This USB-Size Cloud Computer From Dell Is A Total Game Changer

Well it seems like Dell have re-invented themselves again , this time coming up with a cloud based PC that the size of a slightly oversized USB key!



The cutely named Ophelia is rumored to selling at a starting price of just $50 which is only slightly more expensive than the UK's super cheap mini computer the Raspberry PI that got launched last year.

Ophelia is so small partly because it sends a lot of its local task processing to the cloud :

Ophelia works exactly like a USB port: Just plug it into any flat panel monitor or TV, and, boom, you have a computer. Ophelia automatically connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi and can link to keyboards and other peripherals via Bluetooth.

According to Quartz, Ophelia is powered by Google’s Android operating system to handle local tasks such as decoding and encoding audio and video, but the computer itself is relatively power-friendly. The Ophelia reportedly draws 2.1 watts of power; comparatively, the average smartphone microprocessor draws a little more than 1 watt, while the average PC can consume more than 20 times as much electricity.

source

Wiki defines the cloud as:

Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over a network (typically the Internet). The name comes from the use of a cloud-shaped symbol as an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it contains in system diagrams. Cloud computing entrusts remote services with a user's data, software and computation

Wiki source

For a long time now many of us in the PC world have known that the cloud would eventually change things forever. Really the only thing that has stopped it happening so far is the speed of internet connections. I think one of the biggest driving forces of the PC world is the games market. Every year 3D games producers come out with more and more complex and processor intensive games and companies like Nvidia and MSI / Radeon fight to produce the hardware to keep up with the demand. But with cloud computing a lot of the hard work like 3D GFX processing can be done in the cloud so there will be no need for the average gamer to keep up to date with the latest hardware. Everyone will more or less be on an equal footing there will be no more problems with some players having faster computers than others and therefore having a distinct advantage in the game.

Also with cloud computing there will inevitably be less configuration problems with the system. So less PC problems for the user all round. As not everyone is computer savvy or even has time to keep up with the latest operating system cloud computing ,has the potential to take off very quickly. With all these advantages its not really a case of if it takes off so much as when..

So could this be the beginning of the end for PC's as we know them? Will you be quick to embrace the cloud?

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Forgive the ignorance, but if its so small, how will you interact with it? A keyboard? Tablet? I'm having trouble envisioning the logistics.

S&F

reply to post by smyleegrl


It plugs directly into a TV / monitor and you would use wifi keyboards ,mice and modems / routers to connect to it

reply to post by smyleegrl


It has bluetooth capabilities. Which means you purchase a bluetooth keyboard/mouse and it wirelessly hooks up and interfaces with it. Without the use of a dongle or little adapter. But to the question in the op, no thanks not yet I still love building me a nice water cooled custom wire loomed totally custom case mean machine. It's just plain old fun!!!!

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Ahhh, thanks.

I do everything from my tablet now, could easily lose the computer. Especially since I back my important data and photos on an external hard drive.

Looks like this may be the end of clunky desk computers. And how awesomely affordable for schools!

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Yes! Count me in! This IS a real game changer!

No more desktop pc's...they want to put that power in your hands with tablets. I imagine you could plug this USB-sized computer into a tablet eventually.

The future is now!

so it`s not really a computer, right?
all the actual computing tasks will be done somewhere else on a computer and then the results will be sent to this "receiver" and it will display the results on your monitor.
I assume that there will be a monthly fee for using this thing?

ETA: so, everything you do will be stored on a computer somewhere for the government to rummage through at their pleasure.

They're called PC's on sticks, and have been around for over a year.

I made a thread on a quad-core variant that was briefly mentioned on ATS radio.

Here's the thread:

Quad-Core PC on a Stick $99 !!

Now we're talkin tech baby!

I love seeing and hearing about things like this. Just imagine the next few years, that pair of glasses in the pic will be the computer, the lens the monitor...a fold up keyboard you can carry in you pocket and perhaps a ring or a glove like item for the mouse.

When I see things like this, it gives me a break from the doom and gloom we are often surrounded by and lets me have a positive vision (at least for the moment) for the future of this rock.

Originally posted by Tardacus
so it`s not really a computer, right?
all the actual computing tasks will be done somewhere else on a computer and then the results will be sent to this "receiver" and it will display the results on your monitor.
I assume that there will be a monthly fee for using this thing?

to me, it's just a device that transmits commands from devices in your home to the real computer in STEALMYDOUH, China
when are people going to march and protest demanding to simply being left alone?

