Windows Mini PC the size of Chromecast

[AthlonXP1800]

http://techreport.com/news/27228/this-mini-bay-trail-pc-is-the-size-of-a-thumb-drive

$70 = £43.49 + £8.69 VAT = £52.18 for a HDMI Mini PC stick with quad core Bay Trail CPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB flash storage, Wifi, Ethernet, MicroSD and 2 micro USB 2.0 ports that can run either Windows, Android or Linux. The higher end G with 2GB RAM and 32GB flash storage probably will cost $99 = £73.81 with VAT.

This will be much easy way to connect to your HDTV as cheap HTPC, media center or watch Blu-ray movies with external USB Blu-ray drive. You can connect USB Hub to it and use 4TB hard drive in USB caddy.

If OCUK or ebay ever stock G version then I would buy one in a heartbeat and install Windows 10 on it.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

I'll pick it up tonight but i'm not looking to make anything out of it, just get quicker delivery The import duty/VAT thing worries me despite what the site suggests so i'll do a bit of reading up on that as if it does get hit then a NUC would be a better buy.

Nope you wont find NUC a better buy than tiny Intel Mini PC stick which cost around £81 excluded delivery. Found a very similar spec bigger NUC box with Celeron N2820 but slower than Atom Z3735G accorded to mobile benchmarks, 2GB RAM and 32GB SSD cost £189 excluded delivery, not exactly cheap but cost over twice the price.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

There is 15% off tomorrow
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sell-Mini-PC-with-both-Android-Windows-8-system/32223626046.html
Which would work out at ~£75 for the 32gb version each shipped via DHL. Although Im not sure how customs charges work and stuff if you read about it let me know.

Oh that interesting. I will keep on eye on that, will order it Wed morning.

Not really sure where you get £75 for 32GB from or has price been drop? It would cost £69.54 after 15% or £12.27 discount then added £20.19 for DHL delivery and total would be £89.73.

I been lookup custom duty and found out this type of item do not need to pay 3.5% custom duty so it will only need to pay 20% VAT. If item gone through custom and will charge me £17.94 for VAT so total would be £107.67.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/hs-lookup/338357/hs-tariff-code-for-mini-pc-dongle/

Hopefully I could be very lucky if custom determind not charged me for VAT but pay only £89.73. Happened many times but unlucky once with 1 VAT charged slapped on me.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

on the same chinese website you can find intel 3217u based NUCs for £117.99 last time i looked. A much better buy thats for sure.

Ah found it, guessed you not read the description that the item is barebone as it did not included RAM, SSD or HDD. That why it is cheap barebone 3217U NUC, add £31 DHL delivery then total would cost £178.78 with imported VAT but in the end you will need to add around £40 with 1 2GB stick around £15 and £25 for 32GB SSD, grand total would be £218.78.

Also found same barebone model but different seller charge £96.74 sound bargain deal but when look deeper into delivery charge, they charge insanely £80.26 DHL shipping. Looked further to cheapest one £95.39 a piece but the image picture has 2 CPUs mentioned in it, Core i3 3217U and Intel 1037U but no DHL delivery, seller choose Chinese EMS for 5-10 days delivery. Sound very dodgy to me.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

Oh crap!!!

I ordered 1 for £83.48 and filled in my address detail then went to payment detail to fill detail but my card was declined 3 times.

It seemed my bank added Aliexpress.com to blacklist probably due to recently Aliexpress security breached which hackers stole millions of accounts as well as scams and frauds risks.

Oh dear 11 hours left until discounts expired, probably will be too late to call bank's fraud department to let me through to order it like last time bank blocked my John Lewis's ipod touch 5G order years ago. God I wished Aliexpress have paypal which will be much easier to use.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

Presumably you could combine something like that dirt cheap HP tablet with the MS Wireless Display Adapter that's coming out here soon and have the same sort of thing except with a huge touch-screen as the remote control and a warranty for not a huge amount more cash.

MS Wireless Display Adapter use Miracast to mirroring display. I got EZcast stick bought from ebay for £10 back in February, it was amazed dongle that supported everything Widi, miracast, DLNA and Airplay. It worked great mirrored Galaxy S3 and S5 screen, Airplay worked great mirrored ipod touch 5G had great time play games and browse internet on large HDTV. But it has some teeth issues with streaming movies from Galaxy S3, S5 and ipod touch 5G, sometime been experienced some buffer and lags issue. Had horrible issue with mirrored from laptop, probably need lots of bandwidth.

Was noticed on EZcast website that next generation EZcast Pro was launched in October which doubled CPU, DDR3 and Wifi performance than last generation EZcast plus added new features like spilt screen, 1080p 60fps, dual output, MHL 2.0, AirView and conference control.

I was kept eye on EZCast Pro clones dongles on ebay but nothing came up for weeks, now found it on Amazon UK, EZcast Pro is based on reference Tronsmart T2000 cost £32.99. Think I will wait a while see what Google will offer with Chromecast 2.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

My brother lives in China, going to look at him ordering a one, testing it, and if it works me bringing a few back after I see him in January.

Anyone here got one yet? Has the same specs as my old tablet, which could easily play games (old school 2D ones) and browse the web. Combined with a bluetooth dongle these would be brilliant for the TV.

You probably don't need Bluetooth dongle as Windows Mini PC dongle already have Bluetooth 4.0 build in accorded to spec.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

Wow fantastic good find.

DX.com accepted paypal, just registered with DX.com now and received $3 coupon that worked out £70.37 for 32GB after discounted. Now ordered it and confirmed with paypal, great price with shipping within 7-10 days.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

I cancelled my order for the meegopad and ordered this.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/PIPO...l-3736F-1-8GHz-Quad-Core---Silver-339668.html
Was torn between this and the guleek but this won cause of ethernet port. Not sure when id use the battery on the guleek. mine should be here on monday.

Shame the box is so huge that cant fit in your pocket and the Ethernet port is only capable of 100Mbit, not Gigabit. You would stick with meegopad at same price then plug in USB Hub with USB to Ethernet adapter.

Hopefully mine will arrive today.