UK-based Atomic Technologies has announced a dual-core version of its small nettop system, the iStyle epc.
The dubiously-titled machine aims to combine the best of Apple's "iStyle" flair with ASUS' "Eee PC" pricing. The result is a fairly smart-looking system that aims to find a place in your living room or kitchen.
The iStyle epc, pictured below, will be available in a choice of black, blue, pink or white, and can be fixed to a wall or mounted on its bundled stand.
Inside its smooth-but-sleek shell is Intel's dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, up to 1TB of hard-disk space and a choice of Fedora 9 or Windows Vista Home Premium as the operating system.
Not quite powerful enough to playback full-HD 1080p material, says Atomic, but it'll handle 720p without kicking up a fuss. Users hoping to make it into something of a Media Center solution will be happy to hear that Atomic provides a few handy optional extras, including an optical drive, Wi-Fi and a choice of USB-based TV tuners.
It's looking a useful system for those seeking simple web access or media capabilities in the living room, but its Achilles’ heel could be price. The iStyle epc starts off at £299 but that'll get you just a single-core CPU, 1GB of RAM and not much else. Configure a dual-core system with 2GB of RAM, a bigger hard-disk drive, Windows Vista and a TV tuner and you'll soon be hitting, or surpassing, the £500 mark.
Nettops are certain to become mainstream in the coming years, but cost is certainly scuppering their growth.
Official product page: AtomicTech.co.uk