How it’s made: Join us on a tour of the MK802 mini PC factory (video)

Posted on 20/06/2012 by Jamie Rigg

Getting to grips with the Android 4.0-toting MK802 mini PC earlier this month just left us wanting more. Luckily, ARMdevices.net recently took a tour of the Shenzhen factory where it's born to bring us a hands-on straight from source. The MK802 is one of a couple of devices we've seen recently, around the size of a USB stick and pre-installed with your favorite flavor of Android. And since its release, even those who aren't keen on frozen desserts have been toying with the little droid. To see a blow-by-blow of how it all fits together, hit up the ten-minute tour after the break, but don't expect Foxconn levels of glamour. As you can see from the painter at the beginning, Health & Safety isn't top of the agenda.

[Thanks, Justin]

Continue reading How it's made: Join us on a tour of the MK802 mini PC factory (video)

How it's made: Join us on a tour of the MK802 mini PC factory (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions

Posted on 07/06/2012 by James Trew

There must be something in the water in in hardware-designer land. Small is en vogue, it seems, and to say we've been intrigued about this latest twist on diminutive form factors would be an understatement. So far, Android has largely (though not exclusively) kept itself firmly in the palms of our hands. But, increasingly it is popping up in places we never even thought about. For the uninitiated, that thing above -- the Chinese-made MK802 -- is a complete "mini PC" that's about the size of a USB flash drive or card reader. It has a 1.5GHz Allwinner processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard flash storage. You can get at these internals via two USB ports (which can also power the device,) and pump the result out to a display via HDMI. If that 4GB of memory isn't enough, you can expand it via a microSD slot. All good and well, but what would you do with such a thing? Plenty is the answer. This not only makes any HDMI display a PC, it also ushers in a new type of portability. Bring your Netflix over to a friend's house without needing your phone, or never worry about using public PCs again. All of these niche uses give the MK802, and its kind, lots of potential. But what is it like in real life? Shimmy past the break to find out.

Gallery: Android Mini PC MK802 hands on

Continue reading MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions

MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo swings out diminutive ThinkCentre M92p Tiny, bevy of all-in-ones and VoIP-ready ThinkVision display

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Jon Fingas

Lenovo's going all-out on Ivy Bridge-based ThinkCentre pro desktop updates this evening, and the centerpiece is the smallest of the lot. The ThinkCentre M92p Tiny -- yes, it's officially nicknamed Tiny -- is about as thick as a golf ball at 1.4 inches and ready to tuck behind your display, but packs up to a third-generation Intel Core chip, vPro for IT control and your choice of spinning or solid-state hard drives. The M92p Tiny and a lower-end M72e should arrive in June, although what the respective $799 and $499 prices will get you are still mysteries.

There's no shortage if you prefer your desktops slightly more upsized. The all-in-one pack is topped by the 21.5-inch ThinkCentre Edge M92z, an uncommonly thin (2.5 inches) desktop using an IPS-based LCD with optional multi-touch that's due in July for $699. The 20- and 23-inch M92z AIO models start off at $799 for their June releases and pack up to 1TB of storage and dedicated AMD Radeon HD graphics, while a more modestly equipped, 20-inch M72z AIO will appear the same month for $599. And if you've just got to have a traditional box, Lenovo will gladly sell you the budget ThinkCentre Edge 72 ($439) or slightly uprated ThinkCentre M82 ($599). Everyone has the option of the 23-inch ThinkVision LT2323z display, which touts an IPS-based LCD and a webcam with Lync VoIP-certified, noise-cancelling microphones. The screen's price hasn't been set, but it does have a locked-in June release. You can delve into the full details of Lenovo's massive ThinkCentre revamp in the releases after the break.

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkCentre May 2012 updates