Hello Future: INTEL launches SD-Card Sized Computer

Announced at CES 2014 in Las Vegas, Intel has developed a tiny computer that’s the same size and form factor of an SD card. Edison, as the bite-sized PC is dubbed, houses Intel’s previously announced Quark processor. The unveiling made quite a bit of noise at the show, and the product itself seems poised to make waves in the burgeoning wearables industry, once it’s available this summer.

What’s special about Edison — in addition to its size — is the power it packs. As mentioned, it houses a dual-core Quark SOC, which was designed for ultra-small and power-sensitive devices. In addition, Edison runs Linux and comes with an array of connectivity and I/O capabilities, including built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE.

Brian Krzanich, Intel’s Chief Executive Officer, demonstrated Edison’s capabilities at CES using a Mimo onesie that utilized Intel’s technology to transmit data to, interestingly, a coffee mug. Presumably, in the real world, the onesie would notify parents of a baby waking up or any changes in body temperature.

With the demonstration, Krzanich and the Edison seemed to open doors to new innovations in the so-called Internet of Things edge devices.

To no one’s surprise, wearables have been a hot topic thus far at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Items from bracelets to headphones to glasses have been showing up, outfitted with sensors and processors, and all of them together indicate an industry that’s ripe for growth. With Edison, the possibilities for innovation in wearables seem even greater, as makers now have a power-packed computer that they can attach to pretty much anything.