Do you find that a Windows 10 PC might be helpful once in a while, but you may need a few ports more than a tablet offers? Would it also be nice that it could connect with your iPhone wirelessly on the go? All of that can be found via the new and highly portable Kangaroo Pro. The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro PC, that runs Windows 10, has a cool new expanded dock and is available for $169.
The Kangaroo Pro PC runs a full version of Windows 10 in a sleek black box that is the size of a deck of cards. I reviewed Kangaroo’s first mobile PC back in January, here on MacTrast.
Included In The Box:
People are now buying smaller computers to control smart home products like lights, cameras and cloud backup storage devices. Sometimes that means a Windows 10 machine is needed. I do not have a full Windows 10 PC running at home, so having the Kangaroo Pro around is great for when I need one.
Connecting the Kangaroo Pro to multiple devices is much easier now with the expanded dock. The dock on the back includes eight ports. There is a USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0, HDMI, audio out, Ethernet, VGA, a power port and a 2.5” hard drive bay.
Features of the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro include a fan vent, docking port, micro SD memory card slot, micro USB port, biometric finger scanner, a unique LED ring indicator light and a power button. The biometric finger scanner is quick does quick work of logging you into the computer.
Inside of this portable PC is Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac dual-band WiFi, a four hour battery (for casual use), Intel ATOM CPU, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of ROM. With the new expanded dock and these types of features for a portable PC, it continues to sell at a decent price point. The question now becomes why not?
Linking up an iPad and now the iPhone is easier than ever with the Kangaroo Pro via their free apps available from the Apple App Store. The app is called OSLinx. One cool new feature of their mobile apps is that for a small fee, they can link to the Kangaroo sans cable over direct-connect WiFi. The mobile PC has a slider on the side that will put it into a direct-connect WiFi mode. Their host OSLinx Windows 10 app is free and can be downloaded from the Kangaroo website.
The OSLinx host software required me to use an HDMI connection to my TV in order to install it. But you may also utilize the Kangaroo Pro’s new VGA connector. The OSLinx host app worked during the Kangaroo’s second Windows 10 boot up process. Then, I used my USB Lightning cable to connect to it. The connection will work on any of the USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports. After the host app is running on the Kangaroo, the mobile app automatically links to it. Your iPhone or iPad may ask you to authorize the Kangaroo Pro to trust it for sharing memory space. If you decline both authorization messages, the Kangaroo Pro will still allow you to administrate it.
Like with any new computer, downloading critical updates is the top priority. After a few minutes configuring the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro to access my WiFi network, it pinged Microsoft’s update server for new software to download. It came back with a Windows 10 system update and many security patches.
System updates will take a few hours to download and install on the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro. I set the process in motion and shut down the OSLinx app on my iPhone.
It is important to keep the Kangaroo Pro plugged into a power outlet during any upgrade process as its four hour battery life may reach a critical state of discharge if it is not. Keep in mind that when connected to the iPhone via Lightning cable, the smartphone will charge up from the PC and so its battery may not last four hours.
Before all of the updates installed properly, Windows 10 exhibited some strange update behavior where it stalled at 0% for downloading. I verified it had a secure and active wireless connection. So then a search began for a fix. I tried the level one fix of clearing out the Windows update cache, but the folders would not delete, due to permissions. So then I searched for a second level fix.
What I found was a mix of forum posts with varying degrees of success. I will keep it short here and outline exactly what worked for me. I opened up the command line with admin privileges. Yes, Windows 10 still has a command line interface. I had to call upon a few DOS commands I learned some 20 years ago for everything to work in the end.
First, I started with these commands, each on their own line.
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
If level one had worked, I would have gone to the Windows Software Distribution folder and deleted everything. Then, I would have used the following commands. After the services had started up again, a reboot is recommended.
net start wuauserv
net start bits
However, the first command did not stop the Windows update service. This was level one and now for level two. A forum post suggested I try the following command.
sc queryex
Then scroll through the long alphabetized list to find Windows Update (wuauserv) and note the PID number (this number changes when the computer reboots).
taskkill /f /pid ###
Example: taskkill /f /pid 368
Then navigate to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder to delete everything. It might take a while before everything is moved to the recycle bin. Delete all of the files in the recycle bin and restart. This should clear up any Windows 10 update stalling you may experience.
After the Windows 10 system and security updates were applied, the Kangaroo Pro ran like a new PC. This is important when running Office software or watching YouTube videos. Be sure to update your OSLinx apps for the iPhone and iPad as they are now compatible with the new Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
Need a larger screen to operate the Kangaroo Pro with besides the iPhone? Try using an iPad Pro or a full sized TV. It even works with smart projectors, like the ZTE Spro 2 from AT&T. Want a media PC for your TV? Pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. If you need the PC without the extra dock, it can operate with Kangaroo’s small docking option too.
The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro Windows 10 PC is even more robust than the original. Its capability to connect directly with an Ethernet port and house a high capacity laptop hard drive expands its usefulness greatly. It can still fit in jacket pocket, especially if you have a SCOTTeVEST jacket.
InFocus has a hit on their hands with the new Kangaroo Pro. Pair it with Plex serving software, a large capacity hard drive and it should be able to provide entertainment throughout the home or office with ease. I would consider bringing it along on business trips, just in case I needed a Windows 10 PC for presentations.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro PC with Dock is available for $169.99, direct from InFocus. Also available from Amazon.
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Disclosure: I was provided with an InFocus Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro PC at no cost for review. I was not compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
