MINIX To Launch Four New NEO Set-Top Boxes: X5+, X5 Mini, X3 & X7

MINIX is a company relatively well know for its Neo G4 mini PC and Neo X5 Android set-top box based on Rockchip RK3066. They’ve now announced 4 new devices for HKTDC Electronic Fair in Hong Kong: Neo X5+ – RK3066 Set-top box based on Neo X5, but with 2GB RAM instead of 1GB RAM. Neo X5 Mini – Low cost version of the Neo X5 with 8GB NAND Flash instead of 16GB, and missing Bluetooth support. Neo X3 – Android 4.1/4.2 Set-top box powered by AMLogic AML8726-M3 with 1GB RAM, 4GB Flash, and 802.11n Wi-Fi. No word about Ethernet support. Neo X7 – Android Media Player based on Rockchip RK3188 with 2GB RAM, 16 GB RAM, HDMI, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth support. The full specifications are not available yet, but the design of the box is nice, although it might not be to the taste of everybody, and I […]

CloudnetGo CR9 RK3188 mini PC Review

The folks at AndroidPC.es have received a preliminary sample of CloudnetGo CR9 HDMI TV dongle powered by Rockchrip RK3188 quad core processor with 2GB RAM and 8GB flash, and posted an unboxing video and a review of the device. That’s the first review of a RK3188 mini PC I’ve ever seen. It’s in Spanish, so let’s provide a summary of their findings in English. Please note that it’s an early sample, so minor hardware changes may occur, and Android 4.1 will be upgraded to 4.2 once it ships later this month. CloudnetGO CR9 Unboxing The package contains the device itself, a 5V/2Apower supply, an extra short HDMI cable, a micro USB to USB cable, a micro USB to USB adapter and a user manual. If you prefer unboxing videos, they uploaded one with background music, no commentary. First Boot and First Impressions Let’s connect the device to the TV HDMI […]

Quad Cores SoC Comparison: Rockchip RK3188 vs Exynos 4412 vs Tegra 3

padhz.com compared three of the fastest Quad Core Cortex A9 processors: Rockchip RK3188, Samsung Exynos 4412, and Nvidia Tegra 3. In their detailed report (in Chinese) they compare the performance, power consumption, video play back and more. As expected, it turns out RK3188 is the best, followed by Exynos 4412, and then Tegra 3, which correspond to the inverse of their release dates. Keep reading to find the details. The Contestants Nvidia Samsung Rockchip Model Tegra 3 Exynos 4412 RK3188 CPU Cortex A9 Quad Core Cortex A9 Quad Core Cortex A9 Quad Core Process 40nm 32nm 28nm Frequency 1.3 GHz 1.4 GHz 1.6 / 1.8 GHz GPU Geforce ULP ARM Mali-400MP4 ARM Mali-400MP4 GPU Frequency 416MHz 440MHz 533 / 600 MHz GPU GFLOPS 10 17.6 24 Level 2 Cache 1MB 1MB 512KB Memory Bus 32-bit 64-bit 32-bit HW Video Decode 1080p 1080p 1080p Release date November 2011 April 2012 January […]

Ugoos UG007B Rockchip RK3188 mini PC Sells for $74

My very first article about Chinese mini PCs was about Rikomagic MK802, an Android 4.0 HDMI TV dongle with a cortex A8 processor, 512 MB RAM and 4GB flash, and the device was selling for $74 at the time. Ten months later, it appears that for the exact same price you can now buy UG007B, an Android 4.2 mini PC powered by Rockchip RK3188 quad core Cortex A9 processor with 2GB RAM, and 8 GB Flash. Here are UG007 IIB specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3188 Quad Core ARM Cortex-A9 Processor up to 1.6Ghz + Mali-400MP4 Quad-core GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 RAM Storage – 8GB Nand Flash + microSD card slot (up to 32GB) Connectivity Wifi – 802.11 b/g/n (MediaTek 5931 in CDT-K25931 module) Bluetooth 3.0 (MediaTek 6622 in CDT-K25931 module) 3G support via external USB dongle USB – 1 x USB 2.0 Host + 2x micro USB host Video […]

