There's a small USB stick with Intel's Bay Trail CPU that can run Windows 8.1

READ

It doesn't specify that... Did you read?

"We would assume the stick does not come with Windows 8.1 pre-installed."

Assume❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗

Some TVs don't have USB inputs.

READ.

Hard to believe isn't it? (grin)

It has that. Its a HDMI stick not a USB stick like the article says. Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android

It does have HDMI, did you bother to read the article or even glance at a picture of the device?

Did you read the article, or even look at the pictures?

Wouldn't it be nice if we could delete comments after so many down votes

Does it have hdmi?

It _is_ an HDMI. This tiny PC plugs into HDMI of your TV or display or monitor, whatever has a full-sized HDMI port. This ain't a USB on the photo though it looks like a USB maybe because it's a render actually.

The USB is probably for power. Interesting if it can run entire thing via USB power.

I'm confused. It's a PC on its own, so what is the USB part of it for? Would you plug it into another computer, and if so, why?

Power

I would assume you use it with a monitor that support display over USB.

Power via USB?

Yea about 5V... How do you think your phones start charging when you plug them to the usb... Wow...

Power I assume.... Posted via Windows Phone Central App

With that kind of interface, you could use it for recovery tools. Plug it into a computer and run specialized tools from Windows. But I totally understand your confusion.

Might work on a tv or something like that, but hdmi would be preferable

Plug it into a monitor maybe?

The comments following the linked article indicate that this isn't a USB stick, but an HDMI stick... That makes much more sense as it could plug directly into an HDTV an be a portable media center pc

This would make more sense, kinda like a Chromecast. Connects directly via HDMI, then is powered by Micro-USB.

No, more like miracast. chromecast is not as versatile. Anyway this will blow their socks off. LOL.

He means the way Chromecast is plugged to the TV, not the way how it works. Miracast is irrelevant to the topic.

The pictures of the product on the site show that it is a HDMI stick, this article should be corrected. Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android

Look at photo, ahh, who knows, doesn't matter, not available in the country that matters

Power, you can plug it on a TV.

I can only assume for a power source, perhaps plugging it into a USB port on your TV, connecting via HDMI, connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and BAM! You now have a full PC on your TV as easily as switching the HDMI input. But yeah, i personally feel it would be more sensible to be powered by micro-USB like similar products are, but I'm not going to complain when it's so tiny.

It should be an HDMI to plug to any TV/monitor. And be powered through a micro USB like all WPs.
I have to confess Ive been waiting for this day to come.

Or you could plug it into the USB port on a TV possibly or a power adapter with a USB port (so pretty much every tablet and phone power source for the last few years.

well if you can work without a display maybe intel will make one specifically for you without usb port.....

Don't need no stinking display, lol

Seeing as theres no os preloaded maybe to use a usb dvd drive

No, there is a microSD slot. Just make a microSD card bootable with an OS.

The title of the article is misleading. If you go to the source, the picture clearly shows that's it's HDMI on the end and not USB. Obviously designed to plug directly into a monitor or TV with HDMI support. 

Same here...if you need another pc to connect these device then what's the use of it....

Everything is there on the photo. You get two USB hosts on each side of the dongle, one full-sized, one micro, and a port for powering made as microusb. Think of it as of usual PC, it can't be connected to another as a flash stick.

This is actually pretty cool, but make it a 64gb or better and I'll think about it

There is a 64-bit option.

Does making it 64-bit magically double the storage? ;p

I don't get why'd you'd want 64bit anyways, it's not like you're going to trying to do any serious computing off of here. This just seems to be targeted as an ultra-portable media streaming server option. Given Windows' popularity of media streaming and personal media servers, this only seems logical and convenient for those who want it.

64GB, not 64-bit :)

You're apparently still missing it.  The poster you're replying to is asking for a 64 gigabyte option, not a 64-bit CPU option.

Oh, haha, totally over my head. It's one of those days. ;P

8 Tera gigs

+1. Even 32 is too little even for that tiny version of W8.

This thing is awesome! It has micro SD just get 128 GB if you want! So it has an HDMI port and a full sized USB output!
2 micro usb's one for power and the other for what ever you like!   The modder in me just jizzed in his pants a little! This is perfect for a car-pc mod, with your favourite media player, lots of storage, low on power and a touch based interface! Love it!!!!!    

The ultimate Chromecast competitor!!!

Only if it supports widi

Widi???

Wi-Fi direct

Widi is wireless display not wifi direct. Don't use a settled technical name.

