A challenge for embedded system makers...

[strredwolf]

Take one modern Jolt "Battery" can, with a usable cylindrical volume of 35 mm radius by 170 mm high.  Without substantial modifications to the can (ex small access panel), build an Pentium-class x86 computer into it.

Restrictions?  You bet:

• Pentium class at least.  No ARM, XScale, etc. 
  
• At least 64 megs of RAM. 
  
• VGA, power, USB, and Ethernet going out.
• An EPIA-ish brick or wall-wart for power.  No full AT/ATX power supply allowed.
• USB may be 1.1.  There should be ports for keyboard, mouse, and one other USB device.
• Ethernet must be provided by itself, and not as a USB dongle.

Some ideas:

• Use a Microdrive as the main drive.  Flash memory will suck.

Comments

[kazriko.livejournal.com]

What won't work: PC104, Nano ITX, EBX, and any other standard formfactor I know of.

You also wouldn't even be able to fit this Xscale SOC/processor in that form factor, http://www.intel.com/design/iio/iop332.htm

A Prescott die would fit (about 10.5mm square,) but who knows about the smallest possible package for it.

I think the best bet would either be an AMD/NatSemi Geode or a Cyrix C3. both of them barely qualify as pentium-class though.