PicUntu Linux package for RK3066 based MiniPC is improve their hardware support by releasing a new kernel together with a bunch of modules. This update brings a lot of new features such as cpufreq governors, serial devices support (FTD-SIO, pl2303, Garmin) UVC Camera support, iptables, NFS client and many other things (see complete changelog below).

Downloading PicUntu RC3 kernel and modules

Installing PicUntu RC3 kernel and modules

The modules should go in /lib/modules/ so you’d need to do the following:
mkdir -p /lib/modules/3.0.8-alok+/kernel
tar xvfz modules-3.0.8-alok-RC3.tgz -C /lib/modules/3.0.8-alok+/kernel

PicUntu quick demo video on MK808 MiniPC

Changelog – RC3 Kernel – 3.0.8-alok+

- Cleaned the previous kernel
- Removed unwanted TV Tuner cards
- Bluetooth support retained
- All cpufreq governors now available – Try userspace, and hav fun.. (Read warning below)
- Default governor Ondemand
- Added Serial modules – FTD-SIO, pl2303, Garmin – for serial devices,
- Added Phone modems – For connecting Data card dongles
- Added UVC Camera support – Many users have been asking for this
- Added oprofiler support
- Added iptables
- Added NAT/Firewall (inc GRE) support – Now you can make your PicUntu a complete firewall
- Added USB 1.0 support – remember how your old USB hubs were not being used for bootup, well they _should_ work now.
- DW_OTG debug report suppressed
- Added USB SCSI adapter – I have lots of SCSI harddisk lying around, and USB adapter for them, but they seemed not to work earlier.
- Added Pegasus network support
- FB set – all options enabled – you should have better control for fb setting.
- Added auxilary Video – If you have a USB LED,LCD screen lying around – try connecting to PIcUntu, should work. (in addition to HDMI) – required for in-car applications.
- Modules for USB Printer – now you should be able to connect USB printers to PicUntu
- Serial Modem drivers – Qualcom, NAVMAN,
- Added Joliet/UDF support – You should be able to connect USB CDROM
- NFS Client, NFS Server support for V3 , V4 added
- Ofcourse CIFS continues
- Integrated BCM40181, rtl8188eu support – so that you no longer need to separately look for modules for basic wifi
- Three graphic driver kernels – 1080p, 720, VGA are released.
- No it does not yet have support for MX1 wifi, RK802III/s – wifi – I am still hunting for the source.

Don’t hesitate to post on our PicUntu forum if you have any question.

Source: slatedroid.com forum

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Latest Rockchip RK3188 processor is starting to ship on tablets wti the Cube U30GT2 and Pipo MAX M9. It should soon equip Mini PC as well, with the Tronsmart T428 to be released soon. This HDMI Stick will run on Android 4.1, to be later upgraded to 4.2, the RK3188 processor features a quad-core ARM Cortex A9 (speed not specified) coupled with a Mali 400MP4 GPU, 2 GB DDR3 RAM. The device case hasn’t been yet finalized and only the motherboard design can be seen at the moment. Availability and pricing haven’t been yet published.

Tronsmart T428 Specifications

Pipo Max M9 Rockchip RK3188 quad-core at 1.8GHz, 2 GB RAM, 10.1 IPS screen 1280x800 resolution, 16 GB Storage, dual camera (2 Mp front & 5 Mp rear), Bluetooth, WiFI 802.11 b/g/n

$ 228.99

Tronsmart T428 RK3188 AnTuTu benchmark

Tronsmart T428 RK3188 Vellamo benchmark

Tronsmart T428 RK3188 Android 4.1.1 JellyBean system

Manufacturer’s product page at tronsmart.com

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Spotted a few months ago under the name Ludo, the product has recently been renamed to ARCHOS TV Connect when introduced early 2013 at the CES in Las Vegas. The Android device is designed to be clipped on top of a TV, it is the “computer” part of the TV connect, it has similar specs to the ARCHOS 101 XS, featuring a Texas Instruments TI OMAP 4470 processor running at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, a full USB host connector, WiFI, Bluetooth, an Ethernet port, a micro SD slot, a webcam and a LED notification system (that should help to warn you for incoming calls while watching TV)
The TV Touch remote control offers a full QWERTY keyboard coupled with rotational mouse capability and analog stick and buttons for gaming. The TV Connect currently runs on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, it should be available in the coming weeks at ~ €129 / £99 / $129.

This review will first present the device specifications and packaging, see how the remote controller and Android works, check the performance and usability of using Android on a TV.

