The tech blogs of the western world are literally full of Slate, pad and tablet talk. ‘Smart’ this or ‘App-store’ that; There’s nothing like a new and controversial product category to get traffic flowing. Meanwhile, sitting in the background and  forming a nuclear part of the handheld category of computing devices are the UMPCs that have been serving pro-mobile, industry and education users for many years. Consumers generally aren’t interested in a device targeted at getting work done while on the move but maybe that will change with the smooth-looking Viliv N5 which is meeting many of our expectations and could teach the ‘pads’ a few tricks too.

Viliv N5 specifications, discussion, links, videos and images in the community specifications page.

First five minutes.

I could almost copy and paste the ‘first five minutes’ overview from the Viliv S5 because it was almost the same. In fact the packaging was even better this time round. It’s a shame there was no case included but the unit itself more than makes up for that. It has velvety smooth black rubberized plastic, rounded edges, an extremely clean look all over (the slab battery slots in and forms the back of the unit) and on opening the unit you’re pleased at the feel of the keyboard as you instinctively give it that mock thumbing action. Taking the Windows 7 and Intel Atom stickers off improves the look (as always!) but exposes the huge frame that exists around the 5” screen. Its somewhat disappointing to see so much unused space on either side of the screen.

Open Review Videos.

We often record a live, open review of devices and the Viliv N5 was no exception. in 2hrs with JKKMobile and a hundred or so more people interacting live via a chat session we went over the device and exposed the good and bad. All the videos from the live session are available, unedited, here. Check back regularly on UMPCPortal and Carrypad for news about more live sessions.

We also have an N5 review video available on YouTube.

Specifications

The Viliv N5 is based on the Intel Menlow platform that includes the Z520 Atom CPU at 1.3Ghz and the ‘Poulsbo’ chipset which includes a GMA 500 GPU and video decoding hardware. It runs Windows 7 Home Starter operating system.  On the review model we had a 32 GB SSD and 1GB of RAM. There’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the GPS module, stereo speakers, a 1024×600 glossy, LED-backlit resistive touchscreen and a built-in 3G module to make the device truly mobile. The battery is a slim 16wh unit.

Full specifications can be found on the product page.

From the outside.

As mentioned above, the N5 is a very clean and stylish looking unit with a rubberized plastic finish and a shaped slab-battery that forms the rear of the device in a very similar way to the old OQO Model 02 that the N5 could be compared with. All ports except the headphone port are covered which again helps to make the device look clean. In the hand, the N5 suffers from being rather dense. It is, of course, lightweight coming in at 400gm / 14oz but due to its size, feels like a solid package. The comparable UMID BZ is noticeably lighter. If its anything like the Viliv X70 though, it will be due to strong casing. Only time will tell on that but checking the hinge and hearing from Viliv that the screen is covered with a hardened glass seems to confirm it. Opening the device could be easier though and the hinge does seem to be a bit tight.

Don’t expect the full range of netbook-style ports on the N5. Although you’ve got a USB, headphone and microSD slot, there’s no Ethernet and importantly, no analogue video out. It’s a surprise omission from a device that could have been a real Swiss-army knife for traveling salespeople. A USB-VGA dongle is the only option if you want to use the N5 to show presentations. The 3G SIM card slot (connecting to a 5.6/7/2 Mbps and voice-capable Huawei EM 770W) is located behind the battery. Voice capability is included and working. SMS capability is also included in the Mobile Partner software.

Full image sets in the Viliv N5 gallery.

The rubberized plastic finish is relatively resistant to finger grease but you’ll still need to carry a cloth if you want the device to remain smudge-free.

Two clamshell-style handheld PCs; Both offering great features, good battery life and usability at a price that would have been unheard of a few years ago. For the ultimate in thumb-able PCs, the Viliv N5 and UMID BZ have no competition. Sure, the Fujitsu UH900 and Sony P-Series look the same but these two are in a different sizing category and make a great alternatives to the OQO Model 02+ that never was. These two devices have the same adventurous spirit that the Psion 5 had all those years ago and that says a lot.

I’ve rounded-up my thoughts in a 17-minute video below but if you want the text version, read-on. Feel free to ask questions below. I’ll attend to all of them.

Viliv N5 specifications, images, link, videos.

UMID BZ specifications, images, link, videos.