Why you need "widi" if it has a full windows desktop? with a full web browser? just need a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Or, some apps to control pc too...

Sounds like the next raspberry pi

Sounds like the ULTIMATE raspberry pi

It would be awesome if we could plug this into our phones, especially my 1520, and turn them into full blow PC's... This product would be ideal for smartphones, and tablets, because of the touch screen... This is awesome, and MS needs to allow for at least high end devices to run as slave peripherals...

Or you could get 7" tablet with the same specs and windows 8.1 included for $25 less.

No❗❗❗ not close... That would be carrying two devices, that's not the right idea, and I'm not looking for workarounds when wishing... The idea is to carry my 1520, and the small stick... Understand?

Could I use this to get windows 8.1 on my Surface 2??

Recursion

Nope. Absolutely not

Inception

Delusion

Yes, sort of. you have to connect to it through Remote Desktop, but Remote Desktop supports touchscreen and 3D acceleration. I used it to run games from my desktop PC on my Surface RT

If you want Windows 8.1 on your Surface 2 just go to Windows Update and update to 8.1.   I have 8.1 on my Surface (1).

Nice.... But why is it a USB stick? What would you plug it into? Another PC for file transfer? Charging? DLNA, MIRACAST?

A monitor probably.

Tv

Power supply.

By the sounds of it still needs an os which means you need another computer to load it

Uh, did you not read the article? You install Windows on it.

To nothing because it is not an USB stick, it is a HDMI stick.

Wow.

Such Windows. Much impress.

Suck compute

Excuse me?!

#Windoge 8.1

Could you imagine if they replaced the USB interface for MHL and tossed in Bluetooth for good measure. The future is now and it's blowing my mind.

It does include Bluetooth, 4.0 actually. And 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity as well.

But what benefit does this have over an android stick? I've been happy with my android tv stick for 2 years. What is good about win8 on a tv?

I could run the apps and applications I already have....?

WMC among other things

What is good about win8 on a tv?

Are you kidding? what about to use it as a PC?

But that's what my laptop is for :)

If you want to use it in embedded situations (like a kiosk or something)...

Sweet, no more fiddling around to get windows to run off a usb for troubleshooting.

If you can get your hand on Windows 8 Enterprise version. You can create Windows To Go. Run Windows OS straight from a USB stick.

But you still need a pc for that, this stick however is a pc on its own Posted via Windows Phone Central App

This is awesome and EXACTLY what I've been looking for. I have a kitchen computer which is an old Mac mini running WP 8.1 pro. I only use it for my surveillance camera, surfing and music. I've been looking to replace it with a laptop, but that would mean I couldn't use the surveillance cameras in the same way. Replacing it with this and a laptop for portability instead would be awesome. Perfect kitchen computer (if it works OK) due to size, and my WP 8.1 license is a 32-bit standalone license. I'm buying!

Where did you get Windows Phone 8.1 Pro? I just got the standard version of Windows Phone lol

Haha. So used to writing that. :)

Wow, this is perfect for making your TV into a full PC!!

Or better yet, a projector.

hello to all faners of wndows phone specialy faners of wp central i am the stranger from a poor country and far from here i have a request from you is that possible to vote to open windows store for us windows store is blocked for a long time actually we've never had open store please i am begging you to vote to open store http://bit.ly/1yNhFxL thanks a poor stranger love you

3 votes

You need to write /email Microsoft

That's pretty amazing...

Can you use it to run full Windows 8.1 on a Surface RT then?

No.

Well, actually there is a workaround. You power this thing from the USB of your Surface RT, connect them to one Wi-Fi (created on your phone or via netsh on this stick) and finally connect your Surface to the stick using RDP. I have my home PC always on and a white IP, and sometimes connect to it from my surface same way of I need a desktop app.

Thats amazing.

it seems slower!

You sir are a...nevermind

come on, do you really think this thing is faster? then you are... nevermind.

Your comment makes little sense.

do I really need 4 lines of text to explain my concerns about the performances of Win8.1 running over there? there are comments about CPU and memory here, as motherboards and other components don't make the difference, but they are. so, this thing seems slower to me.

Wow that is really cool.

Looks great, but I don't fully trust things off of Alibaba.  With all the potential ways to exploit a system even if you wipe the OS or put your own on there (including BIOS/UEFI hacks, this new "BadUSB" malware, etc.), I just don't know that I would want to put an unknown like this on my network. Maybe it's just paranoia, but if this ever sells directly from Intel or someone of that sort, it'd be interesting.  As it is now, definitely not for me.

