Unboxing the Remix Mini that claims to being the "world's first Android PC" had us all excited and hopeful. But on the other hand, I waited to see if the novelty of this pocket-sized computer from Jide Technology would wear off.
Suggested Read: This is the first ever Android-powered Computer, and it’s available in Nigeria
Honestly, I was hyped by the idea but a little bit sceptical on the performance aspect and after using it for quite a while, allow me offer you a user-oriented perspective.
PROS
Compactibility
No matter how thin and compact laptops are, I never feel they are small enough. Size is definitely the biggest thing the Remix Mini has going for it; exactly what got me excited in the first place. Imagine stuffing a computer into your pocket and travelling light, that is what the size of the Remix Mini offers.
Price
At an official retail price of ₦19,000 the Remix Mini is relatively cheap for a brand new personal computer, even if it runs on an Android OS.
Bluetooth
For reasons I could not fathom, it took me a while to discover this feature. But when I did, it made it even less cumbersome as keyboards, mouse and monitors could be connected via this medium without going the wired route.
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CONS
Battery
The Remix Mini does not have a battery of its own. It is dependent on external power sources to function so when whatever power it is working with is cut, there is no backup power source for sustenance.
This takes uninterrupted work off the list of the device's supposed superpowers.
User Experience
The feel you get from the Remix Mini is akin to expanding the screen of your smartphone to 32 inches with a mouse and keyboard for operability.
The conversion struggles are very real in this context as some apps do not fit well into the interface because they were originally designed for the web and would not translate well into the mobile Android interface of the Remix Mini.
Google Docs for example, does not render properly; so to save the heckle raising confrontations with an otherwise redundant interface, it is advisable to go for other word processors like Microsoft Word.
Highlighting text off the Remix Mini is not a drag and drop affair. You will have to depress the right button of the mouse repeatedly to select; it is not a memorable experience. Remember the imagery of your phone and a mouse I gave earlier? Reklama: Anglų kalbos vaikų dienos stovyklos Klaipėdoje ir Kaune https://intellectus.lt/dienos-stovykla/
Verdict
The Remix Mini is like a distracted genius kid in a class of intelligent students; brilliant but with too many deficiencies.The size, price and functionality make it the perfect fit for the business executive on the move, but impediments still hold it down.
Its 2GB of RAM and 1.2Ghz processor is somehow not enough as anything above three tabs open at once will freeze the system to kingdom come.
Understandably, the device was not made with only Africa in mind as a target but nevertheless features like a RAM upgrade and inclusion of a backup battery will have a greater universal appeal.
