The first (single core) mini PCs showed up in May, the dual core mini PCs in August, and the first quad core mini PCs should be available in November starting with Hiapad Hi-802 HDMI TV Stick powered by Freescale i.MX6 Quad Cortex A9 processor with 1GB RAM.
The specs of the device are not available publicly, but based on diverse sources (including charbax video below), it should be as follows:
- SoC – Freescale i.MX6Q Quad Core Cortex A9 Processor with Vivante GC2000 GPU
- System Memory – 1GB RAM
- Storage – 16? GB NAND Flash Memory + microSD card slot
- Video Output – HDMI
- Connectivity – Built-in Wifi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth
- USB – USB Host + USB OTG
A picture of the PCB (one side only) has been uploaded by Hiapad.
There are 6 through holes at the top left of the PCB which might be some debug ports (TBC Confirmed. Those are for I2C and UART pins, see details). As with the Wandboard, I assume all source is currently closed under NDA, but once the product ships source code might be available, and beside Android 4.0, you’ll also be able to run other Linux based OS such as Ubuntu.
Charbax met with Hiapad at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair and shot a video about this new device.
The Antutu score (~3800) does not seem right, as it is about the same as a kindle fire (OMAP4), but this will most certainly improve as the software matures.
If you buy via armdevices.net (and are a member), you can get the device for $89 including shipping via Hong Kong Post once it becomes available at the end of October. For this price, you could get UG802 mini PC back in August. Bear in mind that the price of new mini PCs tends to drop like a stone (e.g. $20 drop) after the first month.
Source: Comment by Mark.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Wohoo , now that’s what I’ve been looking for. Just what I wanted. This will make one hell of a Linux machine.
@Marius
my thoughts exactly
@Marius
Yes, this will be good for a PC-like Ubuntu experience (only with one-tenth of the power consumption).
This should be almost as speedy as an older Core 2 Duo which runs Ubuntu very well (similar to Tegra3).
Only I thinking that 1GB RAM for four-core CPU a little too small?
Quadcore+2 GB RAM+Linux+Open system= EPIC BESTSELLER
@Dmitry @pepe
You’re probably right but for the time being I doubt we’re going to get more than 1GB. There’s 2 reasons for this IMO. One would be the added cost and the second would be the added size on the PCB required.
I doubt they can fit larger capacity RAM so the alternative would be to place more RAM modules. Then again there might be some space left on the back , the side in the picture looks pretty cramped already.
Yes but now its 512kb+512Kb, perhaps next year will be 1 GB+1GB. Then it will have the same space.
I wish some of these sticks have a built-in Ethernet, RJ45, too. Yes there are usb to Ethernet dongles, AFIK the performance is rather poor. It is hard to get 50+ Mbps.
I’ve been told that this device is actually the GK802 and is being resold by Haipad as the HI-802.
I’ll be reviewing my sample when it comes next week.
wow ! there’s no end !
this usb pc will take the world for sure if it’s progress like this , so linux will not be in every desktop but on every tv and every pocket, and there’s more tv and pocket than desktop in the world :DDDDD yeahhhhhh !
@Antony
Are you sure about that? Many years ago I used a 300 Mhz MIPS, single-core Tivo S3 and managed to get ~130 Mbits/sec using a cheap $5 USB2->gbit-ethernet adapter. A 1.2 Ghz, quad core can’t manage the same thing or better?
It’s been confirmed the through holes are for I2C and UART http://www.hiapad.com/?p=1970, so the device should be easily hackable.
Here’s a comment by hiapad:
if you need 2000pcs and bigger （maybe add 25mm length ）， we can develop
Which IMO proves 2 things:
1. They do develop it themselves
2. 1 GB is as much as they could fit for now with current capacity RAM modules
Oh and I’m not worried about USB to ethernet dongles. They should work just fine. Be aware though that many of the cheap ones sold on ebay are probably of lower quality and might not be capable of more than 10Mbs or at least are not capable of 100Mbs.
Hello,
power supply via USB Host or via USB OTG ?
Power supply can’t be through host as far as I know. Host will provide the power itself, that’s why it’s host.
I hope Ubuntu 12.04 would be released or that the kernel/u-boot source is released to get Ubuntu 12.04. This would be ideal for QuadCopter
Hello, i also want to ask this question :power supply via USB Host or via USB OTG ?
USB host can’t be used to power a device, only USB OTG can be used for this purpose.
@Tim Michals
Same here. I hope they can put Linux sever on it. Ubuntu 12.04 would be super on it.
WHEN and WHERE can I buy it!? it is Nov 17 already….
@Tim Michals
@Raymond@Tim Michals
There should be no problem fir A Linux server, the source code for i.MX6 has been released last week. More on an upcoming post.
@ARXD
There are in production http://www.hiapad.com/?p=1994, but there are missing an important component: Freescale .IMX6Q and waiting for delivery. I had read production would complete on the 17th somewhere, but I doubt it is the case. Maybe a few more days.
Now, the only option is to buy it via armdevices.net,, but as soon as it is available I’m pretty sure it will show up on Aliexpress.
On Alibaba there already is a K802 mini pc with Quad Core CPU Freescale Imx6Q Cortex A9:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/669236037/K802_Android_Mini_PC_TV_Stick.html
http://kimdecent.en.alibaba.com/product/668202715-213796516/K802_Android_Mini_PC_TV_Stick_Quad_Core_CPU_Freescale_Imx6Q_Cortex_A9_1GB_RAM_16GB_ROM_WiFi_HDMI.html
@Gabe
Thanks. I’ve just noticed they have a lot of “interesting” K802 items on Aliexpress, just not the kind we are looking for 😉
The quadcore Hi802 is now on Aliexpress:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hi802-Android-Mini-PC-HDMI-Dongle-Freescale-imx6-Quad-Core-1-2Ghz-1G-RAM-8GB-Bluetooth/707427957.html
@$63: http://www.geekbuying.com/item/312807.html
Shame there’s not 2GB (or 4GB) RAM versions 🙁