CCC Week. Challenges 7-9

Posted on 13 October 2008, Last updated on 11 November 2019 by

Thanks to you all for the 30+ requests for buying advice I had over the weekend. It’s more requests than I expected so I may not get through them all but I’m planning on calling up JKK at the end of the week and asking him to do a customer challenge podcast to cover requests that I wasn’t able to write about this week. Lets get straight into it now though with the first 3 requests.

lotsofumpcs

CCC 7. Alex

Alex wants a pocketable device to run skype with video, a full browser and Wifi b/g. He’d also like to see GPS, a Windows or Linux OS and is prepared to pay up to $1000.

That Skype video requirement doesn’t sit so well with the pocketable size requirement unfortunately due to skype being a relatively processor and radio-heavy application (=heat and size!) but there’s a few things you can consider. Firstly, the Wibrain B1H with the 1.2Ghz processor. Its not quite small enough for every pocket but its a incredibly useable and mobile device. Prices on the already good value B1 should drop dramatically soon as resellers move to clear stock for the WiBrain i1 which is planned for launch very very soon. The i1 will come with a 1.1 or 1.3Ghz processor. The 1.1Ghz version will probably be too weak for Skype video though. Also, watch the build quality. B1’s were never known for being the most rugged of devices. The second option is the new ASUS R50a. Its looking like this will launch for around 1000 Euro which will probably translate to $1200 but its got that great built-in 3G capability. Alternatives to watch out for are the Gigabyte M528 (A great platform but some questions remaining over the software!) and the Viliv S5 planned for a $500-ish launch later this year. 

CCC 8. BJ

BJ needs a huge hard drive and wonders what the smallest device with a 2.5" SATA drive is.

The M912 from Gigabyte is the stand-out device here but BJ already has one of those. The Kohjinsha SH range used 2.5" drives but I’d hesitate to recommend them unless you can get one with XP. The SH6 and SH8 I tested were both with Vista and compared to the M912, they were terribly slow but if you could find one with XP, you’d save a few hundred grams. You’ll find a few netbooks with 2.5" drives (E.g. MSI Wind) but you really wont save yourself much weight. 2.5" drives and UMPCs rarely work will from a design and battery life perspective so you might have to wait for a big 1.8" drive for storage. I doubt you’ll see anything as fast as the M912 though. It really does fly. Looks like you already made the best choice BJ!

CCC 9. Kes

Kes is looking for an XP  ‘pad’ by the looks of his request. "Usage scenarios Surfing/using as ebook reader (pdfs and comics!) in chair/bed. Using at University (which I cycle to) to type the odd bit of text. Also using on tables around the house to type on and surf net. Playing the occasional game, watching the odd bit of video and listening to music. Must have Windows (XP preferred) Price <UKP500

Kes, I know where you’re coming from! This is exactly what I did most with my Q1 Ultra although its usage extended to the car and, with the superb Samsung Q1 keyboard, to table-top, netbook-style operations. The screen is top-notch and the battery life exceptional. You’ll get used to the built-in keyboard after a while but I’ll be honest, its not a comfortable experience typing on the Q1 Ultra. If you need something better for typing, try the Gigabyte M704. Its also got a great screen and good battery life although the GPU won’t be up to much gaming at all and the sliding keyboard might not be as ‘student-rugged’ as the Q1 Ultra. The Q1 Ultra and M704 are two of the best all-rounder UMPCs there are but prices might stretch up over 500 if you don’t keep an eye out for offers and bargains. Check out DFJ-Store and Mobilx for offers on the M704 and as we move towards the end of the year and a rumored update to the Q1 Ultra, you’ll probably see prices reductions and special offers on it.

More CCC responses later today. All previous challenges here.

7 Comments For This Post

  1. BJ says:

    Thanks for your response! I’ve looked at the SH6 and SH8, but comparing the prices to the M912, it just didn’t seem worth the price. As for the 1.8 inch drives – while they are getting larger, the 2.5 are getting larger faster, and with the data set that I have, (and it is growing all the time), I’m afraid that the 1.8 will always be below the curve for me.

    But it is also nice to know that it seems like I picked the right machine!

    Thanks again!

    bj

  2. JP says:

    Well the OpenBook design from VIA should be a 1kg/9inches device with a 2.5in HDD.

    However we are still waiting for any OpenBook-based device to be actually released and publicly available… And weight could be finally higher, or maybe it will be 1kg with a damn small battery that won’t last for long. :-/

  3. Kes says:

    Thanks Chippy.
    Interesting… I had looked at the Q1 Ultra but not really given it serious consideration. I thought it was starting to look a little dated and not great value. For £500 I could just about get the 600 MHz version.
    I was veering towards the M912 or even the Everun Note given your glowing praise of it. The M912 seems like a better value product (albeit a tad heavy) but you’re the expert.
    I’m a bit confused as to how a 600MHz Intel A110 compares to a 1.6GHz Atom power-wise.
    I may have to look out for Q1 Ultra bargains.

  4. Dave P says:

    For Europeans looking for a pocketable computer, don’t rule out the OQO e2. While the stateside prices remain high, Expansys has a 1.5 GHz e2 for about 700 pounds and a similar model with T-Mobile 3g for 840.

  5. John says:

    Did I miss challenges 1-6?

  6. Chippy says:

    All previous challenges here:
    http://www.umpcportal.com/tag/customer-challenge

  7. Kes says:

    The more I look at the Q1 Ultra, the more I like it. It seems like a versatile device especially with the organiser and keyboard. They seem to be coming onto eBay with reasonable frequency too. I probably wouldn’t have considered it without the Chippy seal-of-approval!

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