Voting opens on $1M Intel challenge

We're all a pretty critical lot when it comes to design, right? Well now's your chance to let your refined sense of taste show by voting on a selection of Mini PC designs. Intel's Core Processor Challenge has narrowed down a field of Viiv certified Core 2 Duo mini PCs to a shortlist of ten. Of these, only seven (for some oddball reason) are pictured on the challenge web site for voting. Of course, you won't find the Mac mini in the running since it's not Viiv certified, but that doesn't explain the missing Kapsel. Nevertheless, an art deco design from Slipperyskip Computers (top-left) is currently in the lead. Will they take home the the $1,000,000 prize? Have your say -- click the read link below and get out to vote. The winner will be unveiled on April, 20th.

[Via Reg Hardware]

[Argot Posted Mar 22nd 2007 10:00AM]

Looks a hell of a lot better than the boring Apple design that somehow got stuck in the 90's...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 10:12AM]

site seems to be smoked. you'd think Intel of all companies could handle a little web traffic.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 10:18AM]

These products are all pretty uninspiring. I mean, other than the Art Deco looking one, which is actually kind of ugly to me, I don't see anything that's really creative or clever.

[Neon Jebus Posted Mar 22nd 2007 10:55AM]

That Magic Box reminds me of a HP Printer.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 11:47AM]

Site is /.

[JKoether Posted Mar 22nd 2007 12:35PM]

404 is my friend...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 1:17PM]

@ sergeij freud

I agree. What a waste of money for Intel. NONE of those designs would be particularly popular in my opinion. Pretty sad.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 2:06PM]

Oh Gods.. my eyes.. MY EYESSS....

Look, I'm hardly the champion of form over function - but good lord - where did they get the designers for these? I agree that Apple's current design is looking a bit tired - but it's still way ahead of these monstrosities.

Note to designers: clean lines - less clutter not more - hide unneeded displays behind black glass or mirrors - there is a place for matte surfaces in the real world - metal is nice, so is texture - there are other shapes besides boxes and not everything has to look like a photocopier or a component stereo (or worse, faux Walmart 'component stereo') from the 80s.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 3:04PM]

Here's more info on the BICOM designs: http://hms.bicom-inc.com

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 3:36PM]

This certainly is NOT all PC modders can or have come up with. This just happens to be the selection that was entered into this particular contest. I've seen mods that would blow most all of those entries away. Certainly more creative than any Mac I've ever seen.

I like the Deco one, though. I've seen it before. Very nice.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 5:39PM]

The site is back up....In the video on the front page there's a bunch of designs on the table and in the graphic for the video. I hope they will feature some of the other designs, te semi-finalists as well as the finalists

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 4:14PM]

Calling this a design competition does a disservice to the industrial design profession.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 6:45PM]

I think the BICOM designs rock...they are all aluminum with touch sensitive buttons, about time someone brought a slick interface to the front of a htpc.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 6:48PM]

agreed...the BICOM designs are way hotter than that wooden box...won't it overheat and burn down!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 22nd 2007 11:35PM]

Why can't they realise that people DONT WANT the room to light up from too many LEDs and displays when watching movies or TV?