Originally posted by Tardacus
so it`s not really a computer, right?
all the actual computing tasks will be done somewhere else on a computer and then the results will be sent to this "receiver" and it will display the results on your monitor.
I assume that there will be a monthly fee for using this thing?

ETA: so, everything you do will be stored on a computer somewhere for the government to rummage through at their pleasure.

edit on 17-1-2013 by Tardacus because: (no reason given)

It's essentially just an Android OS device, that you must connect to a monitor or TV to use. You can pop a miniSD card into it for storage, or store the data online.

I'll stick to my gaming machine.

That thing looks way too technical for me to play with.

And WiFI/Cloud Computing is way too hackable.

cloud based computers can literally give access to top of the line supercomputers.

all you need is an internet connection a monitor and the keyboard, it'll then be linked to the computer that can be in any location.

it's the equivalent of having your monitor and keyboard in front of you and your computer tower hundreds of miles away and connecting them with a very long cable.

but instead of a cable, you use the internet infrastructure to connect to it.

the best thing is, depending on the service provider, the computer you connect to can always be top of the line because they can always upgrade its capabilities as they become available.

The only bad thing is that it can be censored very easily because in essence, you are using someone else's computer to acceSs the Net.

And knowing corporations in general, They can charge website owners to not have their site blocked.

While the device is a good one I think cloud computers are still a few years away from being the standard. The internet is still too unstable for the vast majority and having to rely on internet connectivity to run your computer is not an option for most.

You can get similar devices that run a dual core processor which runs android jelly bean and also has a usb port so you can connect hubs, keyboards cameras etc.

here's an example of one that comes with 8gb of storage, sd card slot and usb with a dual core 1.5gb.processor.

visopix.com...

And here's a review of one.

theunlockr.com...

Originally posted by randomname
the best thing is, depending on the service provider, the computer you connect to can always be top of the line because they can always upgrade its capabilities as they become available.

I think this is one of the greatest advantages of using cloud computing. You essentially just buy 1 unit and you dont have to upgrade as hardware progresses. The cloud gets updated and you get benefits at no extra cost.

Not to mention how much more portable something like this is.

How is this a "Game Changer"? These things have been out for a couple years now.
Dell is just doing what it does best, repackaging other products with stripped-down and cheaper components.

liliputing.com...

phandroid.com...

www.pandawill.com...

www.geeks.com...

www.dhgate.com...

Some of these pocket pcs even run from the hdmi port.

Uploading projects to a render farm is pretty old. You don't need a "cloud" for that.

The thing about this "cloud" computing is that there will always be delay in the processing. Instead of going with a SOC, or CPU with integrated memory controller for processing, you'll be sending packets through the internet to be processed, which must be thrown back at you after the work is done.

You can't do 1080p gaming in the "cloud" without a noticeable delay yet. As the internet 2 starts to roll out over the next decade, that will become a non-issue.

Ooh! I want a handful of them.

This is going to be a game changer for geocaching as well. The possibilities are endless really, very cool

Originally posted by randomname
cloud based computers can literally give access to top of the line supercomputers.

all you need is an internet connection a monitor and the keyboard, it'll then be linked to the computer than can be in any location.

it's the equivalent of having your monitor and keyboard in front of you and your computer tower hundreds of miles away and connecting them with a very long cable.

but instead of a cable, you use the internet infrastructure to connect to it.

the best thing is, depending on the service provider, the computer you connect to can always be top of the line because they can always upgrade its capabilities as they become available.

what information would you be comfortable sharing with anyone in the world?.. gaming?...recipes?...news articles?...jokes?....cat video clips?....nothing politcal, personal, vulgar, liable, financial, religous, work related, to name a few...good luck with that

We use cloud systems every day. Google and all its services are nothing but one giant cloud based system.

Dell is being forward-thinking for the first time in a long period, and it’s clearly learned from what Google does so well: Sell cloud-based products and services to remove most of the manufacturing costs, and make money from subscriptions for storage, security or other services.

Ophelia, which emerged from the acquisition of cloud solutions company Wyse Technology last April, adds to Dell's value. For a start up Wyse generated substantial revenue even before its acquisition by Dell: In 2011, Wyse had about $400 million in sales, with $250 million of that money coming in the final quarter of that year. Dell’s VP Maner believes Wyse would be a billion-dollar company if it were still independent.

Dont forget a good amount of people share their entire lives with Facebook on a daily basis.