A few seconds appears have been long enough to snap a few good pics and get some info from the product manager about this interesting budget mini-laptop from ASUS.

According to the Engadget gang in China, an English-language version of this could be available as early as August (2007?) and the price is real for the base model. $200 is the target for a baseline Linux version of the device. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Source.

Ubuntu are working with Gnome, Intel, Nokia, Maemo and others on something that’s badly needed – An optimised operating system for the new-gen of mobile devices. Think small-footprint, easy to use, finger-oriented, glossy, iPhone-beating, Internet-focused operating system. If you’re interested in running the project that could make this a reality, now is the time to send CV’s to Canonical/Ubuntu.

Ubuntu Project Manager, Mobile & Embedded
Job Summary: The primary objective of the role is to lead the development of a version of Ubuntu for ultra-mobile and embedded applications. The role involves technical management of a diverse team, client-facing responsibilities, and traditional project management to ensure timely delivery on commercial and community commitments.

Ubuntu Mobile Developer
Job Summary: Develop a mobile-oriented derivative of Ubuntu

More details here.

There is one key responsibility missing from the list though: Send test releases, pre-installed on the latest MID hardware, to Steve Paine, UMPCportal.

Christoph has just sent me this video. Its a live demo of a prototype device based on the Mobile-ITX motherboard.

There’s a good point made about battery life. Its not about the life, its about the battery drain. Thats why the OQO Model 02 is better on batteries than the Flipstart. In the video also you’ll hear VIA talking about getting 5 hours from a 24W/hr battery. Thats a 5W average drain. Very very good. There’s also clarification on what the C7-S is. Its a small, 9x11mm version of the C7-M. Nothing new capability-wise.

Remember this is just a demonstrator but it gives you an idea of how big/small devices based on a mobile-itx motherboard could be.

More mobile-itx news here (C7-S) and here (launch news)

…we think. Look at this hi-res image. The C7-S is embedded right onto the motherboard to the left of the single-chip north/southbridge. There’s no info about it yet and the VTF keynotes have finished so I doubt we’ll get much more news about it today.

So while its not a C8, it looks like it could be a re-engineered version of the C7. Its a little disappointing. I was expecting at least a Core-Fusion PC on-a-chip version but I guess this board solution could make low-cost, very small UMPCs a possibility.

Exclusive Hi-Res images of the board have just been posted at Epiacenter.com.

VIA have just announced the Mobile-ITX form-factor.

You imagine a 7″ UMPC screen? If you can imagine a motherboard  that’s a smidgen bigger than that, then you’re picturing the size of the new Mobile-ITX motherboard from VIA. This thing is tiny. 7.5cm x 4.5cm. About the size of a playing card! Its half the size of a Pico-ITX motherboard and contains ‘a very low power processor that operates as low as a quarter of a watt.’ Hold on Mr Brown. What exactly are you saying there? We all know that your current best operates at around 1 watt. Are you telling us that you’ve got a new processor on it? Its not a core fusion part. Is it a C8-M?

Update: Its a new CX700 single-chip solution. Based on C7-S we think. We’re looking into it…Some new info here.

The VTF Keynote speeches are on right now. I’m expecting big news within minutes.

Update: PCWorld reports that it is a C7 processor. “Brown didn’t specify which version the board will use, but said the chip consumes 0.25 watts of power or less when running. “And that’s not when the system is idling,” he said.” They also say it will “hit markets next year.”

Someone has put up a size-easy comparison.

Via BrownKnows.

Despite the news of two new, keyboard-laden UMPCs today, I’m still finding the Everun an attractive proposition. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look at the video we got of it and the specs. Then take a look at the prices. These are target U.S. retail prices before sales tax. Attractive?

Christoph, our Taipei spy who’s probably lost in some seedy downtown bar with a thousand other geeks by now, mentioned this to me at lunchtime as we had went over the VIA nanobook details. At first I thought it might have been the Intel educational UMPC that we’ve seen before (left) but it runs out that its a project with Asustek. There’s a press release that gives a few technical details (via Gizmodo) and a slightly more interesting story at the Inquirer which follows the lines of what Christoph heard in the Intel talk at Computex today.

The story is that this is aimed at the educational or emerging markets for an entry price of $199. technical details show that this is a very low end device (starting with 4GB flash, no HDD) and, according to Christoph, appeared to be running Linux. This might explain the ‘two modes of intuitive user interface’ statement in the press release because it then goes on to say ‘The Eee PC is also Windows XP compatible.’

With a battery life of 3hrs and a weight of 0.83kg I’m guessing there’s something like an old 600Mhz Pentium M inside. Newer CPU’s and chipsets would take the cost too high. Surely? And the price must be a bulk, trade, pre-tax possibly subsidized price for emerging markets. There’s no way you’re going to get that into a western market for $199.

Kohjinsha, T83 (no word of it at Computex yet), Nanobook and now Eee. The 7″ ultra mobile notebook market is hotting up.