ViewSonic has announced U.S. availability for its new handy VOT125 mini-PC. Coming with a quartet of ultra-low-voltage processor options from Intel to help cut down on power draw and benefiting from Windows 7 Home Premium, its petite dimensions may well see the unit being squeezed into the tightest nook of limited home and office space.
ViewSonic is obviously hoping to tap into the eco-friendly home/business computing market, as they note that the VOT125 "uses up to 90 percent less plastic and consumes up to 90 percent less energy than traditional tower PCs."
Making room for the teeny 1.5 x 5.1 x 4.5 inch unit shouldn't pose too much of a problem, but the inclusion of a VESA monitor mount offers the possibility of a totally PC-free working area.
The VOT125 mini-PC is available in a choice of four energy-saving ULV processor options from Intel - the Celeron M ULV 743 costing around US$499, the Celeron SU2300 at about US$529, a Pentium SU4100 which could empty your wallet by US$629 and a Core 2 SU7300 that should be around US$679.
Whatever processor option is chosen, the VOT125 also comes equipped with 2GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive, four USB 2.0 ports, a 3-in-1 card reader, wired and wireless connectivity and DVI/HDMI outputs for connection to a monitor or HD television.
There's no optical drive of course, but in an age of portable flash memory perhaps such a thing won't be missed.
The following video overview from ViewSonic showcases most of the features available:
computer companies developing similar mini computer models.
What does Viewsonic have in mind for upgrading their excellent computer monitors?
Except for the Microsoft DRM-ware, that uses a squillion amps just to make itself run, much less use Open Office or something as equally intelligent.....
There SEEMS to be a correlation between minimal energy use and appreciable functionality - like a ride on mower with swirl a set of blades and run at 10kmh, but it won't pull a car and 4 people and a trailer up a big hill.....
Like it might be NICE and FINE for a net computer - which for me would be just great, but it also seems to be to be a poor substitute for running several apps at once and doing 3D graphics and - all that things that make your POX CHEAP PC g.. g..... g..... g.....o gogogog .... - ........ - go into stuttering overload.
I want to see SMALL and TINY computers that can sit on idle using almost no power for things like net use and then ramp into some serious muscle AND efficient power consumption - when the need calls for it.
The days of playing PONG on 386's are LONG GONE.