Forums » Processors, Motherboards and Memory » Motherboards » Tiny cubieboard ARM Platform Offers Solid Specs with Android and Ubuntu Support for $49

Tiny cubieboard ARM Platform Offers Solid Specs with Android and Ubuntu Support for $49

rated by 0 users
This post has 9 Replies | 2 Followers

Top 10 Contributor
Posts 21,583
Points 955,520
Joined: Sep 2007
ForumsAdministrator
Reply
News Posted: Thu, Sep 6 2012 2:24 PM
Those who like to tinker with and build computers have a new toy to play with in the cubieboard, a $49 self-described “open arm box” that offers intriguing possibilities as an HTPC build.

The cubieboard supports Ubuntu (and other Linux distros), so it can operate as a regular desktop, but it can also run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and turn a TV into an “Android TV”.

cubieboard

The nitty gritty details include a 1GB ARM Cortex A8 processor with 512KB of L2 cache on board, a Mali 400 Open GL ES GPU, 1GB of DDR3-480MHz, and 4GB of flash storage. The cubieboard also has 10/100M Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, an MMC slot, SATA, and an IR port.

cubieboard

The little fellow can be powered by a USB port (such as from a TV), so there’s not necessarily a need for a dedicated power supply. A release date is not yet available; the site just says that it’s “coming soon”, and “soon” can’t come quickly enough.
  • | Post Points: 110
Not Ranked
Posts 12
Points 165
Joined: Aug 2012
Reply
ECouts replied on Thu, Sep 6 2012 3:20 PM

If it's an A8 processor, why does it say A10 in the picture? O_o

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Posts 5
Points 85
Joined: Sep 2012
Reply
PLowe replied on Thu, Sep 6 2012 4:24 PM

It's an Allwinner A10 processor, which happens to be an ARM Cortex-A8 architecture. Kinda like how AMD can have dual core processors, but they aren't Core 2's.

  • | Post Points: 5
Not Ranked
Posts 78
Points 715
Joined: Jul 2012
Reply
Shadizzle replied on Thu, Sep 6 2012 5:34 PM

Very nice, Id like to get my hands on one!

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 500 Contributor
Posts 292
Points 2,600
Joined: Aug 2010
Reply
JDiaz replied on Thu, Sep 6 2012 6:44 PM

What PLowe stated is correct, It's an Allwinner A10 just like the present Apple Processor is called A5. It's just the name of the SoC.

Usually, when referring to the actual processor architecture they'll say "Cortex" before the reference name.

There's plenty of Open Source resources available for the A10, which is why you can fairly readily find a or do your own port of GNU/Linux. Performance won't be that great but you should be able to over clock to push the performance a bit.

The SATA support is especially good because it can take a really long time to boot a Linux distro from a SD Card.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 500 Contributor
Posts 91
Points 875
Joined: Nov 2010
Reply
MCaddick replied on Thu, Sep 6 2012 10:25 PM

I have a Raspberry Pi which (though lower specced) is very similar, and about half the cost. Its amazing what these tiny computers can do.

It'll be interesting to see what the demand for this one will be, considering the Pi is slated to reach over 1m units sold by xmas.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 150 Contributor
Posts 614
Points 5,595
Joined: May 2008
Location: Stockholm
Reply
mhenriday replied on Fri, Sep 7 2012 4:09 AM

To my mind, it's tools like this and the Raspberry Pi which should be provided in the schools, rather than finished desktops and/or laptops, so that children could learn what a computer is all about from the ground up and build their own machines, rather than just learning which keys to press or icons to move about on a touch screen. What a stimulus to technical knowledge and, not least, imagination and creativity that would be ! But then again, perhaps I'm naive....

Henri

Not Ranked
Posts 1
Points 5
Joined: Sep 2012
Reply
franson replied on Fri, Sep 7 2012 8:20 AM

so raspberry come to an A10?

follow this one?

http://www.quickembed.com/Tools/Shop/Solution/201208/260.html

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 100 Contributor
Posts 1,013
Points 10,385
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Reply
CDeeter replied on Fri, Sep 7 2012 8:46 AM

Excellent idea and one I would support. Hands on is the best way to learn anything, too much time is spent on theory, and not enough on practical application.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 100 Contributor
Posts 1,013
Points 10,385
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Reply
CDeeter replied on Fri, Sep 7 2012 8:48 AM

What kind of video port is on this thing?

  • | Post Points: 5
Page 1 of 1 (10 items) | RSS