Compact computers are here to stay, and as efficiency improves, manufacturers offer users an increasingly attractive size-to-performance ratio. The so-called HDMI dongles paid in part the price of being first-generation products, but today we can find very interesting alternatives, such as the Kangaroo. At first glance anyone could mistake it for a smartphone, but inside it houses a complete x86 computer that runs Windows 10.
My main work computer is still a tower as tall as the desk, a case that is mostly empty but that at the same time provides wide access to any component in case of a failure (and there are failures, believe me). When a repair or definitive replacement is needed, the process is reduced to extracting the affected part and placing a new one, minimizing any unwanted downtime. Still, such a level of versatility is irrelevant for most users, who would do anything to replace that tower with a compact computer. The use of portable systems as desktop PCs, the arrival of All-in-One devices, the development of Intel's NUC platform, and the progress of HDMI dongles only obey this trend, not to mention the notable advances in performance, energy consumption, and miniaturization.
The Kangaroo: hardware and design
Thus we arrive at the doors of the Kangaroo, a computer developed by InFocus. The Kangaroo is positioned as the definitive portable system, a claim backed by its dimensions (124 by 80.5 by 12.9 millimeters), which are on par with any smartphone or phablet. Its hardware is based on the Intel Atom x5-Z8500 SoC, a small demon from the Cherry Trail family with Airmont architecture. This chip works at a base frequency of 1.44 GHz, but its Turbo mode reaches 2.24 GHz and it has four cores inside. 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of solid-state storage, a microSD expansion slot, a fingerprint reader, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and Wi-Fi ac complete the list of main specifications. The Kangaroo also includes a dock that adds two full-size USB ports (2.0 and 3.0), and an HDMI port. The operating system chosen for the Kangaroo is Windows 10 Home.
The dock, connectivity, and price
It is likely that the dock is the most striking aspect of the Kangaroo besides its high level of portability, since it allows us to use any compatible screen, and this extends to iOS devices with the help of the OSLinx application. Finally, we come to the price: InFocus is asking only $99 for the Kangaroo, although the user will have to invest some extra bills for the USB and HDMI cables. In summary, the Kangaroo is an excellent option for those looking for portable terminals, without having to pay a fortune for the latest hybrids.
