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xPC wants to be your next tablet, desktop and crowdfunding gamble
We've followed ICE Computer's modular PC design all the way from first concept to prototype to demo unit, and after several years, it's now almost ready for prime time. The company has recently taken to Indiegogo, where it's set a $300,000 crowdfunding goal that'll finally put xPC into production. The idea is xPC will be several devices in one, housing all its main components within a smartphone-sized case: x86 Intel Atom quad-core CPU (Bay Trail), 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth and webcam. Now, to make use of what's inside, you marry it with peripherals such as the xPad 10.1-inch tablet dock (much like ASUS' Padfone range), or the xAdapter dock, which turns the xPC into a mini desktop. The company talks of other accessories like the xTop (an xAdapter with external storage) and xKeyboard to compliment the xPad, but these aren't mentioned in any of the pledge descriptions, leading us to believe they'll be made later. ICE Computer's pitching the xPC as a long-term investment. Thanks to "open connector architecture," third parties are encouraged to make other docks and peripherals that'll work with this and future generations of xPC. You see, the plan is to merely refresh the base hardware -- the outfit also expects to achieve a fully functional smartphone/xPC "within the next year." For now, though, an xPC with full-fat Windows 8 installed, xAdapter and July shipping estimate is going for the early bird price of $369. It's not too enticing a figure when you're essentially betting on an underdeveloped ecosystem, but at least you'll have something to show for it, unlike a similar concept that's never risen past big promises and pretty renders.
Ice Computer demos modular xPC with working 9.7-inch xPad tablet, we go hands-on at CES (video)
We've seen plenty of Ice Computer at various trade shows in recent years, most recently at Computex in Taipei, but the company has yet to ship a product. Under most circumstances, we'd label its flagship xPC as vaporware, but there does seem to be progress, which gives us some hope that the modular computer solution will finally be available sometime this year. The company is targeting a ship date in late summer, with a production version expected at Computex in June. In the meantime, Ice Computer reps have made the trip out to CES to demo the first functional xPad tablet, which is one of several platforms for the xPC, a smartphone-sized device that contains a complete computer and slides into desktop or home theater components (xDock), laptops (xTop) and the xPad we saw today. The 9.7-inch tablet is a less polished version of the ASUS PadFone Station, but it's expected to be very affordable, at just $200 (plus another $200 for the xPC). There's a 1,366 x 768-pixel capacitive touchscreen, a front-facing camera and a battery that Ice expects will keep the duo running for six to eight hours. All of the other components fit within the xPC, which slides into the xPad's rear. The version we saw today was running Windows 8, and the experience seemed solid enough, though it's clear that the company's prototypes still have a long way to go before they're ready for a final nod of approval. We're excited to see a working prototype, though, and we've been promised a more complete version this summer in Taipei. In the meantime, though, you can check out the current xPC and xPad prototypes in our hands-on after the break.
ICE Computer's modular xPC returns to Computex in working-prototype form, we go hands-on (video)
From one year to the next, we see many of the same characters make an appearance at the same trade shows -- this week, it's Taipei's Computex, and today, we're back to visit ICE Computer. What last year was known as "Trinity" and hadn't progressed beyond the mock-up stage has returned for 2012 as xPC -- a working prototype of the company's modular computer concept. Internet Communication Entertainment, abbreviated as ICE, envisions xPC being the only computer you'll need. The device itself is barely larger than a smartphone, and would contain either an Intel, AMD or Tegra chipset, 2 gigs of RAM, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a 1.3- or 2-megapixel webcam and a 32 or 64GB SSD -- all in a package that weighs in at approximately 50 grams. The sample we saw today was so light that we first mistook it for a plastic shell, yet it powered a typical desktop setup, complete with a monitor (HDTV), keyboard and mouse. The current prototype doesn't include a cooling infrastructure, so it was limited to a low-power 1.5GHz Intel Atom CPU for the time being. All of the company's various enclosures will feature built-in fans, however, opening the concept up to a variety of configurations. The xPC doesn't function on its own -- instead, you dock it within a variety of accessories, such as the xDock, which would sit permanently on a desk or in a home theater cabinet and includes HDMI input and output, speakers, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, Ethernet, SATA and several other connectors. The xTop is the portable variant, offering many of the same connectivity options, but on a smaller scale. Finally, there's the xPad, which brings 9.7- or 10.1-inch touchscreen control to the xPC in a tablet form-factor, yet still includes a bevy of connectivity, along with a webcam and battery. There's also an xPhone (think PadFone) concept, that packs all of the xPC's functionality into a device that doubles as a smartphone -- the California-based company didn't have any mock-ups to speak of there, however. ICE expects to ship the xPC and xDock by the end of this year, with the computer module itself ranging in price from $100 to $250 depending on how you opt to configure it. The xPad could ship late this year or sometime in early 2013, with pricing to be announced. For now, the xPhone remains a concept, without any functional prototypes or even a mock-up to speak of. ICE representatives suggested that the company may partner with a smartphone manufacturer to develop that last component, so we have no idea if or when that may come to market. All in all, it's a solid (and, thanks to PadFone, proven) concept -- you can get a closer look in our hands-on after the break.
ICE Computer shows off Trinity modular tablet concept, aims for Q1 2012 release (video)
First the ASUS Padfone, then the CMIT TransPhone, and now a third phone-docking tablet but with a little extra spice. Our latest contender comes from a Taiwan-based startup dubbed ICE Computer, who has just announced its partnership with ECS over its Trinity concept, a mobile display that lets you dock either a PC module or a smartphone (not necessarily an iPhone, let alone an iPhone 5 as reported by some sites; the dummy's just for show and convenience). From our quick chat with ICE product manager Jaryson Wu, we learned that the company's been working on this project for quite some time, though ike ASUS and CMIT, ICE also lacked a working prototype to show us. So the idea is simple: slide in a PC module or phone of your choice, and you have yourself a fully functioning touchscreen tablet that has an upgradable core -- that's one tick for environmental friendliness, and another tick for potentially more powerful upgrades. But that's not it, as ICE may also throw in USB 3.0 ports, additional internal storage, and even a fan inside the Trinity tablet, but that will depend on the clients' needs. Jaryson indicated that there are no plans to launch products under the startup's own brand, nor is it going to develop its own phone to go with the add-on any time soon -- we'll just have to wait and see what it'll deliver in the first quarter of 2012. Video interview after the break. [Thanks, @Stagueve] %Gallery-124949%
