IceWhale's ZimaBoard, an x86 Single-Board Computer with a Wealth of Functionality, Hits Kickstarter
From the team behind the LattePanda, the ZimaBoard boasts two SATA, two gigabit Ethernet, and two USB ports — plus PCIe 2.0.
IceWhale Technology's ZimaBoard, a smartly-designed x86 single-board computer (SBC) targeting makers, hackers, and tinkerers, has launched on Kickstarter starting at $70, ahead of a planned June 2021 shipping date.
First unveiled late last year, the ZimaBoard is a passively-cooled SBC based on an Intel Celeron processor. A number of features set it apart from the competition, not least of which are the presence of two SATA 6.0Gb/s ports, two gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and a single PCI Express 2.0 lane with a 4x-mechanical connector for external add-on boards.
"We know ZimaBoard is not the first of its kind as a single board computer, nor as a router or a micro server," writes IceWhale's Liang Wei. "While traditional single board computer products focus on desktop-level scenarios, ZimaBoard is the first private server designed for Makers, DIYers, and Hackers. Its evolution will not stop after the campaign and will further explore possibilities around your everyday digital experience."
"With ZimaBoard, you can set up a 4 Terabyte personal cloud in 5 minutes, configure a secure VPN to protect your digital footprint, tune your network with OpenWrt and pfSense, build a 4K media server that runs with Plex, share and collaborate with team members on your files, or upgrade your smart projects across different systems. ZimaBoard is created by makers who got tired of recurring fees, unfriendly presets, and isolated systems. We want to make the home digital experience more attractive and affordable."
The ZimaBoard launches in two models: The ZimaBoard 216 houses an Intel Celeron N3350 dual-core 2.4GHz processor, 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 16GB of eMMC 5.1 storage; the ZimaBoard 832 uses an Intel Celeron N3450 quad-core 2.2GHz processor, 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. Both include the aforementioned ports, along with a mini-DisplayPort 1.2 offering 4K60 resolution video output.
"The idea of ZimaBoard came from a robot character from the HBO TV episode 'Love Death and Robots,'" Wei notes. "For the team, it stands as a self-speaking symbol of creation, a symbol of art, a symbol of power, a symbol of life and death, and a symbol of new species."
The campaign is now live on Kickstarter, with rewards starting at $70 for the ZimaBoard 216.