Got a nice little package yesterday containing the HTC Shift running on the Sprint network. I’ll be putting this thing through its paces next week at CTIA and will have a full review for you in short order. It’s a pretty cool gadget so far. If you have any questions about it, let me know and I’ll try to answer them for you. One weird quirk; it comes attached to a nice fold-over leather case but you can’t remove it. It’s stuck inside the case at all times. According to jkOnTheRun, “It seems that the FCC required HTC to only allow the US version of the Shift to be operated while in the case. The Shift is different from other UMPCs due to the CDMA radio in combination with the SnapVUE which means that the device is always on even when it’s off and the FCC wanted the user protected from the radio and hence the attached case.” So keep that in mind, I guess. → Read More
Let’s all think back to our Econ classes to the section on economies of scale, especially as the theory pertains to purchasing production materials in bulk. That’s what Acer’s able to do thanks to its sheer size and that’s the reason that its FOB price (free on board — total cost it takes to get one unit loaded onto a boat somewhere) for its Eee competitor will fall between $250 and $300 versus Asus’ $300 to $350. Asus has said that it won’t try to battle Acer on price. It’ll have its 8.9-inch Eee ready to go almost a month before Acer, though, so it should give it an okay head start. The average selling price for the Asus is expected to come in at around $400 to $500 (probably closer to $500), while the Acer is expected to be around $350 to $400. Early reports have indicated that the 8.9-inch Eee will go for $500 here in the US, so if Acer were to somehow put out a comparable machine at $350, it’d really give Asus something to think about. Even $400 could cause problems — problems in a good way. Acer low-cost PC expected to be cheaper than second-generation Eee PC [DigiTimes] → Read More
Coming to Korea in July is the MIU HDPC, which stand for Hybrid Dual Portable Computer. The “dual” part comes from the fact that it can run Linux Qplus or Windows XP/Windows CE 5.0 — which I’m going to read as Windows XP Embedded, but don’t quote me on that. She’s a brick-like beast but that just means there’s more to love. → Read More
[photopress:FUTFPCM21341.PNG,full,center] I’m in the minority that thinks UMPCs — or at least ultra-portables in general — are the wave of the future. The Internet needs to be mobile, and current laptops are just still too big. Even the MacBook Air, with its svelt design, is too cumbersome. The problem is, they tend to be pricey. Here, though, is a good deal, at only $850 after rebates, this touch-screen, full-QWERTY LifeBook is a great start for your ultra-portable future. Fujitsu LifeBook U810 Mini-Notebook PC [JR] → Read More
The success of the Asus Eee has prompted other notebook and ultraportable manufacturers to play catch-up and Samsung is attempting to do just that with an “education-focused” Q1 Ultra that’ll be available at the end of the month, according to Pocket-lint. The device will be available in the UK for £399 ($809.73), which is still £100 more than Asus new 8.9-inch Eee will cost. Here in the states, the new Eee will supposedly cost $500 so maybe we’ll see Samsung’s offering at $600. The forthcoming Q1 Ultra will come with a smaller hard drive and won’t feature the dual camera found on the current models. Samsung to fight Asus Eee with new Q1 Ultra [Pocket-lint] via Ubergizmo → Read More
[photopress:umpcroadmaphg4.jpg,full,center] The future of portable computing is going to involve UMPCs, there’s no way of ignoring that, and Intel is working on a pretty impressive roadmap that will take it there. Intel is set to launch the Menlow processor, which is an ultra-low-power platform with support for hyperthreading up to 1.8GHz, WiFi H.264 and MPEG2 built-in, as well as Bluetooth and GPS support, but this is just a stepping stone to the awesome-sounding Moorestown platform. Moorestown is a tiny yet powerful processor family that will come in both single and dual-core configurations and has the lofty goal of being low-powered enough to last all day on a single battery charge, even when used continuously. Is it hot? Yes. Will we actually use it when it comes out in 2009? Oh, yes indeed, especially if it’s in an iPhone. UMPC: 2007 = Menlow, 2008 = Moorestown [Beyond 3-D's forums] → Read More
Here’s the Gigabyte M700 UMPC. It’s got a 7-inch, 1024×600 display and comes with 2GB, standard. It’s powered by a 1.2GHz C7-M CPU from VIA and uses Vista Home Premium as the operating system, so that 2GB of RAM will surely come in handy. It’s pretty compact and weighs only 1.43 pounds and is said to have two webcams, GPS, and a WiMax-capable ExpressCard. There’s no keyboard but if that doesn’t deter you, then maybe you’d enjoy something like this. Unfortunately, pricing and a release date are unknown at this time. We’ll update you as we find out more. Gigabyte M700 at CeBIT 2008 [Ultramobilelife.com] → Read More
