JKK spotted this one as he was walking through the partly built booths at CeBIT today.
It’s a basic (open source) Android build on the Samsung S3C6410 just like the Smart Q7. As with the Archos 7 Home Tablet we reported on earlier you shouldn’t expect the fastest web experience but if this is priced well (JKK spoke to me earlier and talked of bulk prices below $100) and receives the support and applications that are needed to make it useful, it will certainly serve as a value for money tablet for the casual sofa-surfer.
I had hoped to get a big big updated version of the mobile computing guide out before the end of 2009 but time was definitely not on my side. I’ve done a lot of work on it but it’s going to take many more hours before it’s finished. In the meantime, the late 2008 version is still available as a re-flowable PDF and is still worth reading if you’re thinking about buying a mobile computer, tablet, MID or other mobile computing device this year.
Click on the image to download the free 28-page PDF.
PDF now removed. New version of this book is planned for Q4 2010
If you want to view it online, use the links below.
Part One: ‘What is an Ultra Mobile PC.’ We give you a history of Ultra Mobile computing, show you how the devices break down into segments and show you what each segment is capable of.
Part Two: ‘Details and Choices.’ It covers the form factors, the keyboard, storage, the screen and connectivity elements of an Ultra Mobile PC. You’ll find a good overview and a lot of tips that will help you refine your choice.
Part Three ‘Details and Choices continued‘ continues the details about the components and covers CPU (including a detailed overview of the currently available solutions) GPU, memory, battery, weight and cost.
Part Four: ‘Additional Information and further reading.‘ In this section we cover some of the less commonly found features on Ultra Mobile computers and give you information and links to further reading resources.
If you find the buyers guide useful, think about donating. It all goes back into making UMPCPortal a better place.
A video published last week by the Times of India has Notion Ink co-founder Rohan Shravan showing off what is being called a “final inch version of the ever intriguing Adam tablet. The video has some nice close-ups of the unit, but it still doesn’t seem like the production version (and I hope not as part of the screen bezel comes off mid-interview), though Rohan says that it is final in terms of “look and feel inch and that the device should launch first in the US in June. He also claims that the device will last for more than 10 hours doing 1080p video output. I’ll still have to see it for myself before I believe it, but I sure hope that the Nvidia Tegra 2 hardware is capable of backing that claim. Still no word on pricing. There is also an interesting interview with both Notion Ink co-founders if you care to have a look.
We’ve just had word from Archos’ German PR company that Archos will announce two new Android Tablets at CeBIT.
…wird ARCHOS zwei brandneue kostengünstige Android Tablets, die speziell für den Gebrauch zu Hause designt wurden, vorstellen.
My translation: Archos will introduce two brand new, good value Android Tablets that are specially designed for use in the home.
So we know about the Archos 7 (I’m hearing rumors that the design doesn’t follow the same lines as the Archos 5) but what will the other one be? Archos 9 Android Tablet? Will they beat Apple to the 9 inch market?
One down-side to the news is that it looks like we won’t see any 3G-enabled tablets being announced.
As expected, the Dell Mini 5 was available for hands-on at the Pepcom event at Mobile World Congress and we wasted no time in getting our hands as near to the device as possible. Dell Are being a little careful about handing it out right now which means the software probably isn’t ready but in the demo and Q&A we had with Dell we resolved some of the outstanding questions.
Video notes:
The Dell Mini 5 is one of a family of devices.
Available with and without 3G
Available through carriers and the Dell online shop. (Or at least, that’s the intention)
Full Google Android experience.
Tailored UI with widgets
Media support for H.264 and other codecs. (Although we didn’t get the impression that Dell are targeting this as an Archos 5-killer in that respect.)
Facebook and contacts integration looked good.
On Pricing, Dell say they will address ‘price points that customers are interested in.) We interpret this as meaning it will be very low cost with carrier subsidy.
Very nice hand-holdable form factor and weight. Almost exactly the same look and feel as the Archos 5 Android tablet.
Availability will be ‘by summer.’ We estimate this as June, July timeframe but this could just be for the first carrier-supplied versions. It could take a while for the device to roll out globally.
Overall we’re impressed with the specifications and build of the Dell Mini 5, optimistic about pricing but will reserve judgment on battery life until we’ve had a good chance to test it. The 5.5Wh battery just doesnt sound like it’s ready for all-day action.
If you’ve got a product ready to tell the world about, you obviously haven’t just started work on it so these two very similar 8.9 inch tablets aren’t a results of any iPad hype and the fact that they are based on the netbook platform and offering Windows 7 means that they are targeted at a different, more productivity-focused user; just the sort of user that comes to UMPCPortal!
First-up is the ExoPC. Offered by a French company (with no English website. Clearly not interested in being the global #1,) it’s based on a 2009 netbook platform but offers a multi-touch screen, a 4 hours battery and, based on the SIM-card slot, a 3G option. A weight of 795gm 32GB SSD and 2GB RAM give it specs that raise it slightly above the average netbook and fit well with the requirements of a productive Windows 7 environment.
ExoPC have helpfully provided a comparison page which includes the Archos 9 and iPad but omits the other competitors, the Nav 9 and the EviGroup Pad. Pricing is $599 and is said to be available in March.
On to the Nav 9 then, this is the one that appeared last month as the Netbook Navigator 891A-NN. Again, we’re looking at a sub-1KG (2lb) 8.9 inch tablet but entry-level pricing gives you a slightly more basic model. Low capacity (2hrs) battery, 1GB RAM and 16GB of SSD are all lower than the ExoPC but there are options to upgrade all of them. A base unit (no OS, single touch, no cam) is going to cost you $500 and expanding everything possible will take you way up to a scary $1500 although at that price you’re getting 3G, 128GB SSD and the multi-touch screen.
It’s obvious that these two are from the same OEM (Sinchun) so it will be very interesting to see how these two companies position their competing products because as we all know here in UMPC-land, devices without keyboards are a tough-sell.