ARCHOS TV Connect specifications

Operating System	Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Build number: JRO03L
CPU	Dual Core Texas Instruments TI OMAP 4470 running at 1.5 GHz Integrated GPU: Imagination POWERVR SGX 544 (single core)
Flash Storage Memory	Capacity 8 GB Speed: Class 6 range (tested Read: 28041 Kb/s Write: 7130 Kb/s)
System Memory	1 GB
Additional storage	Micro SD slot
Display	Up to 1080p (TV resolution dependent)
Bluetooth	Yes
Wi-FI	802.11 b/g/n
Gravity Sensor	Yes (on ARCHOS TV Touch Remote controller)
Camera	1 Mpixels (front facing) Pictures resolution: 1280×960, video: 720p
GPS	No
HDMI	Yes(mini HDMI, aka HDMI type c connector)
Interfaces	microUSB port full size USB Host port MicroSD slot Integrated Microphone 2 notification LEDs
Battery life	Not applicable as the ARCHOS TV Connect has no battery, AC powered only. ARCHOS TV Touch Remote (controller) battery life not measured
Google Play Store / Android Market	Yes The ARCHOS TV Connect is net yet reported in the Google Play certified devices.
Dimensions	As announced by ARCHOS: 235 x 105 x 34 mm
Weight	ARCHOS TV Connect: 190g ARCHOS TV Touch Remote: 190g
Official Product page	at archos.com

ARCHOS TV Connect unboxing video

ARCHOS TV Connect packaging

You will find in the box:

• the main unit (ARCHOS TV Connect) that clips on the TV

• the remote controller (ARCHOS TV Touch Remote)

The keyboard is currently not localized and comes only in QWERTY layout for all territories, let’s hope ARCHOS will consider making local versions for non English users.

• a power charger it outputs 12 V, 3 A, European socket for the power on the wall.
  The TV Connect can’t be powered from the micro USB connector.
• a mini-HDMI (HDMI type C) cable to connect the tablet to a TV
• booklets: a “need help ?” paper, a warranty/legal and safety notice, a user guide
  It looks like ARCHOS has put some efforts in improving their user manual as the TV Connect ships with a complete 226 pages user guide in multiple languages (EN / FR / DE / ES / IT / NL / PT / RU)
  It covers the specifics of the TV Connect, from getting the user started, remote control TV Touch handling, Game Mapping Tool and more general topics with Android and Archos Media player

Follow us on            and check back soon for the rest of our ARCHOS TV Connect review: device features, performance, gaming and more !

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JustinTime4Tea on slatedroid.com has built a nice package based on PicUntu updated with latest drivers and offering a complete Linux system pre-installed for multi usage with tons of gaming, development, office, Internet and multimedia applications ready to use. The Mali400 GPU integrated on the RK3066 processor is partially supported, offering GLES/EGL hardware acceleration on some games and applications. PicUntu Home://io edition is currently supported mainly on the MK808 MiniPC (available for ~ $42 / €35) it should work on other RK3066 devices equipped with the same hardware, specifically WIFI drivers (RK901 / Broadcom BCM40181 – 4329 chipset). Original PicUntu package and Home://io edition are both works in progress, wider support for more Rockchip RK3066 (maybe RK3188 as well) based devices is expected in the future.

Starting with bringing Linux desktop environment for the TV with PicUntu Home://io edition, Justin is thinking on deploying this system as appliances for a broader ranger of uses such as home or car surveillance systems, Internet server (files/ web/ chat/ media), router/firewall, and many more…

MK808 MiniPC Rockchip RK3066 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 1 GB RAM, HDMI output, WIFI b/g/n

From $ 42

Download PicUntu Home://io edition

Installation procedure is detailed on slatedroid.com

PicUntu Home://io edition running – live screenshots

LibreOffice

Internet/Development setup with apache webserver, mysql database system, Joomla CMS, and GIMP Image editor on the left.

DOSBox emulator and webcam test (the webcam normally works, but the picture doesn’t show in the screenshot)

Thanks to PicUntu team and JustinTime4Tea for their great work

Source: slatedroid.com

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Many MiniPC products based on the Rockchip RK3066 processor have been released in the past months. These machines offer decent performance to use Android on your TV for gaming, web browsing, multimedia playing. There are few MiniPC machines that stand out from the crowd, because for the low price, great features or system stability and support from the manufacturer. One of them is the MK808 a very cheap but yet solid MiniPC selling from $40. The other one is the iMito MX1 / MX2 (both MX1 and MX2 have similar hardware with a different design), that have similar functions to the MK808 but adds Bluetooth support. The iMito MX2 sells for $50. The manufacturers have recently published Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean firmwares for these devices, we have tweaked these firmware to remove unnecessary and Chinese applications, add root, better Google Play support and more space for applications data.

