MSI Offers LCD Mountable WindBOX

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/26/atom-powered-msi-windbox-nearly-ready-to-ride-your-lcd/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/26/...-ride-your-lcd/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Finally, a nettop we can really support. Rather than forcing consumers to deal with yet another underpowered box on their desk, MSI is enabling Earthlings to totally conceal said underpowered box so long as they have an LCD monitor with a VESA-compatible mount. The WindBOX, which actually broke cover back in November, is now completely official, and within the slim slab will be a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel's GMA 950 graphics set, 802.11b/g WiFi, audio in / out, three USB 2.0 sockets, a VGA port and a 3-in-1 multicard reader for good measure. There's no mention of a price, but it should start filtering out later this quarter."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1233069399.usr20447.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>I like nettops as they're extremely low powered computers that can handle my day to day computing and take up a minimum of space.&nbsp; MSI intends to take this even further with their WindBOX which can mount onto the back of LCDs that have a VESA mount.&nbsp; VESA mountable PCs have been around a long time, but they've also traditionally either been underpowered or expensive or both.&nbsp; If this could be paired with a touch-screen LCD, I could see this having lots of tempting uses all over the house like looking up recipes in the kitchen.&nbsp; What would you use a dandy WindBOX/LCD combo for?</p>

[Jason Dunn]

I agree, there's some nice possibilities here for the kitchen...the on-screen keyboard might be the biggest suck factor, but I guess you could tuck a wireless keyboard away somewhere.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

DVI would be nice.

I suppose it could be a very glorified photoframe... :P

[The Yaz]

I know most of the readers of this site are tech savvy and would require better specs to accomplish their uses for technology.

On the other hand, I purchased an eMachine reduced form as an extra computer for my son to use (model EL1200). It too runs on a laptop framework so its cool and quiet. For the stuff that he needs to use the computer (web, homework, some gaming) 1gb ram, 160gb hard drive, and a laptop processor its working just fine.

I also volunteer on the tech committee for my kid's school and these specs would be better than 40% of the desktops we have in use. In addition, the space that would be saved at the computer stations would be great.

I wonder if this could be used as a home server?

Steve

[leslietroyer]

Something like this might gain favor with the wife as a music front end for the kitchen/living room.... double as a "picture" frame for family photos.

but why no bluetooth for keyboards and mice??

LEs

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Because Bluetooth is EVIL! (for input devices anyway)

[ptyork]

I think that this concept SHOULD become the new standard for developing AIO computers. I've always had major issues (both financially and environmentally) with people buying a new AIO every two to three years. The computer is outdated, but the display is fine and dandy. Why toss out the baby with the bath water?

Sure, this would need to be upgraded slightly and would likely end up a little bigger, but there is little downside that I can see. The only usability niggle is access to the optical media, but I'm thinking that this is becoming less and less important.

If Apple is serious about their environmental image, then perhaps the next Mini will look like this (or have a VESA mount option) and they'll phase out the iMac proper in favor of this type of solution. Pigs may fly...

[Joel Crane]

Over my few years of computing I've discovered that power really doesn't mean anything. A little computer like this would actually fit pretty much all of my needs. Shoot, my most powerful computer clocks in at 1.5ghz! I'd use a little unit like this one for everything. In my tiny cramped dorm room, a desktop, laptop, and small formfactor headless server fills up every nook and cranny, but I still find myself wishing I had one more computer for friends to play StarCraft on and browse the interweb with while hanging out in my room.

If a computer has more than 512mb of RAM, an 800mhz processor, has at least 6 gigs of hard drive space, and has a half-decent videocard that can push 1024x768, it is still 100 percent useful to me.