Small Form Factor Pico-ITX x86 board on Kickstarter? (VOTE and get PRIZE, closing TONIGHT 1/Feb)

*** THE PRIZE (i.e. the reason you actually came here) ***
I would like you to vote on a question I described below. To better motivate your vote, I decided to grant some prizes. Once the voting ends, I will select 5 people at random. Those 5 people will get one hardware part as a prize, from the below list, shipped to their home:
1) Mini-Box M350 fanless mini-itx case
2) Mini-box pico-PSU-120WI-25V (20 pin)
3) Mini-box Pico-PSU-150-XT
4) Commell MPX-3132 2x SATA II mini-PCIe card (add 2 more SATA ports to your mini-ITX NAS)
5) KingSpec 32GB CompactFlash card 600x speed
I have multiplies of some of the prizes, so if 2 or more winners want to get the same thing, I think I will be able to do so. The prizes are open internationally except the countries I can't ship to from Israel (you can still vote of course).

You need to vote in reply to this message (the reason I am doing it like this and not by poll is because I need to see who voted to include them in the raffle). You may also add any comment or question you like in your reply, but you will be included in the raffle only if you actually cast a vote. It doesn't matter what option you vote for, for a chance of a prize just say what you really think
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Now to the point:
Inspired by recent crowd-funding successes with small form-factor DIY-boards based on ARM architecture, I started to think of doing the same, just for x86-compatible one. ARM is nice and all, but some people (like my parents) are "locked" on WindowsXP, even if it's just for surfing internet and watching movies. For modders, developers, robot builders etc., x86 is easier because you don't have to learn how to develop on ARM. I searched the internet, but couldn't find a single x86 project anywhere, yet there were plenty ARM projects, which really intrigued me as to why it happens.

So here are the options - please select one that most suits you, and post it below:
1. I see no need in DIY x86 board on Kickstarter, because DIY ARM boards (Raspberry Pi, PandaBoard, etc.) cover all the needs
2. I see no need in DIY x86 board on Kickstarter, because there are enough x86 boards offered from manufacturers that cover all the needs
3. I would consider to back up a DIY x86 board project on Kickstarter -- if you select this answer, you need to also order the importance of things to you:
a) Price - put this first if cheapest price of the board is most important to you
b) Size - put this first if smallest possible size (like Pico-ITX or similar) is most important to you
c) Performance - put this first if best CPU/GPU performance is most important to you

So, for example, if you select answer 3, you need also to write something like "c,a,b" which means - performance is most important to you, then price, and then size. I hope I explained it clearly

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Update 23-Jan-2013:
We got 50 votes so far - please keep them coming! The great news are, however, that even if no one else casts his vote, we have already reached the required minimum I posted (50 votes by February 1st). I have also included your price/performance/size preference (below I am showing how they were calculated). It's an amazing discovery for me that smallest size is your least concern, while best price/performance was (almost) tied for 1st place:

Number of times highest priority (3 points awarded)
A (Price) 22
B (Size) 6
C (Performance) 16

Number of times medium priority (2 points awarded)
A (Price) 11
B (Size) 11
C (Performance) 21

Number of times lowest priority (1 point awarded)
A (Price) 10
B (Size) 27
C (Performance) 6

Total points awarded:
A (Price) 98
C (Performance) 96
B (Size) 67

Current vote count graph (updated 23-Jan-2012 12:30GMT)

​

 

1. I see no need in DIY x86 board on Kickstarter, because DIY ARM boards (Raspberry Pi, PandaBoard, etc.) cover all the needs

 

2.
a,c,b

 

1. I see no need in DIY x86 board on Kickstarter, because DIY ARM boards (Raspberry Pi, PandaBoard, etc.) cover all the needs.

But for what it is worth these are the important factors, in order, for me in this target market: A, B, C. Which the RasPi nails all 3 for my needs.

 

3)
C, B, A

 

3. I would consider to back up a DIY x86 board project on Kickstarter -- if you select this answer, you need to also order the importance of things to you:

b) Size - put this first if smallest possible size (like Pico-ITX or similar) is most important to you

---

When we talk about HTPCs, then the smallest we can currently do is a mini ITX-system. Allthough these are quiet nice, they're still too big for what they do.

