Lenovo ideacentre Stick 300 PC-on-a-Stick With Windows 8.1 Launched

Lenovo has launched its first PC-on-a-stick device, the ideacentre Stick 300, priced starting at $129 (approximately Rs. 8,250) in the US. The Lenovo ideacentre Stick 300 will be available starting July via the company's online stores as well as offline retail stores.

The Chinese company stresses that the new device is ideal for travellers offering both portability and convenience. The plug and play device can be attached to any HDMI-compatible TV or monitor to turn it into a functioning Windows 8.1-based PC.

Powered by a 1.33GHz quad-core Intel Atom Processor Z3735F (4 threads, turbo up to 1.83GHz) processor, the pocket-sized ideacentre Stick 300 is 15mm thick and features 2GB of RAM as well as 32GB of storage. The biggest highlight of the Lenovo ideacentre Stick 300 is it is upgradeable to Windows 10. Other features of the new PC-on-a-stick device from Lenovo include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Commenting on the launch, Jun Ouyang, Vice President and General Manager, Worldwide Desktop and Visuals, Lenovo said, "We've looked at the computing needs of travellers, business people and families, and realized that a truly portable and affordable solution would be a significant benefit to users of all kinds. Our goal with the ideacentre Stick 300 is to give those users a sense of freedom and enhanced mobility, while packing a serious punch in a small device."

Earlier this year, Intel launched the Compute Stick priced at $149.99 (approximately Rs. 9,000). It came with Windows 8.1 pre-installed, and provided a full PC experience. Back in April, Google launched the Asus Chromebit offering a computer-on-a-stick with Chrome OS. The Chromebit could be plugged into a display to turn it into a PC.

Recently, iBall in partnership with Microsoft India launched the PC-on-a-stick device, dubbed Splendo. The Windows-based minicomputer, meant to turn a TV into a PC or Smart TV, was priced at Rs. 8,999.