Plug computers pack a full Linux server into something the size of a power adapter — and they're a great platform for IM bots, firewalls, and home media servers.
Mohamed Shamil
IT Administrator & Hobbyist Developer
Tablets, laptops, and smartphones get all the attention, but for geeks who like to tinker, plug computers are the real treat: tiny computers, mostly running Linux, that plug straight into a wall outlet.
Features vary by device, but many plug computers pack in HDMI, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and expansion card slots. Plug in a portable hard disk and the device becomes a DLNA server, streaming audio and video to anything on the network.
Some of these devices double as a full development platform, capable of running a stack of different applications at once. For a geek who likes having a small Linux box always on and always reachable, it's hard to beat.