Looks like HP may have decided to jump on the UMPC bandwagon. Yippee. Hopefully it doesn’t have a keyboard and costs, like, $1200. Ha! Hold the phone, CNET’s Darius Chang says it’s “likely to be competitively priced, much like the ASUS Eee PC.” I’m listening… Oh man, it gets better! Someone on HP’s staff told Chang, “you won’t even need to consider this purchase. You’ll buy it like a handphone without a thought.” Wow! I don’t know what a handphone is but if someone from HP says that an HP product will be a purchase I won’t even need to consider, who am I to question his or her judgment? All this time spent questioning judgment and I could have been out buying HP products. HP’s forthcoming UMPC will supposedly feature longer battery life than current offerings and appeal to the fashion conscious, hinting at a very thin, very portable machine. We’ll get more details over the next few months. Late spring/early summer seems to be when a lot of companies are prepping to drop new tiny notebooks. HP UMPC coming this spring? [CNET Asia] via Electronista → Read More
Ceci n’est pas une Apple UMPC David Sieger is positing that Apple may or may not be working on a ultramobile-like mini-PC running Intel’s Silverthorne processor, a low-power processor that has discrete Mac SDK support. He’s also dug up some information on a device with a 5.2-inch touchscreen and 3G and, presumably, it will have to be launched six or so months before actual ship date to keep the FCC hounds from figuring out what’s happening. I’d say there’s a 70% chance of this thing actually coming out — UMPCs are way too niche right now — but the success of the iPhone shows that the PDA/Smartphone sector is strong and something a little nicer than the Kindle might make a good Apple product. Hmmm… is that why Jobs was harshing on Amazon’s ebook reader? Source Reveals: Apple’s Upcoming Portable Wireless Capable [EyeOnApple] → Read More
Micro-Star International sat gnashing its teeth as it watched Asus and Everex beat it to the punch with tiny notebook computers (which I’ll from this day forward refer to as “lapitos”). So what will MSI’s lapito have going for it? According to PC World, “MSI is working on a similar device for the ultra-low cost notebook market, using an extremely low voltage, low cost microprocessor from Intel called Diamondville. Intel has said it will formally unveil the chip at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai this April.” An anonymous MSI spokesperson wearing a trench coat and low-brimmed hat lit a cigarette in a darkened corner of a parking garage and said, “When Diamondville is ready, our project will be ready.” He probably then threw some sort of awesome smoke bomb on the ground before disappearing into the night. We should likely see these lapitos in July or August. MSI Readying Diamondville Low-Cost Laptop [PC World] → Read More
This is going to be an interesting year. A year when a whole bunch of Asus Eee-like 7- to 9-inch notebooks are going to start coming out of the woodwork. An Everex version is coming out in less than a week at Walmart stores and, of course, there’s the actual Eee itself that’s available now. But throughout the year, we’ll see even more options — some most recently reported to be coming from Acer and Gigabyte. Acer is reportedly developing 8- and 9-inch notebooks for late first quarter or early second quarter of this year. Then Gigabyte is expected to release 7- and 9-inch versions by June. All should be competitively priced against Asus’ and Everex’ offerings and, with a little healthy competition, should help to drive prices down overall. Gigabyte to launch low-cost PC in June [DigiTimes]Acer to launch low-cost notebooks late in 1Q or early 2Q, says paper [DigiTimes]Inventec enters mini notebook market [DigiTimes] → Read More
Remember FlipStart? The brickey, Paul Allen-funded “super compact PC with the form factor that’s proven to work for mobile professionals” that some people thought might never come out before it finally launched last March? The price just got karate-chopped from $1,499 down to $699, making it a relatively affordable option for those of you looking for a really tiny computer. One of the main draws is the inclusion of a Sprint EV-DO Rev A chipset, allowing you a high-speed connection option beyond the standard 802.11b/g one. You can also get the FlipStart loaded up with Windows XP or Vista Business for the same price. I’d suggest XP since there’s only 512MB of RAM and a 1.1GHz Pentium M processor. FlipStart Labs [Product Page] via Reg Hardware → Read More