So a pico ITX with it's 100 × 72 mm would actually be awesome, and all that would be needed on the I/O is a HDMI-port and two USB-ports. Onboard it should have a single SATA-port, WiFi and SO-DIMM.
For even less hassles the CPU could be soldered to the board aswell, preferably a mobile-chip like the i3-3217UE. And don't forget about the onboard PSU.

With a board like this, which is just as big as a 2.5" SSD/HDD, you could carry your HTPC the size of a bigpack of cigarettes easily around, without making any sacrifices.

And no, don't give me all this Raspberry and Android-crap. I want a HTPC where I can run x86 Ubuntu or Windows 7 and install all the usual software without any hassles.

EDIT: The intel NUC is the smallest currently available, but has the downside of not having a SATA-port.

 

3. I would consider to back up a DIY x86 board project on Kickstarter

b) Size - put this first if smallest possible size (like Pico-ITX or similar) is most important to you
c) Performance - put this first if best CPU/GPU performance is most important to you
a) Price - put this first if cheapest price of the board is most important to you

Although I love the Raspberry Pi concept, haven't found room for it in my world.

Like jrs77, I'm a great Mini ITX fan, and his comments are just how I feel - he's said it all better than I could.

Pico ITX with SATA For the Win!!

I'd be happy to have a go at a Kickstarter, the Cubieboard and Paralella have done well.
Yours done right could too.

 

3. I would consider to back up a DIY x86 board project on Kickstarter.

Importance: a, c, b

Though I personally don't see the need for the device personally, the points you've made are all very valid as to why they would be beneficial. Jrs77 also has a very specific example of how it would be applicable. If you could somehow create an x86 board that packs more performance in similar space as raspberry pi, and has a bit more expandability than I think you would have a real winner. Granted, in order to achieve what you want you need to also consider price.

Size wouldn't be a big issue for me, I'd assume it would be smallish and reasonably portable, but it all depends on the need. If you're developing a small system for a home user, than performance and cost would be more important than size so to speak, but maybe as a developer, performance and size would be more important so that the device can move around, in which case you would have to justify why it would be more beneficial than a laptop.

I think the idea is good, but you'd have to focus more on a niche market, I realize that one doesn't really exist for x86 but you have to choose which specific group to go after, because home users would want something different than someone who may be a developer or something.

 

3

acb

 

3

ACB

Good luck!

 

A
C
B

AMD over Intel for APU 384 Madcores in that size would be amazing
Soldered CPU (>2GHz) with silent Cooler like from Arctic cooling (cheep and good)
USB3, HDMI, Display Port, SATA 3 (6GB) and mSATA (Wifi or mSATA SSD)
under 90 watts for Pico PSU

That's my wish list

 

3 a, c, b

 

3, BAC.

I would definitely be backing it- I Would love to have something the size of a raspberry pi, with the performance of raspberry pi, at the cost of a raspberry pi, without the faff of ARM.

Good luck to you sir!

 

3
C
B
A

I would love to have something like this, where I can install what I want and it be small enough to carry around in my pocket rather than needing a laptop bag or something similar.

 

3
A
C
B

 

3
A
C
B

 

1. I see no need in DIY x86 board on Kickstarter, because DIY ARM boards (Raspberry Pi, PandaBoard, etc.) cover all the needs.

 

3. C,B,A

 

3. A,C,B

 

3 A B C
I would like to see something with low power quad core at least 1.8gHz, passive cooling, integrated power, soldered on 2GB ddr3 1333 memory, soldered on 4GB-16GB flash, mini pci-e/msata slot, pci-e 1x slot edge mounted (for expansion like 4x ethernet, serial/parallel, gpu, audio, etc.) 1 additional sodimm slot, 2x sata3, 2x usb2 header, audio header,
back panel 2x gigabit ethernet, 2x usb3, hdmi, 2x esatap.
a slightly larger size might be needed to accomplish that I guess, maybe like 100x100.
Something with these features would be good for a number of things, workstation/thin client, htpc, micro server, firewall/router box, industrial...