It’s actually very easy to summarise the difference between the two devices. One uses relatively low-cost components, skimps on memory and is built to a price. The other uses high quality parts both inside and out in order to offer a more rounded computing experience. A better, less stressful computing experience. The Viliv N5 is the latter and really offers more of a multi-tasking experience where you’ll be able to run 5 Firefox tabs, Media-player, Livewriter, Tweetdeck and a background media player without any real hiccups. The UMID BZ isn’t bad though because if you’re  only using one or two apps and can put up with the occasional ‘pause’, the UMID offers excellent value and even some additional features not found on the Viliv N5.

Key Differences:

Style – The Viliv N5 wins hands-down. The UMID BZ looks cheap in comparison. In our experience the UMID build quality is high though.

Screen – The UMID BZ screen is brighter. Noticeably brighter. If you’re looking to use these devices outside, by the window in a train or on the dash of your car, the UMID BZ is the best.

Touchscreen – The UMID has a much lighter touchscreen. I find it easier to use than the slightly heavier weight of the N5 touchscreen.

External Screen – Only the UMID BZ offers you a video-out possibility so if you want to use these devices for presentations or as a low-power, low-end desktop PC (it’s possible) then don’t go for the current Viliv N5. [A pro-model might add this feature at a later date.]

Keyboard – VERY IMPORTANT. The N5 offers a keyboard that can be used for thumbing but is wide enough to allow a good rate of touch-tapping. The UMID offers a better thumbing keyboard (smaller width, less spongy keys) but is much harder to use on a table.

CPU – The 100Mhz speed difference on the CPU is hardly noticeable. On average, you’ll probably get to see a web page 1-second quicker on the Viliv N5.

3G – The N5 is available with 3G for the ultimate in mobility. The UMID BZ will need to be tethered to a mobile phone or connected to a MiFi router which isn’t as easy to set-up or use.

Price – The UMID BZ is $150 cheaper than the entry-level Viliv N5.

Battery Life – In tests so far, the Viliv is lasting between 3 and 3.5 hours in full use. With optimisations (lower screen brightness, good radio control) the Viliv N5 should reach 4 hours. The UMID seems to last for 4 hours without much attention from the user.

Video playback - Out of the box, the Viliv provides excellent local file playback capabilities. Up to 1080p (H.264 tested) works better than on any other UMPC we’ve tested. YouTube HQ (480p) to full-screen size works better on the Viliv N5. (Flash 10.1 and Windows 7 appear to work well together)

Phone features – The Viliv N5 is able to make voice calls through the cellular modem. (Only on the 3G version.)

Operating System – The Viliv N5 runs Windows 7 Home Starter edition. The UMID BZ offers Windows XP Home. The latter uses less memory and disk (the UMID BZ offers over 20GB of space. The Viliv N5 only 11GB. Both have 32GB drives) and neither operating systems offer any sort of special touch or input features.

Update: GPS – Correctly pointed out by a couple of people that sent emails, the Viliv N5 has GPS which makes it usable as a navigation system. There are no Windows-7 compatible (sensor) drivers though, the GPS simply appears on COM1 at 9600 or 4800 bps depending on configuration. First lock (using VisualGPS) took about 2 minutes (for full 3D fix) but the lock was lost indoors next to a window. For people thinking about using this in a car, consider the glossy screen and brightness.

Video Comparison- See the video below for an overview of the differences. For Viliv N5 specific reviews, see this page. For UMID BZ reviews, see this page.

UMID Korea now officially has the mbook SE (Special Edition) listed on their site. The mbook SE is just like the mbook BZ [Portal page] that Chippy thoroughly covered, but it has twice the RAM at 1GB and replaces the BZ’s 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z515 CPU with the Atom 530 running at 1.6GHz. The wireless has also seen a slight augmentation; it now supports WiFi N, in addition to B/G. Aside from these differences (and a white paintjob instead of silver/black one), the BZ and the SE are identical, optical mouse pointer and all.

The mbook SE is selling for $568 in Korea, and thanks to Pocketables, we have confirmation that the UMID mbook SE will eventually be available in the US through Dynamism.

We’ve fired up the UMID mbook SE tracking page in our device portal and it’s got the full device specs if you are interested.

Good work, Pocketables! The team over there have picked up two news items on the Viliv N5 today. Together, they give us a good indication that the product is ready for pre-sale.

News item number 1 shows the Viliv N5 being advertised in Japan with XP (Standard Edition) and Windows 7 (Premium edition)

News item number 2 shows the Viliv N5 advertised by Dynamism in the latest Laptop magazine with 3G and 4G options.

