[ertman]

NUC is a model from a brand [Intel] It's not clever marketing.

A NUC alternative would be one that is similar in size [these aren't] running similar specs and cost less.

If you called them a mini HTPC you'd be spot on. But there are many mini HTPCs. Fully customisable or prebuilt. A NUC is a simple and effective mini PC that can be an HTPC too. You'll find most might start with a NUC. Then want to leave the "walled garden" and build their own. NUC users aren't in the dark ages. NUCs aren't exactly cheap once fully built. But they're more than capable. It's down to the end user. If a NUC is too expensive. People will look elsewhere. To say NUC users are stuck in the dark ages is narrow minded. I've had the mk1 847, played with a mk2 i3 and currently have the 2820. For their abilities and size. They're spot on. The new fanless one is my next view!

A wii isn't an alternative to an Xbox. Can you play GTA on wii? Just as my van isn't an alternative to a Ferrari!

Broadly speaking your examples are alternatives, even the van and Ferrari, and the Wii is a specific (gaming) alternative to the Xbox, and so is a PC, you are just restricted by content, but you can still play and enjoy gaming.

So broadly speaking and for all intents and purposes as we are on xbmc.org, any system capable of running xbmc is an alternative. Bay-Trail can be a specific alternative to a NUC, if you have a very small case then it is reasonable to call it an alternative, with the caveat that it is indeed larger than a NUC. A bay trail in a full-size case would not be an alternative.

Price has little to do with being an alternative, unless that is one of your main criteria. For example, there could be a more/less expensive alternatives to the NUC with a similar size.

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The thing is... the NUC is ENTIRELY different to what you posted. The NUC is a form-factor and not clever marketing. The fact of the matter is that nobody has packaged this kind of horsepower in such a small package before, not at this price point (for what it is, it is cheap considering the size).

*cough* Zotac *cough*