If you’re looking for a fun little internet-connected media player to hack around with the SmartQ V5 has always been one close to the top of the list. It’s not exactly leading-edge in terms of processing power but, like the SmartV7 that Coldsun has, it’s loaded with multiple OS’ and the SmartQ brand has quite a strong and active community following.

Pocketables are reporting that the V5 version is now available via Eletroworld for $180. Add customs and postage to that and you’re looking at about $220 (150 Euros) which makes it worth taking an even closer look at. (Note: We bought a SmartQ7 at Eletroworld earlier this year. The ordering process was a little convoluted but the device arrived without problems.)

Features

• Processor: 600MHz
• Screen size: 4.3-inch,800 X480 pixels (Resistive Touch)
• Memory: 256MB DDR2 RAM
• Storage: 2GB Flash Memory
• Operating System: Ubuntu Linux,WINCE 6.0 and Android
• Language: Chinese/English
• Memory card slot supporting up to 32GB microSD memory cards
• Wireless: supports WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth
• Output: HDMI 1.3 (1080P)
• Connectivity: 2.0 USB HOST supported to connect the high-speed EDGE, HSDPA network adapter or mobile phone
• Warranty: One year

Compared to the original SmartQ 5 the differences include double the RAM, multiboot OS (Android, WinCE, Linux) and digital video out via HDMI.

We’ve yet to see any reviews on the SmartQ V5 but we’ll definitely be looking out for them as this looks like a good value little device for the tinkerers out there. People looking to dive into a fully consumer-ready Android MID should be aware that this isn’t a full Google-apps-enabled Android build. (No marketplace, no maps, no sync.) Fingers crossed for an ARM A8 version with full Google Android support in 2010.

All SmartQ V5 specifications and links now being tracked in the product database.

Via Pocketables.

It would appear as though the SmartQ 7 [Portal page] which Chippy checked out for a while is getting a little refresh. This site shows what seems to be called the ‘SmartQ V7 HDMID’ which is actually sort of clever as the V7 has an HDMI port and is a MID! Beyond the HDMI port, the V7 triple boots into your choice of OS Android, Ubuntu, or Win CE, and has some under-the-hood adjustments.

The case of the V7 looks to be exactly the same as the SmartQ 7 but it looks like the V7 has some slight technical upgrades inside. Update: Peter in the comments linked us to some more detailed into on the SmartQ V7. The CPU is indeed different. The V7 is using (according to info Peter has found) the Telechips TCC8900 Arm 11 CPU, which may be running as reported, at 600MHz. There is also some hardware acceleration which will hopefully allow the V7 to push 1080P content out the HDMI port. According to the source site, the V7 has a 600MHz Arm 11 CPU, but this is probably actually the same 667MHz CPU in the Smart Q7, (we’ll let those extra 67MHz slide for now). Same CPU maybe, but The V7 seems to be rocking out twice the RAM as the original (128MB vs. 256MB) and the RAM is three times as fast too. The original was DDR @ 133MHz and while the V7’s is DDR2 @ 330MHz. The V7 is also has double the internal storage which goes up to 2GB (and an SD slot capable of up to 32GB) from the SmartQ 7’s 1GB. No word yet on availability, or if the V7 will actually be able to handle pushing HD video through that HDMI port, but we can always hope, and if so, this makes the V7 a more attractive mobile HD theater than even the Zune HD for me anyway!

Jump to the site for a few more images of the SmartQ V7.

Thanks to Adam for sending this in!