Can it still be called a desktop if it fits in your hand? My guess is no. This “palmtop(?)” is made out of laptop parts so that its form factor remains tiny. These computers are made out of 3 components: the processor module, the primary I/O module, and the secondary module. The processor module holds the processor and the RAM, the primary I/O has the ports and coms, while the secondary module has Ethernet, video, and power connections.

These mini computers were previously made to work with Windows, Linux, Unix, Ubuntu, and other open source-based OS. Now they will support the Chrome OS. The ChromiumPC’s price will be announced later this year, and it’s supposed to be available in the second half of 2011. It will be available in different colors, and yes, there’s even a chrome-plated version.

[via Businesswire]

The new Mac mini features a beautiful slim one-piece aluminum case, and measures just 1.4″ high x 7.7″ square. I also love how Apple managed to cram the power supply inside the case, so there is no need for a power brick at all for this new mini.

The system sports either a 2.4GHz or 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, and an upgraded NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor, which Apple claims is twice as fast as the previous Mac mini’s GPU. While it does get 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM, it is shared with main system memory, though. One of the best new additions is an HDMI port with 1080p output, which makes the new Mac mini a strong contender as a media center HTPC. They’ve also added a handy SD card slot for loading photos from your digital camera.

Of course, if you want to drive a 30-inch desktop monitor, the mini DisplayPort still cranks out 2560×1600 resolution.  One of the other things that has always irked Mac Mini users is that you couldn’t upgrade your own RAM. That’s changed. Not only can you put in up to 8GB of RAM, it’s as easy as turning the bottom plate to gain access to the systems two SO-DIMM slots.

So what’s not to like? If there’s anything to haggle about, it’s the price. Apple has increased the base price for the Mac mini to $699, putting it in the same price range as many very capable Windows desktop PCS.That said, it is a Mac, and if you just must have one, it’s still the cheapest way to enter the world of Apple computers.

And if you’re looking for something more advanced, there’s even a powerhouse Snow Leopard Server edition ($999 USD), which manages to cram two 500GB, 7200 rpm hard drives inside the mini’s mini case, and includes the top-of-the-line CPU and MAC OS X Server.

You can find more information on the Mac mini over at the Apple website.

The miniature Pano Device sits at each person’s desk, and has just enough processing power to provide network access and a “dumb” terminal attached to a centralized server farm.

The pint-sized device measures just 2″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″ and has Ethernet, VGA, USB, and audio ports, and you can attach local storage devices if you’d like. But there’s no locally-stored software on the box. Instead, everything is run remotely from the data center – cutting down on application maintenance and upgrade costs and time. And each tiny terminal device consumes only about 3% of the power that a full desktop PC uses, saving on energy bills.

While I like the general idea, I’d have to guess that a system like this would be best for organizations with very homogeneous computing and software needs (i.e. everyone needs MS Office etc.) But if you have lots of specialized user needs, this sort of thing is probably not the right fit. And with initiatives like Google Chrome, more and more of the application heavy-lifting and data storage is being offloaded to “the cloud” these days anyway.

You can find more information on the Pano System over at their website.

[via Gizmag via Cool Things]

We’ve already told you about the Ripple Look PC before, but now it looks like their latest version is going to be more powerful than ever, and it continues to be one of the smallest PCs we’ve seen.

That’s not all. The new Ripple Look comes with a cool new case, using some LEDs and some great design. As with the other models in the Look family, it comes with VESA mounts enabling you to fix it to the back of your screens or to a wall.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

This HTPC is designed to be used for games and high-resolution video. It comes equipped with Intel’s latest dual core processor, a high capacity HD, and the GMAX4500 integrated graphic chipset from Intel. It will support DirectX 10 AP, HD video, and comes with a bunch of different ports.

[via DVice]

The Q100 has a really svelte design and fits neatly on any desktop. It runs on an Intel ATOM 230 1.6Hz processor, and comes with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive built in. The tiny computer ships with Windows XP, but I’m hoping it’ll be powerful enough to run Windows 7 when it comes out – of course you never know.

The Q110 ups the ante by adding an NVIDIA ION GPU and 2GB of RAM (expandable to 3GB), a 250GB hard drive and a 1080p capable HDMI video output and ships with Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition. Both models come with Gigabit Ethernet, but unfortunately no Wi-Fi. Each system comes with a desktop stand or can be mounted on the back of a monitor using a VESA mount bracket.

Prices for the IdeaCentre Q100 start at $299 (USD) and the Q110 starts at $399, and the systems should start shipping a little later this year. Both Systems are available for pre-order over on the Lenovo website.

Of course, when I say “complete PC,”  I mean something that can run programs such as web browsers, office applications, e-mail, and other basic gaming applications – not something you’d try and play Crysis on. That said, the Q110 does have a pretty beefy graphics chips, and a bit more RAM, so it might be up the the task of playing some 3D games and could work as a compact media PC.

The Korean-built compact Ripple LOOK PC measures in at just 215mm x 235mm x 69mm (appx. 8.46″ x 9.25″ x 2.71″). While that’s still quite a bit larger than the 6.5-inch square Mac Mini, it’s still much smaller than most desktop PCs. Of course, what really caught my eye was the interior designer-friendly styling of these compact machines, which come in several artistic case patterns.

The other nifty thing about the LOOK is that it doesn’t just live on the desktop. There’s a set of available VESA mounts for the computer that let you attach it to either a wall or to the back of your monitor, getting it up off of your valuable desktop real estate.

The systems come powered by either an Intel ATOM N230, N270 or N330 processor, and are available in 1GB and 2GB RAM configurations with a 160GB or 320GB hard drive.

The LOOK is currently available only in Korea, but there’s an outside shot that someday you’ll see these little PCs elsewhere on the planet. There’s no word on pricing yet.

[Ripple via Early Adopter's World]