SlashGear is reporting that Intel is working on a version of something called an SIMD accelerator that will help increase graphical performance on future mobile devices. There isn’t too much to go on with the small amount of information that Intel released, but apparently the SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) accelerator that they are working on uses 10x less power than current SIMD accelerators use, making the new SIMD accelerator practical for use in handheld devices, particularly MIDs, as Intel mentions.

The concept of Single Instruction, Multiple Data seems somewhat contradictory to the current Atom processors which use in-order execution, but then again, I can’t claim to be an expert on CPU architecture, so these things may be unrelated. It sounds like Intel’s newer, less power hungry SIMD accelerator could be used in conjunction with their upcoming Moorestown platform.

The first beta of Mozilla’s mobile focused browser was recently released, and provided that it runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, I thought I’d give it a try on my Sony VAIO UX180 [Portal page]. I flipped the unit into portrait mode and recorded a quick demo of the action. I’m pretty impressed so far and I like the interface. They still have some work to do and it will be really interesting to see how good of a web experience you can have on a Linux powered device (like the N810 [Portal page]) with lots of familiar Firefox addons running in conjunction with Fennec. Check out the video below:

So as I mention in the video, this was easier to explain with a video than writing it, so consider this a video post!

How about you dear readers; what is your preference on hinge strength and what advantages does it offer?

Strange things happen when there’s a lot of beautiful devices around and a lot of time to play with them. The Viliv S5 was riding high on my personal list of faves but there’s something about the on-screen keyboard I cant get used to. I’m reaching a barrier with it and I think its something to do with the amount of thought needed to remain consistent with the on-screen keyboard. Its a tough learning curve that doesnt seem to be flattening out and considering the amount of content I create while I’m mobile, Its not fitting my needs.

Being able to use the UMID Mbook for a while made me realise how comfortable a real keyboard is. No learning curve, no eye stress and that important tactile feedback. Its certainly got a few build quality issues and the battery life isnt as good as on the S5 but its looking like a great tradeoff for a pocketable device. It feels fast too and after running it through a CrystalMark test, I can see why. The SSD is really helping. I dont like the lack of mouse buttons and again, I have reservations about the build quality but its really breaking through for me as a great MID.

But that’s not what i’m falling for in Texas. What i’m falling for in Texas is something very similar but slightly higher up the quality chain. It’s the Fujitsu Loox U/B50N that Conics have loaned me.

I can sum it up by saying ‘quality.’ Everything about the device is HQ from the screen to the well thought-out control buttons and excellent efficiency. The 1.6Ghz CPU gives me enough power to do basic video top-and-tailing and a bit of headroom when using Skype and Im using the SD card slot all the time for transferring photos to flickr. There are definitely some issues with Vista but in general, its running acceptably. XP would be a lot better but I think Windows 7 could be the one to go for here.

The question now is, do I buy one?  Do I need one. If I had my netbook here, would my thoughts be different? Pocketability hangs on my thoughts too.

Any Fuji ultra mobile PC owners out there care to chip in with a comment about the good and bad of the device?

One of the most important aspects of the Sony VAIO P is its tiny size. Sony always pushes the envelope when it comes to seeing how small they can package a full PC. Their VAIO UX line and ultra-portable laptops are a fine example of that.

Sony has taken the top end of the Atom platform, and put it inside an almost envelope sized package along with some premium hardware. The top end VAIO P that I’m evaluating (thanks to Dynamism) runs at 1.86GHz, with 2GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD.

People are immediately impressed by the size of the unit, and even more so by the weight. The VAIO P ways 1.4 pounds. One friend saw the tiny computer and simply said “It shouldn’t be that small… inch.

Making something small doesn’t mean its good, it still has to be usable. Sony designed the entire device by starting with the keyboard first and moving on from there. That explains the strange aspect ratio of the screen (2.08:1). They crafted the smallest usable keyboard they could to establish the footprint of the device, then attached a screen.

Lets talk about the screen. The screen’s thickness is definitely best measure in millimeters. It is really thin and really light. There is a webcam built into the bezel of the screen on the right side. I really like the level of hinge strength that they established with the VAIO P. In my opinion, the best hinge strength is a level that doesn’t allow the body of the device to be lifted up while you try to get the screen open. On the VAIO P it is nearly a perfect example of that description. One you give the screen a little nudge, you can grab if from its farthest point from the body and open without even tipping the body up. The best part about this is that because the screen is so light, there is no wiggle from the body of the device, despite the low hinge strength. The hinge gets tighter right as the screen closes which keeps it shut when folded down.

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I bumped into a keen mobile computing fan yesterday who promptly whipped out her flip cam and interviewed me. It wasn’t until after that I found out it was Jemima Kiss from my favorite newspaper, The Guardian.

As you probably know, Chippy made the jump across the big puddle to attend this years South by Southwest in Austin Texas. SXSW started as a music festival many years ago, but has since evolved into much, much more. A good bit of SXSW involves showing off new media trends.

That is of course why Chippy is there this week, showing people who have been lugging around 17 inch laptops that there is a pocketable alternative in the form of a MID. Chippy has tons of MIDs to show around; have a look at his video below:

Chippy will be at SXSW all week covering the show and is updating the MIDMoves blog to get you all the coverage. If you like your updates in micro flavor, check out @MIDMoves on twitter.

Engadget Chinese got shots from a ‘trusted source’ of a Lenovo ultra portable that seems awfully familiar to the shape of the VAIO P [Product page]. Additionally it looks to be styled after the special ThinkPad Reserve Edition notebook. I’m all for the light-weight and keyboard friendly form-factor of the VAIO P; if only we can bring the price down. Competition certainly has the tendency to make that happen so we’ll just have to wait and see if Lenovo is actually going to market this device, and if they are aiming for the same price range or not.

Stop by Engadget for additional images.