How to Root Rockchip RK3188 mini PCs

CloudnetGo CR9 was the first Rockchip RK3188 mini PC I had ever seen reported, but since then others apparently based on the same board have started to show up including Tronsmart T428, Rikomagic MK802 IV, as well as Ugoos UG802B, UG007B and MK809 III. We’ll get a lot of choices, but most of time the firmware does not provide root access. I noticed AndroidPC.es published instructions to root those device in Spanish yesterday, but today, Geekbuying rooted the Ugoos devices with the same method used for RK3188 Tablets. You have to follow those 5 simple steps: Make sure USB Debugging is enabled on your mini PC (Settings -> Developer Options) Connect your RK3188 mini PC to a Windows PC via the USB port. Your PC should detect a new device, and try to install the driver. You can download the driver at https://www.dropbox.com/s/uqisjj4hqftlaxa/GEEKBUYING_Rockchip_Batch_Tool_v1.6.rar (password: GEEKBUYING.COM) After having installed the driver, download […]

CloudnetGo CR9 is an HDMI TV Stick Based on Rockchip RK3188 Quad Core SoC

Rockchip RK3066 based mini PCs are clearly the most popular in the market, and after the discovery of one AllWinner A20 HDMI dongle, and one AllWinner A31 mini PC earlier this week, it’s time for the first mini PC based on Rockchip R3188 quad core Cortex A9 processor called CloudnetGo CR9. Here are ClounetGo CR9 specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3188 quad core Cortex A9 @ 1.8Ghz + Mali-400MP4 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 8 to 16GB internal flash + micro SD slot (up to 32GB) Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Video Output – HDMI (male) up to 2160p Video Codecs – VP8, AVS, MJPEG, RV8/9/10, H.263, H.264, VC-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DIVX Video Container Formats – AVI, RM, RMVB, PMP, FLV, MP4, M4V, VOB, WMV, 3GP, MKV, ASF, 3G2M4V. Audio Codecs/Formats – MP1/2/3, WMA, OGG, AAC, M4A, FLAC, APE, AMR, RA, WAV. USB – 1x USB Host 2.0, […]

Pipo Max M9 Android 4.1 Tablet Powered by Rockchip RK3188

I first heard about Rockchip RK3188 quad core Cortex A9 at the end of 2012,  Rockchip showcased an RK3188 tablet development platform at CES 2013, and we were told the first tablet would ship in March without more details about available models. It appears Pipo Max M9 may be one of the first RK3188 available for purchase. This Android 4.1 tablet features a 10″ IPS display with 1280 x 800 resolution, 2 GB RAM, and 16 GB Flash. Here are the full specifications for PiPO MAX M9: SoC – Rockchip RK3188  Quad core Cortex A9  @  1.8GHz with Mali-400MP4 GPU @ 533 MHz. System Memory –  2 GB RAM Storage – 16 GB flash + microSD slot Display – 10.1″ IPS display with 10-Point capacitive touch screen. Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 3G via external USB dongle Camera – 2.0MP front camera, 5.0MP rear […]

Rockchip Shows Off RK3188 Quad Cortex A9 Processor and Miracast Dongles

There has been some leaks about Rockchip RK3188 processor, and Cube Pea tablet based on this SoC, but no device are available for purchase to date. Rockchip is currently at CES 2013 showcasing their solutions, and they are showcasing RK3188 tablet development platform at the show, but no RK3188 tablet as final products should only start to be available in March. Charbax is at CES 2013 now, and could ask a few questions about Rockchip upcoming SoC. RK3188 is a quad core Cortex A9 processor clocked up to 1.8-2.0 GHz, manufactured using 28nm HKMG process technology. The SoC features a quad-core Mali-400MP GPU,  1080p video decoder & encoder, and they can easily provide 4G/LTE support. RK3188 should be 20 to 30% faster than Nvidia Tegra 3, and have the same performance as Samsung Exynos 4412. Rockchip representative also stress that performance/cost ratio will be better than (Chinese) competitor basing their […]

EDATEC Raspberry Pi 5 fanless case