Next Thing Co.: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Next Thing Co. logo.png|300px|right|Logo for Next Thing Co.]]

'''Next Thing Co.''' is an [[Oakland, California]] based [[start-up company]] founded in 2013 by Dave Rauchwerk, Gustavo Huber and Thomas Deckert,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/02/08/for-oakland-startup-a-9-computer-about-more-than-getting-rich/|title=For Oakland startup, a $9 computer about more than getting rich – The Mercury News|access-date=2016-10-30}}</ref> and known for its miniature computer, [[CHIP (computer)|CHIP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ktvu.com/story/29119393/oakland-company-creates-9-computer|title=MADE IN THE BAY: Oakland company creates $9 computer|author=Claudine Wong|date=20 May 2015|work=ktvu.com|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/05/11/this-9-computer-could-change-the-economics-of-building-hardware/|title=This $9 computer could change the economics of building hardware - Fortune|work=Fortune|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2921073/meet-chip-an-ultra-tiny-9-pc-that-makes-the-raspberry-pis-price-seem-luxurious.html|title=Meet Chip, an ultra-tiny $9 PC that makes the Raspberry Pi's price seem luxurious|author=Ian Paul|date=11 May 2015|work=PCWorld|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2015/05/13/how-a-9-computer-could-change-the-way-we-think-about-computing/|title=How a $9 computer could change the way we think about computing|work=Washington Post|accessdate=21 May 2015|first=Dominic|last=Basulto|date=13 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://time.com/3858784/chip-computer-kickstarter/|title=C.H.I.P Could Be the World's Cheapest Computer|author=John Patrick Pullen|work=TIME.com|accessdate=21 May 2015|date=14 May 2015}}</ref> It has entered insolvency in March 2018.

== Insolvency ==

As of April 20, 2018, the user community has received definitive information that "Next Thing Co. has executed a General Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors on March 16, 2018" with an insolvency service company that is selling its assets and intellectual properties. <ref>{{cite news|url=https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/reports-about-insolvency-true/20439/17|title=Reports about Insolvency true?|accessdate=24 Apr 2018|date=20 Apr 2018}}</ref>

==CHIP computer==

Announced in May 2015, [[CHIP (computer)|CHIP]] is a [[Linux]] [[Microprocessor development board|development board]] marketed as a miniature computer at a cost of $9 to early [[Kickstarter]] backers (+shipping cost of 5-25 [[USD]]). NTC has confirmed that after Kickstarter campaign the price will continue to be $9,<ref name=bbs.nextthing.co>[http://bbs.nextthing.co/t/final-price-of-c-h-i-p-ntc-confirms-still-9/190/3] GUSH on bbs.nextthing.co "C.H.I.P. will continue to be $9 post-kickstarter.

We're not sure where these speculative prices are coming from, but they are way off. C.H.I.P. is $9 til the cows come home."</ref> despite speculation from competitors that the price will go up.<ref name=olimex/> Alpha versions (version 0.21) of the computer were based on variant of [[Allwinner Technology|AllWinner's]] R8M module (priced around $16 by manufacturer according to a competitor's reports<ref name=olimex>[https://olimex.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/how-to-get-in-the-news-tell-people-that-you-will-make-and-sell-something-which-cost-you-20-for-9/ How to get in the News? Tell people that you will make and sell something which cost you $20 for $9!] / OLIMEX ltd, 05 JUN 2015 "Today I got datasheet of R8M and price of it is $16 including the PMU."</ref><ref>[http://www.cnx-software.com/2015/06/07/allwinner-r8-module-datasheet-and-price-is-the-9-c-h-i-p-computer-selling-at-a-loss/ Allwinner R8 Module Datasheet and Price. Is the $9 C.H.I.P Computer Selling at a Loss?] / cnxsoft, June 7th, 2015 "$16 for Allwinner R8M with 512 MB RAM and 8GB NAND Flash for 5,000 unit orders. .. Wait… If R8M module is $16, how can C.H.I.P sell it for $9? .."</ref>), while the final version is based on the related AllWinner R8.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer/posts/1428989</ref> The CHIP computer measures 40mm/1.5" by 60mm/2.3", has a 1&nbsp;GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of storage, [[WiFi]] and [[Bluetooth]]. It can connect wirelessly to a keyboard, and to any computer screen via a [[composite video|composite output]]. It also has [[USB]] and [[micro-USB]] ports, and runs on the [[Debian|Debian GNU/Linux]] operating system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.dailynews.com/click/2015/05/09/ready-9-computer-oakland-based-co/|title=Are you ready for the $9 computer from Oakland-based Next Thing Co.?|work=Click|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref> Next Thing announced the product via a [[Kickstarter]] campaign, asking for $50,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer|title=CHIP - The World's First Nine Dollar Computer|work=Kickstarter|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref> The campaign had raised over $1.5m before 21 May 2015, with over 29,000 backers. It was successfully funded for $2,071,927 on 6 June 2015.