With this theory you can't buy an PC or phone either because those can be hacked too or shipped with malware (or bloatware ala Samsung) Also it's hdmi not USB

Except there's at least a trusted name behind those.  Samsung, Acer, even Microsoft and Apple factories are in the same parts of the world, but I trust their checks a little more than I do for some random part put together in a factory with no branding whatsoever.  The larger company theoretically has checksums for their firmware QC checks, etc.  Despite having an Intel logo on this from using an Intel CPU/chipset, there's no company actually backing the product.

You actually have a point! I was about ready to order but now I have deep doubts ordering it! I'll wait for a reputable company to put it out...

If you looked further on there you'd find screen caps show a box with intel iot asia written on it & on the other side of the stick a label MeeGoPad

Plug it into The HDMI port of your TV, add a WIFI stick, watch youtube, run office or anything else. The only question is whether the stick is powerful enough to play HD videos.

It's running an Atom Processor with 2gb of RAM...... More than enough, considering you can output HD video from any Atom powered tablet

Hell it can even do some 3D rendering for Windows Store games

It's got wifi and blutooth built-in.

Then the stick becomes eben better :D

Having a Bay Trail tablet myself, it does 4K playback at 15-20% CPU usage. The only bottleneck is that it has the name "Atom" tacked onto it which makes many users underestimate the Bay Trail.

Load popcorn time on this. Best thing ever. Posted via Windows Phone Central App

Plex

I would plug it in my Xbox ONE :)

I never would have thought of that. Good way to get stuff like Spotify, iTunes, Flash, mouse and keyboard navigation, or any other unsupported fatures right on your XBO without much headache.

Is Flash support still an issue? I see less and less of it.

Sold

Windows 8 has been able to do this, but you need a host pc to boot on. This looks like it can run with only a USB power source.

Microsoft needs to make one of these. Pair one of those mini bluetooth keyboard/trackpad controllers for an amazing windows experience on your tv. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. It could connect to your home network, and stream any media via Plex, or other service. Hell, That atom processor could room some old PC games, our any of the new mobile games in the windows store. Better yet, set up a dynamic IP, or DNS, and you could remote control your tv from your phone, tablet or any other device, that's the beauty of windows, the only limitations are hardware/power. MS..... Are you listening, we want this!

Why 64bit on only 2gb of RAM? is it expandable?

2GB is the minimum ram for Windows 8 64 bits

Isn't it actually 4gb

64bits runs even on my old PC, 1.5Ghz RAM. And better then 32.

The title of the article is misleading. If you go to the source, the picture clearly shows that's it's HDMI on the end and not USB. Obviously designed to plug directly into a monitor or TV with HDMI support. 

oh nice, this is a sure bet, no mans sky & audiosurf on the tv here we come!

If I could use it with windows 10 that'd be great. I wanna load the tech preview but don't wanna bother djal booting

I don't think that the old start menu will look good on TVs.  

I'm running 10 in a virtual machine.  If your Windows 8 machine has Hyper-V role on it then you can use that otherwise you can download VMware or Virtual box and then create a virtual machine on your current OS.   No dual booting.  Switch between operating systems with the click of a mouse button.

mr Callaham at it again.. and confusion galore.. this is NOT a USB stick/drive. It's a HDMI device which plugs into the HDMI port of your TV/Monitor..

Take my money and gimme this awesome piece of tech

Not to be an asshole about it or anything, but has this thing really been checked out? I'm seeing a source that didn't get the specs straight, and then an russian Aliexpress site. Kinda weird, don't you think?

http://cew.en.alibaba.com/product/60038541335-800254009/2014_latest_Meeg...

"Ubantu" LOL

I've seen a 256GB USB stick running Windows enterprise OS by Imation but an entire PC on a stick...that's cool!

Why not preinstalled with 8.1. If they can bring in 8.1 for free on a small sized tablet, why not on this stick without a screen.

Windows 8.1 for free? where?

MS made it free to OEM's for all devices 10" and smaller...

Yes you're right. I think it's 9" or less, but regardless, it's a free version to OEMs. Windows 8.1 with Bing. Not free to just anybody though. So I'd be surprised if it didn't come pre-loaded.
I'd probably just put Windows 10 on it anyway.

I'm buying one of these and sticking it in the HDMI-in in the Xbox One then I'll have a true All-in-one device!

