Ice Computer has been showing off machines at trade shows around the world for quite some time now but has yet to actually ship any devices.
As expected, the company was recently spotted at CES 2013 showcasing its modular computer, which many have labeled vaporware. Nevertheless, it appears as if Ice may very well be one step closer to actually putting a device on the market.
The Engadget crew was able to spend some hands-on time with the company’s flagship modular xPC computer. The xPC can best be described as a modular device that’s roughly the size of a smartphone with the (alleged) capabilities of a full-fledged PC.
Essentially, the xPC plugs into various component accessories, transforming it into a desktop computer, home theater component a laptop or tablet.
The home theater device is dubbed the xDock, while the laptop is the xTop, and the tablet is known as the xPad.
The latter tablet device was prominently displayed at CES, which boasts a 9.7-inch screen (1366 x 768) and a $200 price tag. Of course it should be noted that $200 only buys you the xPad – and you still need the xPC itself which is expected to cost an additional $200.
The XPad is also equipped with a front-facing camera and an internal battery promising to run the little PC component and the tablet dock for 6-8 hours.
The version on display at CES was running the Windows 8 operating system, although an alleged $200 priced point for a tablet dock running Windows 8 seems far-fetched to me. As expected, the company is promising a more complete version of its PC system this summer at Computex in Taipei.