Android 4.2.2 update features

Android 4.2.2 firmware version (from the MK808)

There are also some nice user interface functions, some were also seen in previous firmwares with a a few software buttons to control the following: volume (Vol- / Vol+), take a screenshot (can be disabled in Android Settings), device shutdown (quite useful since the device do not have a power On/Off hardware buttons) and Status bar hiding.

Custom root firmware for MK808 and iMITO MX1/MX2 common features:

• root with latest SuperSU 1.25 (free version)
• removed most Chinese and unnecessary applications
• Google Play Store fixes so more application are visible/compatible
• updated busybox v1.21.0.git (2012-11-29)
• Unix like init.d boot scripts support, more details on init.d scripts here
• increased storage space for applications (/data partition) to 2 GB

MK808 MiniPC Rockchip RK3066 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 1 GB RAM, HDMI output, WIFI b/g/n

From $ 42

Custom firmware downloads

iMito MX2 MiniPC Rockchip RK3066 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 1 GB RAM, HDMI output, WIFI b/g/n, Bluetooth

From $ 50

Both firmwares should be flashed using Rockchip Flashing tool, please follow the Rockchip Flashing tool procedure that will explain how to download Rockchip flashing tool, unpack the archive, put your device into flashing mode and flash the custom firmware file that you have unpacked.

Don’t forget to check PicUntu, a Linux package for RK3066 based MiniPC and our MK808 and iMito MX1/MX2 forums.

Source: Stock firmware from blog.geekbuying.com

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Rockchip continues to bring some cool features to Android tablets and MiniPC devices based on their processor. A few months ago, they offered a remote control application that can be run from any Android device to control a Rockchip based MiniPC. The server part of the application is already included in most Rockchip MiniPC devices while the remote client end is a regular application that can be installed on any Android device (phone, tablet) .

The new feature added to their latest RKRemoteControl version 2.0 is a virtual button mapping tool to control games on a MiniPC from a remote Android phone or tablet. The mapping system works only on games designed with onscreen controls, the offered virtual commands consist of: 3 direction sticks (L, R and another one) with the addition of 8 buttons: A, B, C, D, W, X, Y and Z.

This two parts article will present how the game button mapping feature works, we have used a Tronsmart T428, a RK3188 based Mini PC (selling under $80 at geekbuying.com) running RKGameControlSetting and acting as a “server” together with a Hyundai T7 ($140 Android tablet) using RKRemoteControl v2 application as remote controller client.

Here is is a quick demonstration showing the whole virtual button mapping process on the setup above.

Tronsmart T428 MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth

$79.99

Using RKGameControlSetting, the embedded game control app on Rockchip Mini PCs

RKGameControlSetting interface is very simple, you have a toolbar on the right with 3 buttons that let you do the following actions, from left to right:
- minimize the interface, it will appear reduced as just an icon
- save current button mapping
- close the application

To map the buttons on a specific game, you first need to start the application by clicking on the RKGameControlSetting icon from your Android applications list. Only recent MiniPC firmware may have this application installed.

Then you can start the game where you want to map controls, within the game, move the playing part where you can see the buttons on screen. Some games may need to change the controller setup for touchscreen buttons.

Then, from RKGameControlSetting, click on New Setting to create a new empty profile.

Move the buttons according to the touchscreen positions expected in your game.

When all buttons have been positioned, you can Save your profile (middle button in the toolbar)

You can iconize the GameControl application by clicking on the last button to the right on the toolbar.

You can load existing profiles by clicking the the Settings list and clicking on a game name where you previously saved your profile. All mappings will be recalled after you click on the game line. The red cross on the right next to each game name let you delete the profile.

Tronsmart T428 MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth

$79.99

That’s it for the first part, please visit us soon for the second issue of our article that will cover RKRemoteControl, the remote controller running on any Android device (phone or tablet).

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The Tronsmart T428 is an interesting piece of hardware powered by a Rockchip RK3188 based MiniPC. Unfortunately it had many firmware flaws so far, with stability issues (Netflix and other video application) and problems with hardware support (USB storage, webcams…) Finally, the manufacturer has produced a better update based on latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean system. We have tweaked the original firmware to remove unnecessary and Chinese applications, add root and better Google Play support.

