The CPU they use is famous for lack of GPL sources and lack of stability when using their GPL-non-compliant binary blobs<p>YMWV! (Your mileage <i>WILL</i> vary)
A lot of people wonder how this can be done for $9, but as it was pointed out tablets based on the same specs (A13 SoC, 4GB storage, 512MB RAM) can already be found starting at $30 [1]. Take off the display, case, battery, camera, cable, charger, and yes it is certain the CHIP can be manufactured for approximately $9.<p>Also keep in mind the company doesn't need to make profits selling the CHIP itself. Their business plan seems to be to sell it at cost while making money on the plethora of accessories: the LiPO battery is $10, the VGA Adapter is $10, the HDMI adapter is $15, etc. Also they might try to make a $0.50 or $1.00 profit here and there on shipping costs (the FAQ even has an entry "international shipping is too expensive").<p>Enjoy your $9 computer. 15 years ago a machine with these specs would have cost 1 month of an engineer's salary... I love technological progress!<p>[1] <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-A13-Single-Core-8GB-Google-Android-4-0-Touch-Tablet-PC-MID-WIFI-Dual-Camera-/321747700995" rel="nofollow">http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-A13-Single-Core-8GB-Google-Android...</a>
They're claiming better specs than the RPi Model A (512 MB RAM, 1 GHz CPU) with more features (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi on board) for $9 vs the RPi's $25.<p>I highly doubt they will be able to produce the CHIP for $9/unit.
I backed the Kickstarter. Looks like a really neat device with interesting capabilities and Debian :)<p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer" rel="nofollow">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-wor...</a>
I'm more interested in the PocketCHIP than anything else. For a while now I've been trying to find a handheld computer (with a physical keyboard) that won't break the bank. But I'm worried about the quality of the CHIP itself... guess I'll see how this pans out first.
I wonder if this would make a good server. Aside from storage, it has specs comparable to a $5/month Digital Ocean droplet: <a href="https://www.digitalocean.com/pricing/" rel="nofollow">https://www.digitalocean.com/pricing/</a>
> The CHIP has already blown past its $50,000 goal and is now at about $200,000. They expect to ship in one year and they’re a Haxlr8r company so they have some solid manufacturing support.<p>TechCrunch, why on earth do you think I know what "a Haxlr8r company" is?
The anonabox was criticized for, among other reasons, having the "open-source hardware" logo... its hardware was as "open-source" as of this, yet I can't see the criticisms in this case.
Dug up some details on the R8 used in the CHIP. It doesn't look like it'll have much juice. There are comparable chips out there (made by Atmel for example) in terms of speed/performance.<p>Single Cortex-A8 (don't disclose cache sizes)
DDR2/3 up to 530MHz 16-bit bus 512MB Max capacity
Support NAND/SPI Nor/SD Card
1080p30 decode, 720p30 encode H.264<p>They don't disclose the clock but can't imagine it is high.<p>[1] <a href="http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/R_series/2015/0514/6066.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/R_series/2015/0514/6066....</a>
No one here is talking about the PocketChip, which I think is the coolest thing. If it's hackable it will be really interesting to see what people do with it.
"The CHIP Is <i>a fictional</i> $9 Computer That <i>doesn't exist and</i> Can Almost Do <i>Nothing At</i> All"<p>Just in case someone feels like fixing the headline.