is inside.

[skid @ Feb 24th 2006 7:50PM]

it even has a cd-rom thing

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-toilets-tanks/thetford-porta-potti.jpg

[Enko @ Feb 24th 2006 9:17PM]

The grooves kinda remind me of a macintosh II..

[debian12yrold @ Feb 24th 2006 9:36PM]

Now if I could get that with Core Duo AND Viiv, that would make an Awesome HTPC!

[zverg @ Feb 24th 2006 9:54PM]

I'll stick to my mac mini.. looks way better than that crap.

[play free games @ Feb 25th 2006 1:58AM]

While it's nice AOpen did their own spin on the mini pc concept, the linked article states it's going to be about $1000 for one. I don't know how they expect to sell many of these, especially if there's an $500 Intel Mac Mini announced soon, and they eventually get Windows running on Intel Macs.

[Merkur @ Feb 25th 2006 6:07AM]

This looks much better than the previous version! I think it's a great product, especially the latest version of it is available in Taiwan with a certification VIIV!

I also think that it will be more interesting if Aopen put a AMD processor inside as they don't overheat as much as the Intel, meaning less noise from the fan, so the prefect solution for a Media Center!

I can't wait to see in real this new box ;)

[Graham McLeod @ Feb 25th 2006 6:56AM]

Do legs sprout out of the bottom, and arms with guns from the sides? Because it kinda reminds me of ED-209 from RoboCop!

[AlisdairC @ Feb 25th 2006 9:02AM]

Does anyone think that from that angle, it looks a wee bit like a George Foreman grill?

[american shit head @ Feb 25th 2006 10:02AM]

I remember the speak-n-spell. I guess this is the newest version, with a neat-o blue cover. I hope I don't drop this one like I did "lucky red". But who cares anyway. I don't need a smaller system; I don't want to buy smaller screw drivers and hex tighteners. And then I'd need a midget to come over for tech support. Sounds like a whole shebang of problems.

[Karl Viklund @ Feb 25th 2006 10:28AM]

At lest no Mac Rip this time.
A company that known as Aopen should be ashamed just ripping another company off like that.

[bigmouthstrikesagain @ Feb 25th 2006 12:33PM]

porta-potty! my thoughts exactly.

[Hardware Help @ Feb 26th 2006 6:51PM]

I don't understand the fascination with "mini" things. I love my fifty-pound boat anchor PC! Seriously though, that thing looks like the six year old scanner buried in my closet.

[glacia00 @ Feb 26th 2006 7:45PM]

Wow, not sure what all the snide comments are about. At any rate I've liked mini PCs since ITX made the first ones and we put one in an RC car several years ago. They're a cool niche product.

I do agree that like the Mac mini the aopen model does look a bit plain.

[Rudy @ Feb 26th 2006 8:59PM]

The top should be a screen, that pops up. Make the "mini" a bit taller to support a battery, and viola, a new portable-like computer!