Newcastle-based Jade Integration will launch one of the smallest thin-client computers available in the UK to date, the Jack PC, next month. Containing all the electronics needed to run as a low- to medium-power PC, the Jack PC, as its name suggests, will fit into a standard size wall socket. The entire PC sits on two layered circuitboards. It contains an AMD RISC processor to help reduce power consumption and heat output. The Jack PC thin client fits into a wall socket and is so energy-efficient it can get its power over Ethernet.
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Member since:
2006-05-23
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2005-07-06
Living in the North East of England, I've seen this and will be at IT Works. It's an incredible concept, and looks rather catchy when you see it. There is a wall socket with some USB ports, sound connections and a monitor port and you simply plug in. It turns a computer into any other device you might use, and is really what a computer should be aiming to be.
The only problems is the software. If they could use Linux, something like NX Server and Firefox you could seriously keep the price down and make it quite flexible. As it is, I can't see it being compelling enough to make people really sit bolt upright. They should also look at selling a unified solution, with servers as well.
Member since:2005-07-06
heh, if it can run win CE i guess it can run linux to 
now if they could ship them in a non-installed way so people could not the install themselfs, i would have no issue with them.
with the right kind of bandwidth, this would work wonders as a kind of head for a multimedia-server in the basement or similar.
still, i was looking forward to a "pc" that would fit inside a normal wall-socket (not in the same amount of space as one, but inside one). trow on a "power switch" and a "ethernet over power" connection and you could in theory wire up your whole house for computer control by putting a server somwhere and replacing your existing power sockets (alternativly, make it a plug-in module).
have it run linux and a small daemon that allows the server to locate and tell it to toggle the "power switch" (that protocol that apple use for their networking should fit nicely) and your golden
Member since:2006-02-15
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2006-02-09
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i just took a look at the pdf that was linked to in the article that hides behind the link up there.
and the computer in a wall-socket is just one small part of the whole.
they have created a whole solution where you put in place a kind of standard bay with a reversed ethernet port inside. then you slide diffrent modules (where the computer is one) into the bay depending on what you need.
they allso have a single ethernet port module, a wifi module (complete with external antenna) and a 4-port ethernet switch module.
this is one insanely good idea that i fear will die and then be resurrected by someone else because of over-patenting.
if the bay system was open for use by all, but they would have to compete based on the sale of modules it would realy shoot of as a way to outfit all kinds of workplaces, schools and whatsnot. just put up a whole lot of empty modules in diffrent rooms and your good to go.
hell, if they could extend it so that you could use it either as a normal power socket or as a data "socket" then every future home would probably come prewired.
basicly all you need is for some power connectors in the back of the bay and a module that basicly is a power socket.
refurnishing the den and relocating the multimedia center? no need to hide cables all over the place. just pop out one of the power sockets next to the setup and slip in a computer module. you probably have all your lost episodes and more sitting on a sentral file storage server
it may even allow you to build modules that could not normaly survive on "power over ethernet" alone. still, heat buildup could be a problem in that case...
here is the homepage for the stuff:
http://chippc.com/
check out the flex-jack system
Edited 2006-06-01 02:00
Member since:
2005-07-08
I think its a pretty neat idea but it does lock you into to something not very useful for power users but possibly fine for family members just surfing, email.
In the US, houses are basically made of wood and paper board products and I had in mind to do something similar, hide a fanless SFF mobo in the wall space and bring out the connectors to a plate. Would look funny to see the mobo punched template flush on the wall.
Maybe a mod project for miniITX but the mobo needs to be flat to the wall and the ports somehow right angled.
Trouble is I'd always be unscrewing the panel to twiddle with the board.
Member since:
2006-02-28
I've been mulling a home automation for some time now and this would fit right in with my plans.
I just hope the JackPC will not be locked into WinCE in an attempt to push their management software that is Windows centric.
There are a lot of posibilities for this device though, with sufficient demand hopefully the price would scale down quite a bit.
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heet was not found in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Did you spell it correctly? Here are some alternatives:
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With wireless USB 'cables' coming out, this could be quite a nice little space- and clutter-efficient system. Wireless mouse and keyboard are commonplace already...
Be good if they had a S-Video or DVI output, though - something more suited for plugging into a telly, rather than having to keep a monitor knocking around.
Then all we need's the wireless DVI cable