Firmware build signatures

Custom Tronsmart T428 root firmware features:

• root with latest SuperSU 1.30 (free version)
• removed most Chinese and unnecessary applications
• Google Play Store fixes so more application are visible/compatible
• updated busybox v1.21.0.git (2012-11-29)
• changed permissions on external sdcard to allow write access
• Unix like init.d boot scripts support, more details on init.d scripts here

Download Tronsmart T428 custom firmware update (2013/05/29)

Tronsmart T428 MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth

$79.99

Virtual button mapping

Source: Stock firmware from blog.geekbuying.com

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3. Tronsmart T428, first Rockchip RK3188 Mini PC coming soon Latest Rockchip RK3188 processor is starting to ship on tablets...

Until now, devices using Rockchip latest 28 nm HKMG processors such as the RK3188 (quad-core) and RK3168 (dual-core) were missing Linux Kernel source code. Tablet hackers from Crew RKTablets managed to rebuild a Linux 3.0.36 for RK3x devices based on BQ Curie kernel sources. More recently Rikomagic has published Linux Kernel source for latest RK3188 and RK3168 SoC. Having a Linux kernel source code from the manufacturer should help independent developers improving support for RK3188 and RK3168 based devices by making changes/improving the kernel itself or compiling additional kernel modules.
Another advantage of having this source code is that is makes it possible to adapt PicUntu, a Linux Ubuntu package on newer MiniPC devices. Alok Sinha from PicUntu team has made the source code available thru his Linux3188 github repository. Based on this kernel source code and a few tweaks, we should soon see PicUntu booting on quad-core RK3188 devices

As cnx-software.com pointed out, this kernel source code includes configurations for several devices:

These product codes does not seem very clear, we can just recognized a “dongle” defconfig that may be related to MiniPC, which have no internal screen like a tablet, and a “ds1006h” that makes us think about the Pipo M9 product code.

Tronsmart T428 MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth

$79.99

PicUntu Linux Ubuntu package for Rockchip based MiniPCs

Via cnx-software.com

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About 10 days ago, we told you about Linux kernel for Rockchip RK3188 source publication together with a PicUntu release on the way. Well it’s time available and a first Linux kernel has been compiled and assembled with an Ubuntu Linux 12.04, if you have an RK3188 device you can get it but you should know that there is not support for WiFi, Bluetooth, or hardware-accelerated graphics at the moment.

INSTALLATION

The installation details are giving by Ian MORRISON ON GOOGLE+

Installation (5 easy steps):
1. Create a SDCARD with an Ubuntu 12.04 root file system on it and ensure it is labeled as “linuxroot” (see http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/41654-pre-alpha-03-ubuntu-linux-for-mk802-iii-ug802-mk808-ug007-imito-mx1/ as a starter).
2. Flash your RK3188 minipc with rooted stock (4.1.1 or 4.2.2 firmware) see http://www.armtvtech.com/armtvtechforum/viewtopic.php?f=208&t=2020, on our forum or at freaktab.com
3. Boot you MiniPC and install terminal (seehttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jackpal.androidterm&hl=en)
4. Then only flash t428-3.0.36-linuxium-test+-kernel.img as recovery.img.
5. Boot MiniPC, fire up terminal, su and then “reboot recovery”.
Wait – you will see four tux and a blank screen – wait some more – consider pressing buttons, wiggling cables as nothing is happening – suddenly …

If you don’t have a stick with RK3188 you can get one for less than $80 at geekbuying.com

Tronsmart T428 MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth

$79.99

Via cnx-software.com

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All current tablets and MiniPC using a Rockchip RK3188 quad-core CPU are currently limited to 1.6 GHz frequency. The CPU was initially marketed to run at 1.8 GHz, it’s not clear if current limitation comes from the hardware on the first processors production batches or if it’s a choice by the manufacturer’s to limit the speed for better stability and battery life (in case of tablets)
Luckily, RK3188 kernel source release a few days ago opened some tinkering possibilities to modify CPU and memory frequency. Let’s have a look at the results.

Overclock test on the UGOOS UG007b MiniPC (Rikomagic MK802IV compatible)

To achieve overclocking, we have built a special firmware using our custom Rikomagic MK802IV Android 4.2.2 firmware (2013/06/03) and sam321 720p 1920 MHz overclocked kernel. Hardware wise, to perform this test we used a stable 2A power adapter to provide clean and sufficient power supply to the device.

