Intel MIDs and UMPCs are available in several form factors, each designed with a different type of user in mind. The most flexible of these designs, and my personal favorite, is what I call the slide-and-tilt. It’s the most versatile because it can be used in Slate/tablet mode, two-handed slider mode, and laptop mode.

That’s why something like the Sharp/Willcom D4 is a great portable device for Dumbo, who divides his time between the air and land. He needs a gadget that will adapt to whatever environment he’s in, and the D4′s tiltable display and keyboard do that. Laptop mode for typing at a desk or hands-free media consumption, slider mode for quick data entry while standing or walking around, Slate mode for inking (or "trunking" in this case) and reading documents and websites, using the touchscreen or touchpads beside the screen to scroll.

Jenn, now a Willcom D4 owner as well as an SC3 owner, has her first impressions up. As expected, the battery life isn’t good at all with the tiny standard battery returning 1.5 hours of use. Its efficient of course, but that’s not really enough is it. I really don’t understand how any OEM could convince themselves that it’s acceptable to expect people to buy a second battery.

Apart from that, the device seems to be performing well enough with Vista on the 1.33Ghz CPU.

The Willcom D4 never felt right to me from the word go and this review doesn’t change my opinion.

Review at Pocketables. Specifications and more links on the D4 information page.

The Willcom D4 and Kohjinsha SC3 devices, the first to run on the Intel MID platform (Menlow) are reaching peoples hands through importers now and I’m happy to be one of them. I have an SC3 sitting behind me, still sealed up, that i’ll take a closer look at later. If you’re tracking the Willcom device though, and many are due to its tiny size and Windows OS, you’ll want to check out this unboxing from Wow-Pow. There’s no real hands-on yet and no word from them on battery life, a critical element on this device, but Wow-Pow have promised to bring a more hands-on focused video later.

Don’t forget to check out the opinions from Direct From Japan and keep an eye on Pocketables who are also expecting the device.

Details specs and up-to-date links are always available in the Willcom D4 info page.

Energy efficiency is, without a doubt, the most important design factor for any pocketable Ultra Mobile device. On Friday this week, there are two very important launch events taking place that will highlight the advances made in energy efficient computing over the last year. The two devices will also show how us close Intel and ARM partners really are in the race to provide handheld, Internet-focused computers. MIDs.

On one side of the fence, in PC land, Sharp and Willcom will release a pocketable slider-keyboard mobility-focused device. The Sharp Willcom D4 will be running Windows Vista on the Intel Silverthorne/Poulsbo platform also known as Menlow and is likely to be one of the most energy-efficient 3G-enabled PC’s so far.

On the other side of the fence, in smartphone land, Apple will release a smaller, 3G-capable mobility-focused device running a highly optimised desktop operating system. The iPhone 3G will be running ARM-based processors and is likely to be one of the most energy-efficient 3G smartphones so far.

The Willcom D4 is said to have (independent tests) a 3G-active time (Internet activity) of around 1.5 hours and it runs a 7wh battery.

The iPhone 3G is said to have (Apple figures) a 3G-active time (Internet activity) of around 5 hours and it is likely to run (my estimates) a battery of about 5.5wh.

3G-active Internet time is a worst-case measure of device efficiency so, based on these early figures, it looks like the Menlow-based device will use about 4.5W and an iPhone will use about 1W.  More after the pic…

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