Posted on by Karl Johnson - 5 Comments on Matricom G-Box Q2 Android TV Box Review

Matricom G-Box Q2 Android TV Box Review

Another guest review from Karl, this time, with Matricom G-Box Q2 Android 5.1 TV box based on Amlogic S812 processor. First Impressions Today I will be reviewing the G-Box Q2 by Matricom. This is a follow up device to the popular G-Box Q. The first day I plugged it in and did some basic first impressions I thought it was laggy…..but after using it and setting up the way I am accustomed to using it…I found it very fast and responsive. From the time power is applied to launcher is loaded is about 33 seconds. The software seems solid and I ran into only minor issues. It got very respectable scores between 38000 and 42000 on Antutu. The box does have a lot of software that I am not a fan of, but these can be easily uninstalled. The launcher that comes with it is ok but I prefer a […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 63 Comments on Xiaomi Mi WiFi 3 Router Unboxing, Teardown, and Serial Console

Xiaomi Mi WiFi 3 Router Unboxing, Teardown, and Serial Console

Mi WiFi 3 is the new low cost 802.11ac WiFi router by Xiaomi that sells for about $40. GearBest send my one sample for evaluation, and today, I’ve taken some photo of the device and board, and connected the UART pin to see if the serial console was accessible for people who want to try to port OpenWrt for example. Xiaomi Mi WiFi 3 Unboxing There’s some information on the package, but everything is in Chinese, except the part about AC1200 meaning it supports up to 867 Mbps with 802.11ac and 300 Mbps using 802.11n. The router comes with a 12V/1A power supply, and a user’s manual in Chinese only. There’s also a QR code inside the box linking to the Android and iOS apps,  available both in English and Chinese, so actually that one of the few Xiaomi product that should be easy to use outside of China without […]

ArmSoM CM5 Raspberry Pi CM4 alternative with Rockchip RK3576 SoC
Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments on Pico Neo Android Virtual Reality Headset is Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processor

Pico Neo Android Virtual Reality Headset is Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processor

If you want an enjoyable experience with virtual reality you’d need a 2K+ display, and a powerful processor, and even Chinese manufacturers are going high-end with DeePoon M2, or Pico Neo, which features an innovative design to keep the headset light (320 grams) as it only comes with the screen and lenses, while a Snapdragon 820 processor coupled with 4GB RAM, 32GB storage, and the battery can be found in the optional remote controller (220 grams). That all means you could just purchase the head mount display (HMD) and connect it to your computer, or get the bundle with the gamepad to get an all-in-one Android VR kit. The HMD includes two 3.81″ AMOLED screen with 1200×1080 resolution, and 90Hz screen refresh rate, features aspheric lenses with 102 degrees field of view, focus adjustment, and support for 0 to 800 degree myopia, as well as a 9-axis motion sensor with 20 […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 25 Comments on Android and Linux Benchmarks on MiQi Development Board

Android and Linux Benchmarks on MiQi Development Board

MiQi is an upcoming low cost development board powered by Rockchip RK3288 SoC that will sell for $35 with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage, and $69 for the version with a  2GB / 32GB combination. Since Rockchip RK3288 was launched in 2014, most available benchmarks were made on Android 4.4, and since MiQi is the first low cost board based on the processor, other RK3288 based board such as FireFly have not been that popular. So I’ve decided to run updated benchmarks in MiQi both in Android 5.1 and Linux (Lubuntu 14.04), which was easy since a dual boot image is pre-installed. But since I received an early sample without heatsink, I found a spare heatsink added some thermal paste and placed it on top of the processor and partially on RAM and eMMC flash. MiQi Board Android 5.1 Benchmarks I ran Antutu both using 1080p60 and 2160p30 video output, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on AAduino Arduino Compatible Board Fits Neatly into an AA Battery Holder

