Meet the CuBox Pro: an open-source computer that spans two cubic inches and weighs 3.2 ounces — January 3, 2013

An Israeli startup has created a new version of a tiny new computer dubbed the CuBox. The CuBox Pro is a square that measures two inches on a side and it weighs just 3.2 ounces. It has double the amount of memory compared to an earlier version.

The open-source mini computer from SolidRun has two gigabytes of main memory (or DDR3 random access memory) and it has an 800-megahertz dual-issue ARM PJ4 processor. The processor uses the ARMv7 chip design and processes code in 32-bit chunks.

The computer can display full high-definition video, running at 1080p and using just three watts of power. The CuBox Pro is suited for high-memory, multimedia, and mobile apps. It could function as a home media center, thin client, XBMC console or even a simple, tiny desktop computer. The CuBox Pro sells for $159, while the earlier 1-gigabyte CuBox sells for $139.

“We are proud to add the CuBox Pro to our product line,” says Kossay Omary, chief executive of SolidRun. “We believe many of our customers will benefit from the extra memory size regardless of what application they use their CuBox Pro for. Our customers will also notice that the power consumption of the new design is not impacted at all, which was a very important target for us.”

The CuBox Pro has no fan and it uses a Marvell Armada 510 SoC (system on a chip) processor. It has an infra-red receiver, gigabit ethernet port, two USB 2.0 ports and a micro-SD slot. It supports Linux-based software such as Ubuntu, Debian, GeeXbox and openelec.tv as well as the Google Android operating system.

“What a thrill this year has been…The market acceptance of the CuBox development platform and miniature computer exceeded all our forecasts,” says SolidRun chief technology officer Rabeeh Khoury. “Sometimes it was even challenging to catch up with the demand. There was so much work and investment on the software and application development side as well. The use cases for our CuBox are endless so we feel so blessed to have the support of an active community of very talented people engaged in almost all we do.”

SolidRun expects to start shipping the CuBox Pro before the end of January.

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