EB (formerly known as Elektrobit) have launched a UMPC hardware platform that is one of the first to be built around the Intel Menlow platform. The device will run Linux (presumably one of the distributions that comes out of the Intel MIDIA project) and will contain advanced communication hardware such as Mobile WiMax and HSDPA. GPS will also be thrown in. It has a 4.8″ ‘high resolution’ screen.

Menlow is the 2008 platform for UMPCs that will use a processor called Silverthorne and a chipset called Poulsbo. It will be the first silicon platform developed purely for the UMPC. It is said to enable UMPCs with sub 4W average drain which means much longer battery life! When compared to some of the Intel prototypes we’ve seen in the past, this appears more stylish (doesn’t surprise me coming from a Finnish company) and possibly the closest thing yet to my Carrypad concept. If anyone has a million or so dollars laying about that they’d like to invest, email me. I have a nice web-based marketing channel for it.

Info on the MIMD (Mobile Internet Media Device) is on the EB website.