Variscite has debuted what it describes as the smallest system-on-module currently on the market. Dubbed the DART-4460, this device is powered by an ARM Cortex-A9 processor and measures just 52mm x 17mm x 4.7mm, or about 2″ x 0.67″ x 0.18″, making it even smaller than the tiny Gumstix Overo Cortex-A8 system.
The TI OMAP 4460 dual-core processor – clocked at 1.5 GHz – is paired with PowerVR SGX 540 graphics, up to 1GB of RAM and up to 8GB of storage. The system-on-module supports Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) along with Linux-based software (running off the 3.4 kernel).
Additional key hardware specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, along with support for HDMI, SD cards, USB and cameras – although you will have to connect your own I/O ports to use some of the above-mentioned features.
As Liliputing’s Brad Linder notes, the DART-4460 isn’t actually targeted at end users, but rather as a platform for system builders to design thin tablets, media players and other portable devices.
“This module isn’t exactly going to power a high-end Windows gaming system (it could theoretically support Windows RT, but not Windows 8),” Linder explained.
“But with the same processor used in the Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablet, the DART-4460 should have enough power for watching videos, playing games, or surfing the web on an Android-powered device.”
Additional information about the DART-4460 can be found here.