I caught word from the VIA rep at CES that Everex would be offering a 7-inch Linux-based notebook at Walmart and then Nicholas followed up with the official word. Now we’re hearing that Everex will follow the 7-inch version (shown above) up with a 9-inch version some time in June and will aim to keep it under $500. The 7-inch version will cost $399 so it might be safe to say that the 9-inch version will cost $499, in which case we’ll get into discussions like, “Why would I buy this when I can get an 8-pound Dell with Windows and a bunch of other stuff for $499?” Asus also plans to release 8- and 9-inch versions of its Eee PC by the middle of the year too and it looks like Acer’s getting in on the fun as well.. Exciting stuff on the horizon, folks. As Natalie Merchant always said, “These are the days we’ll remember, my friends.” She’s so wise. Also, she looks like my Aunt Jane. Everex to make CloudBook UMPC with 9-in. LCD [Computerworld] → Read More
Next to Everex’s Eee-killer, they had another product, more a prototype than anything, but with a similar form factor. This one has its baby touchpad in a more traditional spot, which made it look even more lonely and puny. It truly is only about as big as your “tab” key, though it works surprisingly well. → Read More
I found the VIA table last night, tucked way back in a corner and found out that Everex will begin selling an ultraportable Linux-based notebook similar to the one shown here. This one is from Packard Bell and runs XP — currently being sold in Europe — but the one we’ll be getting in the US within the next week or so will be manufactured by Everex and will run Linux. It’ll cost $399, too. The processor is a VIA C7-M running at 1.2GHZ, there’s a gigabyte of RAM, a 30-gigabyte hard drive, almost four hours of battery life, 7-inch screen (not a touchscreen) and, get this, DVI out instead of 15-pin VGA out. I came back to this table three or four times throughout the night and I’m excited to see what Everex is able to do with it. → Read More
Here’s a little device set to hit the Korean market in about a month and possibly the rest of the world this summer, pending a distribution deal. It’s manufactured by Kaon Mobile and is about the size of a smaller UMPC, featuring a sliding screen similar to the Sidekick Slide. It’s a slick looking little machine that caught my eye quicker than a booth babe holding a box of Dunkin’ Donuts. → Read More
SeekingAlpha has pieced together evidence of an upcoming Apple UMPC with that looks like an iPhone with not one by two home buttons on either side of the device. It is rumored to run on gumdrops and puppy whiskers and may cost $5 when it is finally launched at the Kingom of Arglebargle’s MacWorld Expo on the planet Flutterbutter. My strongest piece of evidence came from a trusted tipster about 4 months ago who described an image s(he) had seen of a mysterious touch screen device larger than the iPhone featuring one distinguishing button or depression on each side. At the time, unsure about the actual size of this new device, I reasoned that it could be a new generation of iPhone/iPod Touch or the much rumored Apple tablet. However, the device was later described to have been oriented horizontally on its long end, indicating that it was meant to be gripped with one hand on each side similar to a Sony (SNE) PSP. This ruled out the Apple tablet which is, more than likely, a significantly larger device. It also ruled out iPod Touch since I have been previously tipped on the forward path of the iPod lineup by different sources, essentially confirming that touch screen iPods will not grow much in screen size. Great King Wango Muffin of the Flutterbutter Ruling Council confirmed that the new OLPC will have a featured called the Poof Keeper and will be able to hold the cold west wind and release it at will, allowing you to blow down enemies with stored kinetic energy. More details as CrunchGear — and everyone else — makes them up. (Seriously, though: UMPC? Which market are they trying to serve? Medicine? The military?) Details of Apple’s Mysterious New Portable Device [SeekingAlpha] → Read More
Newegg.com has the 2GB Asus Eee PC available in black, blue, or pink for $299. Three-day shipping is available for around $10. This model is pretty similar to the 4GB version that’s been on the market for a couple months except that it’s got half the storage and no built-in webcam. ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf [Newegg.com] → Read More
Holy crap. Here’s an OQO for under $1100 after a $780 instant rebate. Hurry! OQO Model 02 UMPC [TigerDirect.com] via GottaBeMobile.com → Read More
San Francisco, CA
