02Jun2006
Well we’ve read a lot of reviews now, this one on the other hand does not give us a good idea about the device… You know it’s their opinion (named here as a review) and every one of us have our own.
When we first began testing the Q1, we found that having to touch the icons, rather than pointing and clicking, takes a lot of unlearning. As the novelty of the Q1 wore off and the frustration wore on, we became rather disenchanted. We could not find any real purpose in using it [...]
Verdict: While a few things impressed us about the Q1, we think the price is exorbitant for a hand-held device that has no clearly discernable purpose. Maybe a second generation Q2 will make a better impression [...]
Interested in reading more [ go here ]
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30May2006
Carrypad reviews the Paceblade easybook p7 UMPC. A detailed 7 page review which covers all that we need to know about the device.
Over the last week we’ve been fortunate enough to have one of the first Microsoft Origami-based UMPC’s to arrive in Europe. Its an Easybook P7 from Paceblade, a VIA C7-M based device.
We’ve lived with the device and put it though some typical useage scenarios. Its certainly mobile and certainly very easy to use as it run a standard Microsoft Windows XP operating system with Tablet (touch screen) extensions.
There’s no hardware keyboard and only 800×480 pixels to play with it - is it really enough to be useful? [...]
Read the [ full review here ]
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25May2006
As promised the guys at Digital World Tokyo has a detailed review (or should we say preview) of the Sony Vaio UX Series.
It’s rare that a new product causes as much of a buzz as that surrounding Sony’s take on the UMPC that was announced here in Tokyo on May 16. Looking at the VGN-UX50 handheld PC in the flesh, as we have been doing for the last week, makes it easy to understand at least a little of the hype.
Put simply, the UX50 is one very attractive piece of kit — the sleek blacks and silvers it’s made of instantly ask that you pick the thing up and play with it. Realizing that there’s a Windows-based PC inside with all the functionality of a full-size laptop or desktop simply adds to the “wow� factor.
Throw in a few novelty items, such as the typically Sony IC-card reader, a touch-sensitive screen, a fingerprint scanner and a blue-backlit sliding keyboard for a pretty stunning first impression. In fact, it’s all very reminiscent of previous U series mini Vaios, but that’s another story.
What they reviewed/previewed?
The Japanese Vaio VGN-UX50 model we looked at costs ¥169,800 (US$1,550) and doesn’t include any office software. Adding Microsoft Office 2003 ups that by another ¥40,000. It weighs 520g, measures 15 x 9.5 x 3.2-3.8cm and battery life is rated at 3.5 hours.
U.S. versions of the UX series will have a range of processors to choose from and Cingular EDGE WAN integrated when they launch in July. Prices start at $1,800 [...Read the full preview here...]
NOTE: They seemed to have had some technical issues with this posting and there is something still missing in what they have posted, looks like it would be fixed soon. It’s fixed now
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24May2006
Posted by Joe
in Reviews, Samsung and Specs.
By now most of us have a clear picture of what to expect in an UMPC and there has been many reviews done on the Samsung and TabletKiosk till date, Riyad of Trusted Reviews has yet another in-depth review of the product…
I have to admit that I’m not convinced that the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) category of devices has any business existing. From the minute I saw prototypes of these devices start to appear, the UMPC just appeared to be a solution to a problem that didn’t really exist. Is there really a need for a device that sits between an ultra-portable notebook and a fully featured PDA? I’m not so sure. But despite my lack of faith in the UMPC, I am a real sucker for cool gadgets so I was keen to get my paws on a Samsung Q1 despite my reservations.
The first thing that struck me about the Q1 was the packaging. Samsung has really pushed the boat out to make the Q1 look good even when it’s in the box. Much like the old Apple iPod cube shaped boxes, the Q1 packaging looks sleek, stylish and expensive. But since you can’t judge a book by its cover, it’s good to know that the Q1 itself looks even better than the box that it ships in [...more...]
Verdict:
Top marks to Samsung for creating a beautifully designed and constructed ultra mobile PC. The Q1 really does look the part and in many ways it has the ability to back up its stylish appearance. The inclusion of the USB keyboard travel pack is more of an obvious necessity than a good idea, making the Q1 a usable mobile computer. General browsing and even watching video is a joy on this little machine, but you really want to do these things on the move, without being tethered to a power socket.
Ideally I’d like to see the next Q1 (the Q2 maybe?) ship with a higher resolution screen – preferably 1,024 pixels wide – and better battery life. Considering that Sony can squeeze seven hours out of the TX2XP, I have no doubt that Samsung can manage better battery life in the next Q1, but as the current Q1 stands, it’s not the ultimate mobile computer that it should be
Read the [ Full review here ]
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18Apr2006
Posted by Joe
in Reviews and Videos.
We’ve seen the Video Review of TabletKiosk eo by James (jkOnTheRun) a while back. Now its Rob Bushway (GottaBeMobile)’s turn i guess. This review takes a different approach. Here is what Rob Says…
My kids like calling it “the Origami� and “the Oreo�, my son says it feels just like a PSP or Gameboy, others refer to it as a UMPC or Ultra Mobile PC – whatever it is we name it, it is obvious that Microsoft and Intel have isolated a real “personal� niche. TabletKiosks eo is our real first look at this new form factor and the “Origami experience�. 
Please use this video review and my “initial thoughts� post as a total review on the TabletKiosk eo and the Origami experience.
In this video review of TabletKiosk’s eo, I take a look at the eo itself, showing my kids interaction with it, an interview with my 11 year old son Dax, overview of the eo, size comparisons with the LS800, software screenshots, handwriting demonstration, resolution demonstration, DialKeys demonstration, and then some closing thoughts. The things that I didn’t mention are covered in the “initial thoughts� post, and if I didn’t cover your particular question or needs, post a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them. I tried encoding this video as a .wmv, but the formatting of the video just never measured up to a quality I was pleased with, so I chose to stick with the embedded Flash Video format
Things that I didn’t cover in the video:
- Screen rotation is not implemented in the eo – I tried it and it does not work. To be honest, I didn’t miss it and would probably find the experience miserable due to screen real estate issues anyway. The only value I see in portrait with this form factor would be in book reading.
- I ran out of time to get some outside shot comparisons between the LS800 and the eo. I will tell you that the screen is very nice, but in direct sunlight, it is not viewable. That said, the LS800 VA in direct sunlight is not too viewable either.
- I had to revert to screen shots verses Camtasia screen recordings for some of the software demos due to some issues with merging multiple avi files together in our current editing software. In addition, the mic on the prototype eo wasn’t working, so that compounded the issue. For the most part, the screen shots captured what I wanted to communicate anyway.
View the Video | Source [GottaBeMobile]
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