UMPCPortal, the site that I started as Carrypad.com in Feb 2006, survives! It’s full of mobile computing history that needs to be preserved. Maybe in another 10 years we’ll be able to look back at the equipment and wonder how we ever survived. Here’s 2007, for example. Crazy!
You’ll notice that most ads and plugins and bells and whistles are now gone so the site is faster and hopefully more stable. You might also notice that the sites Ultrabooknews and Chromebookworld are gone. They were out of date and needed to be put to rest. I’ve imported and redirected the pages here on UMPCPortal.
Do you still use a UMPC? If so, let me know in the comments.
UMPCs in 2018. What you can expect from UMPCPortal.
Ultra mobile personal computers running Windows are no more, that much is clear. But ultra mobile personal computing continues. I’m not just talking about smartphones that have replaced them but also the smart and connected technology that you’ll now find in cars, bikes, cameras and home devices. I won’t be covering all that on UMPCPortal but I will continue to cover some of the stuff I love and some of the stuff I do in my daily work. This, for example…
And this, a multi camera mobile streaming solution.
I may also talk a bit about personal transport. Ulrta Mobile Personal Carriers!
I’m not longer a professional blogger (thanks to Facebook!) so if you want to follow my real work, you’ll find it here on Twitter, where I talk about SEO data and city mobility.
Do you still use a traditional UMPC?
How many of you are still using a Windows-based UMPC? Are you looking forward to the Qualcomm-based solutions? What do you think of WIndows 10 as a mobile computing solution? Let’s continue this journey. All your reactions are welcome in the comments or over on Facebook.
January 31st, 2018 at 12:26 pm
You mention Facebook impacting your blogging business, is that because it’s stealing all the potential ad revenue away from bloggers?
January 31st, 2018 at 3:02 pm
It removed the need to scan websites or RSS feeds, shortened the time at which people care to read articles and changes the advertising landscape.
January 31st, 2018 at 1:26 pm
Glad to see UMPCPortal isn’t dead yet. I am still using UMPCs, but moved to Linux full time. GPD Win and Pocket running Kubuntu 17.10 atm and it is rock-solid with the latest kernel. The keyboard could be improved a lot but that is not something new to us UMPC veterans (Zaurus and Fujitsu U-series).
I would love to see you review one of the devices in the GPD product line. They seem to be quite serious about the form factor, with a new Core M based Win 2 available soon (pre-order on Indiegogo).
January 31st, 2018 at 2:41 pm
Glad to see UMPC Portal sticking around! And I’m a little jealous of the hobby blogging that let you kill most of the ads. The site looks/performs great!
January 31st, 2018 at 6:42 pm
I’ve been reading your posts since the Carrypad days and I’m glad to see you are still going strong. I’m writing this on my Dell Venue 8 Pro (the 2nd gen which replaced the 1st gen which replaced the Thinkpad Tablet 10 (which doesn’t really count) which replaced the OQO 02). Yes, I’m an addict.
Don’t give up the lost cause.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:22 pm
I’m happier to get devices that run Linux out of the box. I had a Nokia N800, then I switched to 7″ android tablets (still fits in a jacket pocket). With a foldable BT keyboard in another pocket/bag.
It does what I need, though I still avidly follow new devices like the Gemini PDA or any jacket pocket sized “pure” Linux tablet project.
February 1st, 2018 at 12:21 am
Glad this site is still kickin’ and screamin’. On a (hopefully) related note, an oldie like me had a flip phone back in late 2003 and once I started taking pics, the friends around were a bit amazed–phone with a camera!? Shortly after that, I had a PDA device (forgetting the brand name) where I installed GeoVision’s software to watch home video streams anywhere I could some internet signal–that too amazed people!
But it’s sad that Chippy’s great work is neglected and ignored. Maybe learn from our Dear Leader Trump to get some attention ;)
February 7th, 2018 at 4:09 pm
Lovely little site. Reminds me of PreCentral, and The-Ebook-Reader. Small guardians of classic tech and the old school/non-mainstream perspective. Please keep the site up as long as you’re able!
February 15th, 2018 at 9:27 am
I’m waiting the new Gemini PDA, and I like the GPD pocket PC. There are still room for small computers. And I prefer Linux to Windows.
February 21st, 2018 at 2:02 am
Hey, so glad this site is still around. I still hang on to my Q1 Ultra which was my LIFE and went everywhere with me for my last few years of college and holds a special place in my heart. I was thinking of using it as a dedicated media player with a nice DAC now and decided to dig around to see if any of the old sites I used to lurk around were still up and I’m happy to see Chippy is still around! I’d LOVE to see a modern machine with the Q1 ultra form factor and keyboard but everyone is so focused on copying the iPad, failing to do that well, then they kill the whole category when they don’t sell. Think different. Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping the history alive.
March 19th, 2018 at 11:55 am
The Q1 Ultra was indeed a fantastic device. I have half of one lying around somewhere still! (No battery) I’m not sure it if still works even! Thanks for your story. Hope you find something soon that is as buddy-like as the Q1 Ultra was for you.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Nice one Chippy, glad it is still alive, Arm processors are very powerful Nowadays to compete with intel mobile ones so it’s an interesting space. A 7,8,8.9” device Arm or intel running Windows 10 and pen support will make me very happy, currently use an HP Pro 608 G1 A’s note taking, ebook-magazine reader, browsing and car entertainment for my toddler. The form factor is amazing but the combination of processor and storage is crap, and also have an intel stick hooked to my telly for streaming.
Keep up the good work,
Cheers
H
March 19th, 2018 at 11:57 am
ARM processors have pretty much overtaken the abandoned Intel ultra-mobile processors now, expecially in the area of storage speed. I hope we’ll see a few Windows / ARM based products this year but I feel that the adventurous spirit has now completely gone from the manufacturers.
April 6th, 2018 at 4:15 am
I still use the Fujitsu Lifebook U820 everyday. I got some hacked videodrivers to get true 3D support on it and don’t get on the internet with it, mostly because the modern internet is a bloated, slow, memory hogging, responsive HD trainwreck. I a bit of a retrohead in general, so it’s a nice halfway house between my modern machine and outright running something like a Mac Plus.