The CES 2017 officially began yesterday, but hardware news keeps coming. One of the most active companies is Intel, which after launching its Kaby Lake chips compatible with desktop computers, presented the new Compute Card. Inspired by what the Compute Stick was, this card is shaping up as a good option to upgrade platforms like Smart TVs, vending machines, and refrigerators.
The advance of miniaturization and low power consumption has allowed us to install computers almost anywhere. With this I don't just mean DIY projects based on platforms like the Raspberry Pi, but also classic appliances. Refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioning systems... everything is connected, and it’s “smart” in some way. Now, such intelligence depends on good software, and on keeping hardware up to date. Unfortunately, one of the first things lost with greater integration is expandability, but this doesn’t have to be so. After exploring the concept of ultra-compact computers with the Compute Stick, Intel presents the Compute Card.
A Complete Computer in a Card
The card measures 95 millimeters long by 55 wide, and just 5 millimeters thick. Inside we find a complete computer, based on the latest seventh-generation chips, with its own RAM, wireless connectivity via WiFi, and passive cooling. Intel representatives indicated that the maximum TDP for the processor in a Compute Card is six watts, which lets us imagine chips like the Core m3 and m5 of ultra-low power consumption. The card’s main interface is a variant of the USB-C port called “Extensión USB-C Plus”, which besides providing access to the USB bus, also does the same with the PCI Express bus, and the HDMI/DisplayPort outputs.
From a commercial point of view, it doesn’t make much sense to see the Compute Card as a replacement for the Compute Stick since they target two different markets, but that seems to be Intel’s position. In fact, the Compute Stick will officially be retired in 2018, which partly confirms that it never gained the necessary ground. One of the most important aspects Intel will have to solve with the Compute Card is software loading. Replacing cards in TVs and washing machines won’t be that complicated, but it’s logical to assume that manufacturers will want to perform different updates. So far, Intel only said that the Compute Card will have compatibility with Windows and Linux. The rest of the details will be known in June.
