The words cheap and PC don’t usually come together to make a quality product. But InFocus, the company that makes projectors, seems to think that it has solved that quandary. Its new $99 Kangaroo Windows 10 PC has ports, connectivity, storage space and can even play nice with your iPad. At that price point, this PC has certainly caught our attention.
InFocus’s Kangaroo PC is roughly the size of a smartphone and uses an Intel Cherrytrail SOC to power a full-on Windows 10 experience. A built-in battery provides up to four hours of use on a single charge. Inside is 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. A microSD card slot provides the option of additional storage at a fairly inexpensive price point.
Unlike other compact PCs, Kangaroo has enough ports to still get the job done. A snap-on dock provides HDMI and a USB 2.0 and 3.0 port. Users can connect to monitors and TVs via the HDMI port or to an iPad through a USB cable and the included OSLinx software. Although it means having to carry around the PC, iPad, mouse and keyboard, having a full-on portable setup like that is intriguing.
Thankfully, InFocus didn’t skimp on wireless connectivity: 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 are built-in. All together, the system weighs just over one pound and measures about six-inches in length.
The InFocus Kangaroo Windows 10 Portable PC is available today for $99, which includes the snap-on dock. Some retailers, like Newegg, have already sold out of its initial stock due to heavy demand.
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[9to5-press-release]
InFocus Introduces Kangaroo, the $99 Mobile Desktop and World’s Smallest Personal, Portable PC
PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Visual collaboration pioneer InFocus Corporation (www.infocus.com) has unveiledKangaroo, the Windows 10 Mobile Desktop™ PC in its smallest form. Kangaroo shrinks a powerful Microsoft Windows 10 PC into a form factor that goes anywhere and works with any screen. By connecting Kangaroo to a mouse, keyboard and monitor or to an iPad, a user can access all Windows 10 desktop programs and files.
Kangaroo gives consumers the performance of a light-use desktop computer paired with the convenience and mobility of a cell phone. This new mobile form factor uses an Intel Cherrytrail™ (Z8500) SOC and has an on-board battery paired and a standalone Kangaroo Dock with port access for HDMI and USB. Users simply connect a Kangaroo Dock to existing screens and devices – from PC monitors and big screen TVs all the way to projectors and the iPad – for anytime, anywhere access to Windows 10, Microsoft Office and personal files.
“Consumers own many different devices including tablets, laptops and desktop PCs. Each device is used in different locations for different purposes. Kangaroo is the first product to allow you to use the same PC for all applications, in any environment,” saidLawrence Yen, director of Kangaroo product marketing. “Unlike stick PCs and other pocket PCs, Kangaroo works with all of your existing devices and can be docked at home or tossed in your bag to use anywhere, powering and providing Windows 10 access on the go.”
“Innovative solutions such as the InFocus Kangaroo built on Windows 10 delivers great flexibility at a reasonable price, helping customers to be even more productive while on the go” said Peter Han, Vice President of Worldwide OEM Marketing, Microsoft Corp.
Kangaroo connects to a workstation during the work day and when the workday is over it can become an entertainment streaming media PC via an HDMI connection on any TV. Now with Windows Hello integration, the embedded fingerprint reader provides easy login and maximum personal security without passwords. Encased in all-black premium satin aluminum, the style and finish will compliment users’ existing personal tech.
Kangaroo has 32GB of storage and can be upgraded for additional storage with a large-capacity microSD card. Extending the functionality of existing hardware, screens and devices, Kangaroo has endless uses and applications. The on-board battery can also provide up to four hours of casual use, taking it another-step beyond a stick PC. At $99 (USD), Kangaroo is a no-compromise PC at a no-pain price that makes Windows 10 accessible to anyone. Adding to its diverse feature-set, Kangaroo can provide remote access via a hardware Action Switch, allowing users to gain direct access to the Windows 10 desktop even when there is no WiFi.
“We wanted to create something that is incredibly affordable, portable and allows you to access Windows 10 and all of your files – from work to media – on any device,” continued Yen. “You can access any file, any time without worrying about access to a network, upload and download times or file corruption. With its power, capacity and features, Kangaroo will change the definition of mobile computing.”
At CES, there will be upcoming products and accessories that will build out the full Kangaroo ecosystem and will include a Kangaroo Monitor, dedicated storage expansion and various port expansion docks.
Kangaroo is available at Newegg.com now and will be at Microsoft Store Online and retail locations by mid-November for $99.00(USD). To learn more about Kangaroo, please visit www.InFocus.com/kangaroo.
[/9to5-press-release]
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