RK3188 quad-core CPU overclocking results

We will shortly publish this new custom firmware on our RK3188 MiniPC forum, for those who may want to try overclocking their device, please check back soon !

A word of warning: Please note that overclocking, uses the processor at a faster speed than the manufacturer’s recommendation, it may cause overheat, which may lead to lower your processor life or completely fry it if you’re not careful. We recommend that you provide proper cooling (heat sink and or fan) for your processor and memory for smoother operations. You are overclocking at your own risk, we cannot be held responsible if you damage your hardware.

UGOOS UG007B MiniPC Rockchip 3188 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 2 GB RAM, WIFI 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth

$74

Thanks nomadestore.fr for the MiniPC device.

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Looking for an Android gaming console, but don’t like the Archos TV Connect or Huawei Tron? Pictures of a new ZTE set-top box appeared on the internet showing a nice looking alternative. On the remote the word “fun” is written twice suggesting the possible name and the purpose of the new gaming device. While nothing is said about the operating system it will run on, we expect it to run on the “standard” Android.

Next to the TV remote shown above, the gaming console should also have a handheld controller. And just like nearly all smartphones and tablets from China, it will be available in a bunch of colors (see first picture).

MINIX has been providing Rockchip based Android TV boxes for a couple of years with the Neo X5 and Neo X7 models being their big succeses. The new NEO X8 and X8s models will both be powered by Amlogic chipsets; the NEO X8 will use the standard Amlogic S802, whilst the NEO X8s will adopt the Amlogic S802-H – offering full Dolby Digital and DTS support. The set-top boxes will come with Octo Core Mali-450 GPU, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.4 KitKat. Here is the comparison table between the two:

The main differences between the two are the amount of internal storage, dual-band Wi-Fi on the X8s and the full Dolby Digital and DTS support for the X8s. The two models should start shipping somewhere in late May and the pricing will be announced later. MINIX also announced a new addition to its range of air-mouses, the NEO M1, delivering six-axis gyroscope support and built-in anti-shake technology for superior accuracy and control. The form factor of the NEO M1 is much smaller than that of previous models, being just 146mm x 39mm x 12.6mm, and also includes a built-in rechargeable lithium battery. Pricing and availability information for the NEO M1 will also follow shortly.

Via: MINIX Facebook

Rikomagic is the Chinese MiniPC manufacturer who made one of first and best seller device PC-on-a-stick/HDMI dongle MK802 based on Allwiner A10 architecture two years ago.

Released at the end of 2013, the Rikomagic MK902 is a compact MiniPC box that you let you run Android applications and games on your big TV screen.  The device is based on a Rockchip RK3188 processor which currently offers decent performance for daily use and casual gaming. Compared to the ARCHOS TV Connect, the MK902 brings and updated system (Android 4.2), a better camera and slightly better performance for an attractive price (around $103 / ₤61 / €75).
The MK902 does not ship with a remote control, you will have to use an USB/Bluetooth computer keyboard/mouse or take a small air mouse combo such as the Rikomagic MK706 that we will use later in this review.

MK902 MiniPC specifications

Operating System	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Latest firmware build JDQ39 dated 20140308Android 4.4 Kitkat upgrade may ship in the coming weeks.
CPU	Rockchip RK3188 quad-core CPU, ARM Cortex A9 running up to 1.6GHz GPU: GPU Mali-400, supports OpenGL ES2.0 and OpenVG 1.1
Flash Storage Memory	8 GB or 16 GB capacity (depending on model)
System Memory	2 GB DDR3
Display	Up to 1080p (TV resolution dependent, up-scaled from 720p)
Bluetooth	Yes (does not seem to be Bluetooth 4.0 / BLE compliant)
Wi-FI	802.11 b/g/n
LAN	Ethernet RJ45 connector (10/100M LAN support)
Camera	Integrated 5 Million Pixels camera with microphone Picture resolution: 2592×1944, video: 640×480
HDMI	HDMI full size connector
Interfaces	microUSB port full size USB Host port Additional storage from MicroSD slot (supporting up to 32 GB cards) Integrated Microphone External 3G USB Dongle support
Battery life	Not applicable as the MK902 has no battery, AC powered only.
Google Play Store / Android Market	Yes
Dimensions	97x97x28 mm
Weight	132g
Official Product page	rikomagic.com and Rikomagic store

Rikomagic MK902 MiniPC with 5Mpix camera Rikomagic RKM MK902 quad-core Android 4.2 RK3188 CPU, 2GB DDR3, 8 GB storage, Bluetooth, 5 Mpix Camera & Microphone

$103 / ₤61 / €75

MK902 packaging, what’s in the box ?

