Mobile PCs have been around for quite some time and the adoption rate is still slow. Nonetheless, InFocus is releasing a product that is indirectly a rival to Intel’s Compute Stick called the ‘Kangaroo’. The device packs pretty decent hardware for the price of USD$99 (about RM420).
Dubbed the ultimate mobile desktop, the Kangaroo tries to be a little different by not using a “stick” design. Instead, it’s going for a design similar to that of a smartphone. With the dimensions of two inches x three inches, the Kangaroo measures only 14mm thick and weighs 200 grams.
The device is powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8500 (Cherry Trail) chip coupled with 2GB DDR3 RAM. It has 32GB of eMMC internal memory as well as support for microSD card storage expansion. In terms of connectivity, it has dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 4.0 on board. Not to mention, it ships with a 64-bit copy of Windows 10 pre-installed.
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Security-wise, the Kangaroo has an integrated fingerprint scanner. Powering the device is an internal battery that can last up to four hours between charges. To charge the device, plug a microUSB cable in like you would on an Android smartphone. Not only that, the Kangaroo has a removable base (sold separately) that adds a HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, and a USB 3.0 port along with a DC-in charging port.
InFocus also developed an iOS app called OSLinx, which essentially lets the consumer use an iPad as a display. One thing to note about the Kangaroo is that without the removable base, there is no way to connect the device to a monitor. The base device only offers wireless connectivity, and the single micro-USB port is listed as for charging only. The price for the Kangaroo Dock is not revealed on the site but it seems users will need to purchase it to make it usable with other devices.
It is not known whether this device will be sold in Malaysia, but I can definitely see it appearing on several people’s “want” list, including mine.
