I’ve just read some great news relayed by Ctitanic at UMPCBuzz. It looks like Yahoo are going to market a UMPC next year.

The news comes via TGDaily and it mentions the ’second generation’ UMPCs. My guess is that this is all part of UMPC2007 that Dennis Luo of Microsoft talked about at the VIA Technical Forum (Computex, June 2006. His presentation is still available.) From the Carrypad VTF report:

To be a UMPC2007 version, a device must be able to support Windows Vista, use LED backlight technology, maintain the current 1Ghz class CPU (but reduce power.) and reduce thickness and weight to sub 700gm. The device should also support WWAN technologies for an always connected experience. There are some ‘possible’ scenarios thrown in too like solid-state disks, integrated LCD touch panels (not the multi-part panels that are used today.) and passive cooling.

But the specs aren’t really the most interesting thing here, its the fact that Yahoo want to brand it. You can guarantee that it will be offered as part of a Yahoo subscription package. VOIP perhaps? Flickr? Yahoo music subscriptions? YahooTV? Could this be the first subsidised UMPC?

Thanks again to UMPCBuzz for relaying that news.

Steve / Chippy.

tags: yahoo, umpc. umpc2007