Fantastic concept, the smallest pc though I really want my windows phone to be my laptop/ PC.

My new steam in home streaming device...woo hooo

That would've been cool if it were an USB stick, stick a 128 GB microsdxc class 10 u1 card and you can take your PC anywhere, your house, a friends, the local library. Pure.. Awesome

Would be nice to get it to work on a chrome laptop , a cheaper way to get a ultra book

Plug it into a Nexus 7 tablet with USB OTG :P? That would be nice :D

Wait a minute, making a whole new device plugging this into a tablet using it only for display and power that would be awesome!

The headline is misleading so I understand the confusion, but that's not how it will work. It's actually not a USB stick but an HDMI stick, you plug it in a TV or display's HDMI port and have a really small PC.

Yeah I realized that. Still wonder if it would work with some HDMI to mini USB cable. Of course it the device supported it..

I have a project for a kiosk... I wonder how low can these go to run windows embedded (I inly need a single modern app)

Hi everyone ASUS MeMO Pad 8 ME181C has a quad-core Z3745 Bay Trail chip with 1GB of RAM. Does it support Windows 8.1? Its default OS is android 4.4.

Ok. Can someone please paint a picture of how this works? So I can plug it into my TV,add a mouse and keyboard and I'm on and poppin'?

Yeah, but it or you would need a micro  male USB to  female USB(full size) cable/adapter to load the OS

No, there is one full sized USB port, one micro, and another micro only for power.

What i can see how it works.
1. Plug to PC to get power.
2. Plug to monitor using the HDMI.
3. Plug another bootable USB with windows 8.1 on the USBPC, also plug keyboard.
4. Boot the USBPC to the bootabke USB.
5. Install the OS and configure.
6. Now you can unplug it and you can use it as a mobile PC. Enable the boot to USB on your other machine.

Wonder if it'll work with a lan adapter it could take ages to download updates

It wouldn't matter if it was a USB(for power) since most TV's have a powered USB port, as long as it come with a micro HDMI to HDMI out cable and a micro USB port.

I suppose I could run Windows 8.1 full version on my Surface RT.

This will elevate the use of windows to go, useful for mobile workforce

Finally mini PC with real OS! :D I just bought similiar device but with android on it. It has dual core processor and 1 gb ram and it sucks because:
1. it is android :/ where builded web browser is better than installed chrome
2. its chinese cheap device - low quality
3. poor wi-fi antena(?) / signal
4. I must reset device few times in a week
5. most of sites launch as a mobile verions...
6. I bought expensive HP mouse for this, because other a lot of them doesn't work with this android system.
  Generally I bought it to my tv, i plugged it into hdmi port and i bought additional ethernet wires to my router, because this device can't catch my strong signal. My dad can read articles and watch favourite movies on youtube and tv stations :)
  The only one thing was good- this was cheap. I bought it for 130 PLN with transport + 50PLN for that
HP mouse and about 15PLN for these longer wires to router. Hope this intel's (and other companies) device will be not very expensive.  Hope they will release more devices like this in Poland, with windows 8.1. I think This is future in IT and entertaitment. You can change normal TV to AIO computer.  

Well it's your fault for buying that. Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android

Replace my bulky PCs at each tv in the house (except the one attached to the Xbox)

Yeeee my next HTPC option!

How about linking to the english site? http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sell-Mini-PC-with-both-Android-Windows-8-... Don't understand why WPC edited out the HDMI connector seen from the top, give us the russian link, and call it a USB stick. Weird.

Exactly... I guess ol' John just wanted to get the article on WPCentral quickly without really double checking. Definitely an HDMI stick with two USB slots etc. Please update the article when you can please John.. and include the English website, and the full picture showing the rear and male HDMI ends

It is actually an hdmi stick..

That thing sounds awesome!

Interesting enough, it is only available in Aliexpress in Russian ... maybe some kind of hoax?

This is awesome

Microsoft needs to throw one of these together and get it in stores like yesterday

what about controlling the OS if i able to find a HDMI mobiter/TV with  a HDMI cable. i mean what about the i/p devices like mice and keyboards. most of the moniters are non-touch devices.

I would assume USB would be the #1 choice for input

aliexpress is really cool. finally an international store delivering to Pakistan

Want!!!

Now if it could do something with my worthless surface 2 RT.... That would be worth looking into.

What are you saying? The Surface RT has been the best tablet I ever had. Maybe that's because I didn't looked at it as a desktop or laptop replacement but as a complement like an iPad or other Android tablets.

