[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/sony_umpc_apart.jpg[/img]

Kevin Tofel from [url=http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2006/05/sony_vaio_uxser.html]jkontherun.com[/url] sent me a [url=http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/Concept/Vision/index.html?product=typeU]link to a page on sony.com[/url] last week that shows off the Sony Vaio UX in all of its 360 degrees of glory.

The flash demo includes a tour of all of the different features including a video demo which features a person in a bear costume who skips, runs, and does the moonwalk. Eventually the bear gets tired and takes of his head and someone runs up and steals it from him.

Also [url=http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/pcupdate/articles/0605/16/news002.html]itmedia.co.jp has a news story[/url] with some pictures of the Sony Vaio taken apart. (one is shown above.)

I realize this device isn’t considered an Origami and is known as a microPC but I think it looks really good so I wanted to show it off a little more. Read the full story

It looks like Pepperpad have been listening and watching the ultra mobile PC market very closely. The Pepperpad Plus has been spotted and its more than just a software update on the original Pepperpad.

Patron emailed me with a link to the forums over at Mobiletechreview where Lisa G, the editor, has posted information.

The most significant thing about the Pepperpad plus is that it uses an AMD processor. Its the AMD Geode LX800 processor – a 500Mhz 3.9W TDP device presumably developed from the National Semiconductor Geode range that AMD took over. We’ll take a good look at this processor now and report back in another post.

The Plus is smaller than the original Pepperpad, with a 7″ screen. It has a new keyboard (no more rubber keys), new Wifi hardware, BT hardware, camera, updated Linux kernel and well, pretty much everything that it needed to bring it right into the middle of ultra mobile PC territory. In fact, if the mention of $500 retail price is correct, this makes it a very attractive Ultra-mobile PC. Launch is expected in the Summer.

If Nokia release a new tablet device as they’ve been saying, its going to go head-to-head with this device. Nokia had a clear territory in the $400-$600 range but the first challenger is already on the field.

We’ve added the “plus” to the product portal here so take a look at the specs and watch the RSS feed for new info links that we’ll add as we see them.

This matches the Carrypad concept specification almost perfectly and becuase of that, we obviously think its going to hit the sweet spot nicely. I wonder if we can re-badge them and sell them as Carrypads. I’ll have a word with Pepperpad!

Regards
Steve / Chippy

Tablet Kiosk partners in the UK – PocketPC Solutions – have just emailed to say that the [url=https://www.umpcportal.com/products/product.php?id=12]Tablet Kiosk eo [/url] MIC driver update is now available. on their website.

This is the same driver update that John Tokash succesfuly tested for TK on Friday.

The driver update is available here.
We’ll update when we get info about other download sites.

Now all we need is that damned elusive power patch. PocketPC Solutions have a placeholder on their web page for the patch – keep a lookout for changes!

Steve / Chippy. Read the full story

Tablet Kiosk partners in the UK – PocketPC Solutions – have just emailed me to say that the Tablet Kiosk eo MIC driver update is available on their website.

This is the same driver update that John Tokash succesfuly tested for TK on Friday.

The driver update is available here.

Now all we need is that damned elusive power patch. PocketPC Solutions have a placeholder on their web page for the patch – keep a lookout for changes!

Steve / Chippy.

VIA, Intel and AMD have all developed ranges of ultra low-power CPU’s. Some of these CPU’s are now being used in ultramobile PC’st. Here’s is a technical overview of the CPU’s and chipsets. Read the full story

Microsoft have issued a patch that fixes a battery drain problem on ‘portable computers’ running Windows XP SP2.

Dailytech have reported it here and Microsoft give the details on this knowledgebase article here.
There’s no specific talk about VIA or UMPC’s on the MS posting but it could cover the USB-related CPU state problem we’ve seen on the Eo.

[Update: This has now been tested and it doesn’t help on Eo’s. Thanks Ctitanic for testing. His report is [url=http://ultramobilepc-tips.blogspot.com/2006/05/power-drain-fix-from-microsoft.html] here[/url]]

I know there are owners watching Origamiportal so please, if you’re reading this and you have an eo, try this patch and let us know if ‘perfmon’ reports C3 states on the VIA processor. Check your battery life in idle to. This fix has the potential to take an Eo from 1:20 to nearly 2hrs lifetime at idle.

Thanks to rainwalker for posting the info in the forums. Post your test results in his new thread [url=https://www.umpcportal.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=395&forum=7]here:[/url] Read the full story

Microsoft have issued a patch that fixes a battery drain problem on portable computers running Windows XP SP2.

Dailytech have reported it here and Microsoft give the details on this knowledgebase article here.
There’s no specific talk about VIA or UMPC’s on the MS posting but it could cover the USB-related CPU state problem we’ve seen on the Eo. Unfortunately you people with Tablet Kiosk eo’s in the U.S. seem to be asleep as I write this so I can’t get it tested. (Paceblade Easybook P7 ships in Germany today though!)

I know there’s a few owners watching this journal so please, if you’re reading this and you have an eo, try this patch and let me know if ‘perfmon’ reports C3 states on the VIA processor. Check your battery life in idle to. This fix has the potential to take an Eo from 1:20 to nearly 2hrs lifetime at idle.

[Update: This fix does not work on the Eo. Test and reports on this here. ]

Thanks to rainwalker for posting the info in the Origamiproject forums.

Keywords: UMPC, Eo, Power

After a month hiatus from the podcast world, everyones favorite ultra mobile PC Cast #5 is finished.

In this episode we feature a quick overview of the devices that have been released and discuss their pros and cons. We go a little into the battery issues the eo has had and the fixes. There are updates on the Origami Program Launcher Theme Creator and more random excitement.

Subscribe to the show through Itunes by clicking

Or subscribe directly to the XML RSS feed

Or just download the [url=https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/podcasts/OrigamiPortal.com_-_UMPC_Cast_5_-_Pros_and_Cons_of_the_UMPC_Systems.mp3]MP3 directly[/url].

And if you just want to catch up on the old shows, they are all available in the [url=https://www.umpcportal.com/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=1]Podcast Section[/url] Read the full story