FXI’s Cotton Candy could turn every screen you own right into a cloud client

Nov 17th 2011
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FXIs Cotton Candy could turn every screen you own right into a cloud client

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a user in possession of a large number of devices should be in want of a unified solution to use all of them. Because it stands, that mythical interface doesn’t exist; but hopefully that’s set to modify soon. Norway’s FXI is heralding a tool codenamed Cotton Candy; a USB/ HDMI stick that may hook up with nearly anything that’s packing a display. Contained in the stick is a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 and quad-core ARM Mali-400MP GPU that may handle 1080p video, 802.11 b/g/n WIFi, Bluetooth v2.1 and microSD card storage, expandable as much as 64GB. Plug it right into a laptop or desktop and you will be capable of use a skinny-layer client to access your own cloud, or via HDMI right into a HDTV to be controlled using Bluetooth peripherals, smartphones and tablets. With the ability to open “your” desktop on any device means you’re able to conduct presentations, access media content and surf the net without ties. FXI is a brand new player available in the market, however the founder was previously the brains behind Falanx , which created the technology that powers ARM’s Mali GPUs. It’s working with various manufacturers with the purpose of partnering as much as get the devices into stores within the second half next year, the anticipated cost being under $200 — although we’d pay more in the event that they threw in a bag of the $64000, teeth-destroying stuff.

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FXI DEMONSTRATES ANY SCREEN CONNECTED COMPUTING

USB Companion Adapter Enables Screens to Access the Cloud and Mobile Content

Big apple, NY and Trondheim, Norway – November 17, 2012 – FXI Technologies, a hardware and software startup based in Trondheim Norway, demonstrated today the world’s first any screen, connected computing USB device. Codenamed “Cotton Candy”, this sweet little device serves as a technology bridge between any display, the Cloud, and any input peripheral.

The vision for Cotton Candy is to permit users a single, secure point of access to all personal Cloud services and apps through their favorite operating system, while delivering a consistent experience on any screen. The device will function a companion to smartphones, tablets, notebook PC and Macs, besides add smart capabilities to existing displays, TVs, set top boxes and game consoles.

“Today’s device functionality is usually limited by the scale of the screen it inhabits,” said Borgar Ljosland, founder and CEO of FXI Technologies. “We’ve turned things the other way up, eliminating the screen and delivering the flexibility of a computer and the net to any screen.”

Cotton Candy is a prototype USB stick equipped with an ARM® Cortex™-A9 (1.2GHz) CPU, an ARM Mali™-400 MP (Quad-core) GPU, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, HDMI output and the Android operating system. It decodes MPEG-4, H.264 and other video formats and display HD graphics on any HDMI equipped screen. Content is then accessed through a safe FXI web portal and will be controlled via smartphones, keyboards, mice and other USB peripherals.
“By leveraging the strengths of ARM CPU and GPU cores, FXI has packed an ideal amount of computing horsepower right into a completely new form factor,” said Pete Hutton, general manager of multimedia processor division, ARM. “Weighing only 21 grams and so energy-efficient that it could be powered from a USB port, the Cotton Candy offers a distinct consumer experience, that can bring Cloud computing to nearly any screen.”

FXI’s Cotton Candy plans to:
Provide consumer-friendly access to the Cloud.
Accelerate the adoption of “smart screens”.
Extend the lifetime of consumer hardware like laptops, monitors, TVs, set top boxes, tablets and more by accessing the newest OS, software and apps.
Create a single point of content storage.
Consolidation and organization of non-public digital content.
Share media from mobile devices on large screens and projectors – videos, movies, photos, games and more.
Drive down the price of computing, allowing more people to have a private, secure computer.

“With the broad acceptance of Cloud computing and the advancement in processor technologies, the concept that of a “screen-less PC” is a natural evolution inside the form factor of computing devices,” said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie and co-workers. “The connectivity, flexibility and multi-screen compatibility of FXI’s Cotton Candy makes it like a pc built specifically for the Cloud.”

In regards to the Demonstration
FXI demonstrated Cotton Candy for the 1st time by connecting it via HDMI to a 42″ HDTV running Android and displaying YouTube videos and 3D games. Then, they switched to a word processing and spread sheet application. Next, they unplugged Cotton Candy from the television and connected it via USB to a Windows after which a Mac laptop to play Angry Birds at the Android OS.

“The laptop use case shows how with FXI’s patent protected Any Screen Virtualization Protocol, Cotton Candy can take over a number device’s screen to display Internet connected content,” said Ljosland. “We believe these usage scenarios would be easily adopted by consumers and FXI’s USB connected computing devices will make a great companion for the multitude of digital devices and screens people touch daily.”

The results of a connected companion device are broad and feature yet to totally be discovered. “Imagine any screen being a window for your digital world,” added Ljosland. The probabilities are endless.”

Availability
Currently FXI Tech is sampling prototypes to key OEM partners from the set top box, memory, PC, cellular phone, appliance, in-car entertainment and other industries. Consumer pricing has not yet been established, but product is anticipated to be available in volumes the second one half 2012. OEMs considering sampling the device may contact sales@fxitech.com.

About FXI
FXI Technologies (www.fxitech.com) is a Norway-based hardware and software startup devoted to making the realm of digital screens smart and private.

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