It is great, and I use it every day, but I often need desktop applications for programming and other things. If this little device can give that functionality to RT, ill buy it the instant it comes out vs spending $1300 on a surface pro. Now I'm just stuck with lugging my 18" laptop also.

You can use remote desktop to your PC from your Surface. If you want to get fancy, you can set up wake-on-LAN (easier on a local network, but a pain through many consumer routers), or even throw an 8.1 enterprise edition evaluation in a compatible PC to take advantage of RemoteFX (if I have the name right). YouTube has some demo vids showing a Surface tablet running some decent games remotely off a RemoteFX host. Sad it is only an enterprise thing. I should check if that's changing in Win10.

Seems faster

This is really neat! I'm guessing it has the ability to run everything that the OS can do, including games?

Is this even made by Intel? The Ali website says oem.

I cannot understand why so many people are having an issue with this. As the article states it's got ask the connections and WiFi connections needed to tell you it's basically a pc... On a stick. The most obvious use would be to throw out the chromecast and get one of these, add on a mini Bluetooth keyboard with built in mouse pad and bang a full blown windows 8.1 pc. Again as the article suggests the os probably isn't included due to ref it will also run android and Linux... Would be defo something I would buy if it came preloaded but depending how easy it was to side load I would prob give it a go....

Like a testpack, haha

Seems like a solution looking for a problem. And people say Intel aren't innovative :)

anyone knows if it will support HDMI-CEC? I would like to control using only the TV-remote...

A lot of confusion among commenters thanks to bad source criticism from the poster of this article. This is an HDMI stick, and you should've changed the headline by now. This kind of product have excisted for a couple of years but with ARM chips and Android on them. There's also the Chromecast that works similarly. You plug them directly in the HDMI port of your display or TV, making it a really small PC or media center, on a stick. I will definitely get one of these to replace my android based media center.

Cool, I'd like to try one of these! Also, a review from WPCentral would be interesting!

A computer module that size has amazing possibilities in robotics

Well i guess you could load the sd with some pictures and stuff and take it to your friends place. Then again most phones do that. I guess if you are an it person that has to go around for support you could use this PC. Other than that I don't see that much use for it...

Or maybe as a chromecast competitor.. A Plex app on this could be killer

The future Surface Mini (please Microsoft), it would kick off the map the Mac Mini

The Mac Mini is a desktop computer. '-'
(maybe Microsoft should catch on, but if they haven't already, it's probably for a reason.)

This is a Desktop computer too... just plug it in a monitor and voilá

After reading comments.. This thing makes more sense... That picture is confusing.. I know windows is capable of booting off a USB3... but in that case, it doesn't need an Intel CPU on it. HDMI... OK..now it makes sense.. USB for power.. SD card for more storage.. Etc... Cool how small things are getting and that it can run on USB power source

Kodi...

Amazing with windows 10

A full Windows 8.1 OS dongle, that's awesome

Writers need to check their facts before publishing an article like this. It says Intel Inside, which any OEM manufacturer can put, as long as there's an Intel CPU inside. It's still cool, don't get me wrong. I'll probably buy a couple. It's also not a USB device, it's an HDMI dongle.

I have a hard time believing this thing is real ... but if I see it on Amazon or NewEgg I'll definitely buy one. It'll let me run my Win32 programs on my TV (instead of having to wait for MSFT to let ISVs run their WinRT apps on XBoxOne). Getting HIDs with appropriate range for it would be the biggest problem.  

I'd use it with tv or a monitor with USB. It would make carrying a computer much effortless. For storage I'd use cloud storage...

I'd really like to buy three... right now, not tomorrow or next week, right now. Oh well I'll have to wait.

Interesting....go Intel go!

Still need to fix the title c:

I ve just got answer from the hdmi stick PC manufacturer (yes hdmi not USB, confirmed) they ship the stick with Windows 8.1 installed but without license, I m asking how much with the license... and they have predetermined it to go with 2GB RAM.

if we can must find a way to shrink projectors, and were set for a portable pc and monitor.

I wonder if the Intel Galileo Windows build could be adapted to run on this: http://ms-iot.github.io/content/

IF it was USB, then I'd be interested in using it with a midi controller (to run ableton live, etc.)!

Anyone pick this up yet? Looks like it was officially announced a few days ago http://www.computerworld.com/article/2850563/coming-in-2015-from-intel-t...

is there any complaint ?