If you're on the lookout for the ultimate in tiny motherboards for your next embedded computing project, forget Pico-ITX - try VIA's new Mobile-ITX format.
As revealed over on CrunchGear, the new form-factor comes in at an impressive fifty percent smaller than the already pretty microscopic Pico-ITX format, while still cramming in a whole wodge of functionality.
The 6cm square system offers an in-built CPU, memory, and a chipset to drive it all - although input and output functionality is offered by separate daughterboards. While this is perhaps a bit of a cheaty way to shrink the size of the board, it does allow manufacturers to tailor the device specifically to their needs - producing a daughterboard that has exactly the connectivity required of the job and no more, potentially reducing still further the size of the finished device.
Aimed primarily at embedded device manufacturers rather than home users, the Mobile-ITX format draws a positively tiny 5W of power under full load - although the device is designed to be twinned with a 12W power supply in order to fulfill the demand of both the board itself and the IO daughterboard it will be using.
Sadly, pricing and specifications are as-yet unavailable - but VIA promises that it will be officially announcing the first product based around the new form factor early next year.
Is your mind swimming with the possibilities for a 6x6cm x86-compatible PC that can be passively cooled, or does it all depend on the size of a usable daughterboard? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
As revealed over on CrunchGear, the new form-factor comes in at an impressive fifty percent smaller than the already pretty microscopic Pico-ITX format, while still cramming in a whole wodge of functionality.
The 6cm square system offers an in-built CPU, memory, and a chipset to drive it all - although input and output functionality is offered by separate daughterboards. While this is perhaps a bit of a cheaty way to shrink the size of the board, it does allow manufacturers to tailor the device specifically to their needs - producing a daughterboard that has exactly the connectivity required of the job and no more, potentially reducing still further the size of the finished device.
Aimed primarily at embedded device manufacturers rather than home users, the Mobile-ITX format draws a positively tiny 5W of power under full load - although the device is designed to be twinned with a 12W power supply in order to fulfill the demand of both the board itself and the IO daughterboard it will be using.
Sadly, pricing and specifications are as-yet unavailable - but VIA promises that it will be officially announcing the first product based around the new form factor early next year.
Is your mind swimming with the possibilities for a 6x6cm x86-compatible PC that can be passively cooled, or does it all depend on the size of a usable daughterboard? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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