umpc

Gallery: Ultramobile, Web-friendly PCs

Honestly, I don't get the allure of ultramobile PCs. Neither small enough to be pocketable nor large enough to work on comfortably, most seem to me to be expensive toys. Although some serve needs in specific industries--medical, retail, automotive, and military applications--historically, these platypus PCs have had bizarre (but creative) keyboards and have squeezed the standard Windows interface onto screens really not designed for the desktop experience.

But with Intel's new low-power and low-cost Atom CPU, the prices for these machines are coming down to almost reasonable levels. And many vendors, realizing that no standard mouse-and-keyboard-based UI is … Read more

Samsung Q1 Ultra shows businesses some love

These are tough times for the UMPC, whose promise of pocket-size, always-on computing has been overshadowed by the proliferation of cheaper Netbooks. But Samsung, one of the first companies to announce a UMPC back when the initiative was known simply as Origami, has continued to issue updates to its Q1 Ultra. The latest, announced Monday: the Q1U-CMXP, notable for its integrated HSDPA cellular modem, and the Q1UP-V, a Q1 Ultra Premium running Windows Vista Business.

The Q1U-CMXP is almost identical to the Q1 Ultra released last year, with the addition of a 3G cellular modem that's compatible with AT&… Read more

Rumor: Everex planning new notebook

Even as Everex prepares to ship its much-awaited 8.9-inch Cloudbook Max with WiMax later this quarter, rumors are already spreading that the company will launch a 10.2-inch model to compete in the same space as the Asus Eee PC 1000 and MSI Wind. The leak, which is said to come from within Everex's manufacturing partner FIC, also indicates that the new Cloudbook will feature onboard 3G connectivity and optional WiMax.

It is not known whether the new 10.2-inch Cloudbook will use an Intel Atom or VIA processor or that it will run on Windows XP or … Read more

Panasonic unveils Toughbook CF-U1

Panasonic today added a tablet UMPC to its rugged Toughbook line. Sure, you could buy six Asus Eee PCs and still have some walking around money left for the price of one $2,499 Toughbook CF-U1, but we doubt you'll grab your lunch pail and Eee PC and head down to the mine. Panasonic's latest Toughbook is, of course, built for use in the field. It's "engineered for the walking worker," according to Panasonic, and comes loaded with features.

The 5.6-inch LED backlit LCD touch screen is designed for viewing in direct sunlight, and below it is a backlit thumb keyboard divided by a number pad and arrow keys in its middle. On the right side, you can see a hand strap, but should you choose not to tether yourself to the Toughbook CF-U1, you can rest easy knowing it's been engineered to survive a four-foot drop and to resist rain, spills, dust, and vibration. It ships with two batteries, which, according to Panasonic, adds up to 9 hours of running time. The unit measures 7.2 inches wide by 5.9 inches deep by 2.2 inches high. It weighs a trim 2.3 pounds, which includes lugging around both batteries. It's completely fanless and uses a solid-state hard drive and an Intel Atom CPU, all of which should aid battery life.

In addition to a 2-megapixel Webcam and fingerprint scanner, it also features barcode and RFID readers and GPS. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G-mobile-broadband are also onboard. Many of these features are listed as options, so they most likely will add to the $2,499 price. Panasonic expects the Toughbook CF-U1 to ship in August.

Full specs after the break.… Read more

Panasonic Toughbook mini-tablet rumored to be two days away

The word is Panasonic will introduce an Intel Atom-based mini-tablet to its Toughbook line on Wednesday. Our colleagues at CNET Asia saw the unit earlier this year, which featured a 5.6-inch touch-screen display and a thin strip of QWERTY thumb keys below it. If you value ruggedized protection over usability--or really enjoy thumb typing--this mini rugged tablet might hold some attraction. Unknown is the price, but with the Asus Eee PC and its slew of imitators on the scene now at prices as low as $399, this Toughbook tablet had better come in low if it wants to … Read more

Noahpad spotted at CommunicAsia

It's not often that we see an interesting non-mobile phone-related device at CommunicAsia, but at the Garmin booth, where the Nuvifone was showcased, we spied a unique UMPC.

The Noahpad was used as a device to showcase Garmin's navigation software, but our eyes kept straying to the keyboard. Resembling two large buttons, the touch-sensitive panels allowed typing and doubled as a touchpad as well. However, the lack of tactile feedback made using the keyboard harder than even the smaller keypad on the ASUS Eee PC. (Get more CommunicAsia 2008 coverage here.)

(Source: Crave Asia)

More Netbooks unveiled at Computex 2008

First International Computer, a Taiwanese computer manufacturer and the parent company of U.S.-based Everex, announced two new mininotebooks at Computex this week. The field of tiny laptops is already starting to look crowded (with the HP 2133, Eee PC, and MSI Wind--heck, even Dell's working on an mini-laptop), but FIC has a distinguishing characteristic right out of the gate: the otherwise identical systems can be configured with either a C7-M processor from Via Technologies or Intel's new Atom CPU.

Both the Via-based CE2A1 and Intel-based CW0A1 feature an 8.9-inch screen and a 1.3-megapixel … Read more

Asus to launch 10-inch Eee PC on Tuesday

We've just been on the phone to a spokesperson for Asus, who confirmed that the company will launch a 10-inch version of its popular Eee PC on Tuesday at the Computex trade show in Taiwan.

The spokesperson said that the larger-screened model should be on sale in the U.K. in November. No other details are confirmed at the moment, but we would be amazed if the new Eee didn't use the new Intel Atom chips, which are due for launch at the same time.

This is significant, as the lack of Atom was our one big complaint … Read more

Will the Eee spell disaster for the Oqo?

The Oqo was novel when the company first debuted: a small, ultra portable PC weighing 1 pound with slide-out QWERTY keyboard. But that was eight years ago.

The San Francisco Chronicle has a little feature Monday on the latest model ("latest" being relative since it actually launched in March of last year), in which it describes how the Oqo is being forced to "defend its niche" against the rise of the mini-notebook from the likes of Asus and Hewlett-Packard. The company cut the price, added Microsoft Vista, and bumped up the storage in September. The Oqo … Read more