• a Rikomagic RKM MK902 MiniPC
• a power charger it outputs 5 V, 2.5 A, European or US socket
• A/V cable for analog connection to a TV (RCA Plugs for composite video and stereo audio)
• MK902 user manual, a 29 pages booklet covering basic Android user interface and firmware flashing topics.

MK902 form factor

The Rikomagic MK902 is a very compact square design made from plastic material with a rubber coating. The small size of the MK902 MiniPC is quite noticeable when compared to other devices; the Minix Neo X7 which offers similar connectivity and features (but no camera) is about 25% bigger. As you can see on the picture below, devices like MiniPC dongles are really smaller but they don’t offer a camera and extra connectivity (multiple USB ports, AV output, optical audio and LAN)

 Top to bottom, left to right: Tronsmart T428, MK808, Rikomagic MK902, Minix Neo X7.

MK902 device connectors

Front 5 Mpix camera and microphone holes. Holes in the bottom of the case for device cooling.

Back side connectors from left to right: AV, HDMI, optical (audio), LAN, power.

Right side: microSD card socket and USB Host ports (the socket marked “Slave” is dedicated to computer data transfer/ firmware flashing)

It seems possible to power the MK902 thru a full size USB connector in the Slave port rather than using the Power socket. Still this is not a recommended option unless you supply stable power with similar specs to the device charger output (at least 2.5 A)

Left side: 2 more full size USB connectors and reset pinhole button.

Optional remote control

We used a Rikomagic MK706 Air Mouse and mini QWERTY keyboard combo to control the MK902. It connects to a computer or MiniPC thru a a supplied 2.4 GHz wireless dongle receiver for plug and play operation.
The MK706 will be presented in another article, the device is available at rikomagic online store for $21 / ₤12.5 / €15.3.

Rikomagic MK706 remote control Rikomagic MK706 Fly Mouse & wireless mini keyboard

$21 / ₤12.5 / €15.3

Come back soon for the next parts of our MK902 review that will cover device performance/stability, software and a camera test.

Don’t forget to check our forum for latest custom root firmwares for Rikomagic MK902 (and other RK3188 based MiniPC)

The Rikomagic MK902 MiniPC, a quad-core set top box equipped with a 5 MPixels camera (under review here) should soon get updated with latest Rockchip RK3288 processor. The MK902II is expected next month, price has not yet been set.

From the product release information:

The MK902II is the latest generation Mini PC from Rikomagic, it’s faster then any of our previous Android Mini PC’s thanks to the state of the art RK3288 quad core A17 processor. Up until now (in fact the last 2 years) Mini PC’s have used Cortex A9 cores in their multi core processors. Now we can offer performance thats quite literally “Game Changing” by bringing speed increases of over 3 times our current fastest mini PCs (the MK802IV and MK902)… and they were fast!

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Rikomagic MK902II specifications

Rikomagic MK902II PCB exposed

As it appears on the Rikomagic MK902II board sample below, the form factor and connectors implantation seems to be identical to the MK902. The main changes on the second version relate to a major CPU upgrade with the Rockchip RK3288 processor (visible in the center of the picture) and a LAN improvement with Gigabit speeds support. The missing feature of a power switch from the MK902 does not seem to have been corrected.

Visit us again for more information on the Rikomagic MK902II.

From rikomagic UK forum

Alcatel is currently known as a small French manufacturer making low-end en mid-range smartphones. With the release of the D820 smartphone, this all could change. From what we can see on GFX Bench, Alcatel is preparing quite an interesting device.

While it is questionable whether GFX Bench specifications on the screen size are 100% correct, but the 4.6 inch screen with 2560 x 1440 sounds impressive. It would probably also mean that D820 will be the first smartphone to feature a display with such high pixel density. Other specifications are pretty nice too with MediaTek MT6595 Octa-Core CPU running at 1.9 Ghz, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of flash memory and Android 4.4. The 8 Mpx camera will be able to shoot 4K videos. All what we can say is that we can’t wait to see the phone being released and we are curious to see which price tag Alcatel will put on it, but knowing Alcatel, we expect the D820 to be priced on the same level with One plus One phone rather than with Galaxy S5.