We’ve also spotted the ‘Standard’ edition at GeekStuff4U, indicating a mid-June availability but given the fact these availability always slips, we’re still expecting July availability.

We will be meeting with Viliv at Computex early next week so we’re expecting to hear full details, prices and availability. Finally! We’ve got our fingers crossed that we can walk away with a review sample too so stay tuned for news of a live open review when we get back after Computex.

With a hat-tip towards e-book reading and mobile video-over-3G and a huge step forward for ultra mobility fans with on-screen controls, the new fully-featured Sony Vaio P11 was launched in Japan today.

Looking similar to the previous Vaio P the new model (part of a ‘coming out’ marketing campaign which could see more models released tomorrow) includes a thumb-pointer, thumb pad and mouse button on the screen frame for standing-up and comes with an option 2.1Ghz Atom Z560 CPU.

Other key features:

• Retains 600gm weight
• Grip Style Mobility
• Dual array Mic that can be used for noise cancellation through headphones.
• Accelerometer for auto-rotation
• Digital compass
• GPS
• Up to approximately 5.5 hours of battery
• Wimax / Foma (UMTS/HSPA but possibly locked/unusable outside Japan)

Genuine Windows ® 7 Home Premium 32-bit /  Ultra Wide 8 (1600 × dot 768) Vaio Plus Display / 2GB (onboard) / SSD 64GB / Intel ® GMA 500/W-LAN ( abgn) / WiMAX / Camera / Bluetooth

The P11 ALJ includes a choice of Atom CPU from the new Z560 at 2.1Ghz, the Z550 at 2.0Ghz or the Z530 at 1.6Ghz and SSD choices up to a huge 256GB

All this technology doesn’t come cheap of course. Launch price is expected to be over $1000 (local, converted) but we expect high-end models to rise higher than this. We estimate $2k for a high-end version with exports costing even more.

Initial opinion: Great, great mobility features, super light weight. (Less than an iPad but including a keyboard) high-end mobile CPU, 2GB RAM, SSD, track pointer and easy portrait mode elevate the new P11 into ultra mobile territory. Arguably one of the most complete ultra mobile PC’s we’ve ever seen although as before, the width of the device prevents on-the-go thumb typing and any sort of pocketability. The cost will be extremely high and the device needs to be compared closely to the Viliv S7 and the upcoming Viliv N5. Imports are likely to be even more expensive. Thank goodness it’s also available in Black.

Update: Ben (UMPCPortal) puts forward the modded UX as something to think about in terms of ‘best UMPC’ Jenn (Pocketables) puts forward the high-end Fujitsu UH900. All great choices. It depends if you want to go for a touch-typing experience or a thumb-typing experience in my opinion.

Vaio website from Sony Japan.

Via JKK Mobile / Akihabara.

UMID BZ details, videos and links to articles and gallery in the Product Database.

There’s a review and video of the UMID BZ coming just as soon as I receive the missing power cable from UMID (due in a few days) but in the meantime, I’ve added it to the database and finished a photo shoot. If that’s enough to tip you over the edge then Dynamism is the place you need to look next.

They’ve got the 16GB SSD model in for just $549 which is a relief considering the early pricing indicators and if you order now, you’ll get the VGA adaptor thrown in for free.

In my hours with the BZ at CES a few weeks ago it was clear that they’ve done a good job improving the casing. It’s sturdy, well finished and opens up much wider than before. The optical mouse isn’t as nice as some I’ve tried as the recess tends to feel awkward but as before, the touchscreen is nice and responsive. You’ll need to optimize Windows XP for that 1024×600 screen but that’s not a major issue.

Expect some videos from me over the next week. So far I don’t see any showstoppers. Oh, and by the way, that competitor, the Viliv N5 won’t be available until March so if you need a 4.8” clamshell with XP and lon battery life now, this is your baby.

[Dynamism affiliate links appear in our product database. There are no affiliate links in this post.]

Getting closer to the ever-green PSION 5 design is this PC, yes, Atom-based, design that Aving have just published news about.

Looking just slightly bigger than an Aigo MID, this 315gm device looks like it covers all the angles with 3G and digital TV options, a 1024×600 4.8" touchscreen, 8-32GB SSD options, 1.1 or 1.3Ghz CPU and an SD slot.

It looks like it’s due for release in 2009 according to the translation that you can find here. [Original]

Via JKKMobile

If you look at the UMID website, you’ll see a placeholder for the MID but there’s no info there yet. You’ll find an interesting 7" UMPC Slate though that’s also a new one on me.