AAduino Arduino Compatible Board Fits Neatly into an AA Battery Holder

Johan Kanflo has been using Arduino compatible boards based on Tiny328 MCU with an ISM radio module (wireless Arduino clone), but he found that finding a case was not easy, and was quite not ready to to design its own and print it with a 3D printer. So instead he shrank the board to fit into an AA battery case bought on Ebay with two AA batteries taking the remaining slots. That’s the result. AAduino board specifications: MCU – Atmel ATMega328p clocked at 8 MHz to save power Radio – RFM69C ISM transceiver module Sensors – Two DS18B20 temperature sensors Misc – Indicator LED Keystone battery terminals rotated 180° to act as positive and negative terminals. Power – 2x AA batteries The project is also open source hardware, with all hardware files released under the MIT license on Github, where you’ll also find a demo sketch for the board. Via […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Mini Review of NextDrive Plug for Private Cloud Storage and Home Security

Mini Review of NextDrive Plug for Private Cloud Storage and Home Security

NextDrive Plug is an ARM based plug computer that’s used to store your photos or music, and/or as a security system using a webcam combined with Pixi motion sensor. They had a successful crowdfunding campaign, and now that they’ve sent rewards to backers, I’ve also received NextDrive Plug and Pixi for evaluation. The courier was not particularly gentle with the packages, but the devices themselves were not damaged. NextDrive Plus package included the box, a US plug, and a user’s manual in English. Pixi comes with two 3M stickers, and a user’s manual. There’s also a plastic film to avoid depleting the battery, that you’ll need to remove before using the sensor. The interfaces on the plug are minimal with a USB port for a USB mass storage device (HDD, flash drive…) and/or a UVC webcam, and the socket for the power plug adapter on the back.You can then plug […]

Rockchip RK3568, RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs and SoMs in 2025
Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 35 Comments on HDMI Audio in Linux is Now Working on Cherry Trail mini PCs, OpenELEC 7.0 Image Released

HDMI Audio in Linux is Now Working on Cherry Trail mini PCs, OpenELEC 7.0 Image Released

Since Intel has decided not to officially support Bay Trail and Cherry Trail processors in Linux, and focus on other priorities, people who have tried to use HDMI audio in Linux with mini PCs or TV sticks based on the processors have always had issues. There’s a workaround for Bay Trail mini PCs with Linux 3.16 kernel, but so far I’ve never seen a Cherry Trail system working with HDMI audio in Linux. Luckily, Pierre-Louis Bossart has been working on support, and Piotr kasprzak has tried HDMI audio support with OpenELEC 7.0 and a patched Linux Kernel 4.5.1, and confirmed it to be working on Tronsmart Ara X5 Plus and Wintel 10 Pro mini PC powered by Intel Atom x5-Z8300 processor. This can also be verified in the kernel log with dmesg:

If you want to try it yourself, you can download the OpenELEC image with the modifications. If […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on PiPO KB2 is a Foldable Keyboard PC Running Windows 10

PiPO KB2 is a Foldable Keyboard PC Running Windows 10

We’ve already seen a few Windows 10 keyboard PCs, that look similar to the good old Commodore 64, are now being sold, such as K3 Wintel, but PiPO, a manufacturer that likes to try new ideas, has now designed a foldable keyboard PC powered by a Cherry Trail processor, and featuring a battery and support for WiDi for a cable-free experience. PiPO KB2 foldable computer specifications: SoC – Intel Atom x5-Z8300 processor @ 1.44 GHz / 1.84 GHz with Intel Gen8 Graphics System Memory – 2 or 4 GB RAM Storage – 32 or 64 GB eMMC flash + micro SD slot Video Output – HDMI Audio Output – HDMI and 3.5 mm audio jack Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11ac & Bluetooth 4.0, WiDi support USB – 1x micro USB port, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0 Foldable QWERTY keyboard Battery – 2500 mAh The mini PC, or however you want […]

Boardcon EM3562 Rockchip RK3562 SBC with 8 analog camera inputs