Dell Project Ophelia, An Android PC on a Stick

The Android operating system started out as a smartphone OS, then extended to tablets and, not too long ago, actual laptops and PCs, though not to any great extent. The OS just isn't made for PCs and doesn't have much of a chance to supplant Windows.

It can still do a lot though, especially on hardware that is just too weak for Windows. And since Windows RT hasn't seen much success, there's no threat from that end either. That's why some notebooks and smart TVs have been using Android quite a lot lately. That still leaves a lot of people that don't have smart features on their television sets though, and then there are those who want an easy way to carry around their system, not counting the laptop options. So Dell came up with Ophelia. Project Ophelia is essentially a USB stick that, instead of Flash Storage, holds a full Android PC. Priced at $100 / €100, it is now in final testing stages, if we're reading what PCWorld wrote right.

Primarily envisioned for business use, it is, nonetheless, likely to be adopted by consumers as well. The USB stick offers an application stack similar to those found on tablets and phones. Just plug it in your monitor or TV and voila! Instant computer. The Android device even has set-top-box and gaming console capabilities. Not on the same levels as the genuine articles perhaps, but close. Everything down to app downloading from the Google Play store is supported, and we don't just mean apps specifically designed for the device. Dell’s cloud portfolio of services is instantly accessible once the Android PC-on-a-stick is activated, plus Wyse PocketCloud. Remote shutdown and wipe capabilities are included as well.

All in all, the Dell project Ophelia really doesn't look like it, but it actually packs all PC features inside a flash drive-size package. Currently, Beta testers are receiving their sticks, which means that mass availability could ramp up later this year, between August and October.

Dell Project Ophelia
Image credits to PC World

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