On 30 Nov 2015, NextThing Co. announced changing from the original R8M module to the R8 module, this is the one that is available in the 1.0 release. Also instead of the CPU being placed on the front it is now instead placed on the back.<ref name="kickstarter-update-29">{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer/posts/1428989|title=Kickstarter Update 29 - C.H.I.P. 1.0 Design + C.H.I.P. Case!|work=Kickstarter|accessdate=30 Nov 2015}}</ref> In January 2016, it announced on its website that preorders are estimated to be shipped in June 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://getchip.com/|title = Official CHIP page|date = |access-date = January 27, 2016|website = |publisher = Next Thing Co.|last = |first = }}</ref>. All claimed preorders have been claimed and shipped as of June 2016 despite missing many shipping deadlines. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer/posts/1597619|title=Update 47: Rewards Are Arriving! Let's Finish Fulfillment! · CHIP - The World's First Nine Dollar Computer|website=Kickstarter|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref>

At the start of April 2017, CHIP was removed from the store due to the final production run being sold out and discontinued in favor of an upcoming new version of the hardware.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/backorders-start-shipping-april-15th-gr8-news/16010|title=Backorders Start Shipping April 15th & GR8 News!|website=|access-date=2017-04-04}}</ref> As of December 2017 there is not much information on the specs and details of the new version other than it is using their GR8 SOC with two models, one with 256mb of RAM and one with more<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/chip-pocketchip-faq/14789/1#faq-chipv2|title=What can you tell me about the CHIPv2?|website=|access-date=2017-09-18}}</ref>

==Comparison of C.H.I.P. to Raspberry Pi==

One advantage of the C.H.I.P is that it is open hardware,<ref>https://github.com/NextThingCo/CHIP-Hardware/</ref> whereas some of the [[Raspberry Pi]] hardware is closed source.<ref>https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55777&p=422729</ref>

The C.H.I.P comes with built in WiFi and Bluetooth, whereas some of the Raspberry Pi requires external WiFi and Bluetooth accessories to be purchased. Since the C.H.I.P's launch this benefit has been lessened due to that there have been released models of the Raspberry Pi that do come with internal Wifi and Bluetooth (Raspberry Pi 3 Model B (US$35) and Raspberry Pi Zero W (priced at US$10).)

The C.H.I.P relies on an internal NAND drive for it's storage while Raspberry Pis require a separate external SD card (US$7-12)

The C.H.I.P is not widely available as the Raspberry Pi is. The current platform is out of production, with a new one announced but with no public details on the hardware specs or reverse compatibility with C.H.I.P "version 1". Due to C.H.I.P being produced by a single company and the end of its production C.H.I.P is effectively a scantily available platform.

There is a screen and keyboard accessory available for purchase on the [https://getchip.com/pages/pocketchip Next Thing Co website]. Raspberry Pi has several LCD accessories available on the market.

==PocketCHIP==

The screen and keyboard accessory is called the PocketCHIP. PocketCHIP makes CHIP portable, adding a 4.3" 480x272 resistive touchscreen, a clicky keyboard, GPIO headers on the top of the device, and GPIO soldering pads inside of the injection mold case. PocketCHIP comes loaded with a couple of applications like a special version of [http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php Pico-8], a fully functional Linux terminal, a file browser, a terminal based web browser called surf, and [http://www.warmplace.ru/soft/sunvox/ Sunvox].

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

{{Portal|Information technology}}

*[http://nextthing.co/ Company website]

[[Category:2013 establishments in California]]

[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Oakland, California]]

[[Category:Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]

[[Category:Computer companies of the United States]]

[[Category:Linux-based devices]]

[[Category:Kickstarter-funded products]]