ultramobile

MTI Micro and Korean manufacturer NeoSolar said on Thursday they will build prototype ultra-mobile PCs powered by fuel cells.

The two companies said they will develop digital devices that use MTI Micro's Mobion fuel cells, which use liquid methanol cartridges as a fuel.

The development could lead to external chargers, snap-on attachments or devices with the Mobion fuel cell embedded in them, the companies said.

Fuel cells are being developed for a wide range of applications, from back-up electricity in buildings and data centers to transportation.

Rather drawing on tanks of hydrogen to make electricity in a fuel cell, … Read more

Even as Everex prepares to ship its much-awaited 8.9-inch Cloudbook Max with WiMax later this quarter, rumors are already spreading that the company will launch a 10.2-inch model to compete in the same space as the Asus Eee PC 1000 and MSI Wind. The leak, which is said to come from within Everex's manufacturing partner FIC, also indicates that the new Cloudbook will feature onboard 3G connectivity and optional WiMax.

It is not known whether the new 10.2-inch Cloudbook will use an Intel Atom or VIA processor or that it will run on Windows XP or … Read more

It's not often that we see an interesting non-mobile phone-related device at CommunicAsia, but at the Garmin booth, where the Nuvifone was showcased, we spied a unique UMPC.

The Noahpad was used as a device to showcase Garmin's navigation software, but our eyes kept straying to the keyboard. Resembling two large buttons, the touch-sensitive panels allowed typing and doubled as a touchpad as well. However, the lack of tactile feedback made using the keyboard harder than even the smaller keypad on the ASUS Eee PC. (Get more CommunicAsia 2008 coverage here.)

(Source: Crave Asia)

Before the Intel Atom processor, there was the A110. This chip spawned the 2007 UMPC (Ultramobile PC) category which in turn spawned some unsightly designs.

The Intel A110 and its lower-performance sibling the A100 were launched in 2007 with the intention of jump-starting the UMPC market. But that market stalled. Intel is still promoting the UMPC as a broad, somewhat amorphous category for business, while pushing the Mobile Internet Device, or MID, for fit-in-your-pocket consumer-centric designs and the Netbook for small, inexpensive, Internet-centric notebook form factors (both of which, as I will discuss below, have a better chance of success).… Read more

For an out-there 2009-2010 chip, Intel's Moorestown seems to get mentioned a lot by executives. If you consider, however, that this silicon may represent Intel's single biggest push into the "very large" mobile phone market, then all that jawboning is understandable.

At recent Intel conferences, CEO Paul Otellini and other high-ranking executives have dropped the Moorestown name frequently. Why? First, it will be Intel's showcase system-on-a-chip, combining the CPU, graphics, and memory controller on a single die, which, in turn, will be combined with other silicon. Second, it will probably serve as the main launching … Read more

Can't live without ultramobile access, great speed and free phone calls? Here's a great price and the answer to all your compulsions.

Listed elsewhere at almost $400, the does-it-all teeny Nokia N800 Internet tablet is offered at Buy.com at a reduced price. (With that Google checkout thing, it's even less.) Skype, surf, schedule and send e-mail. This lustworthy gizmo does everything but pick up the groceries. Oh wait, if you text your list to a grocery delivery service to get them to bring the food to your house, then yeah, it does that too. And it'… Read more

Its gangly, mutant appearance frightened fellow Craver Mike Yamamoto last year when he spied Samsung's ultramobile PC with a fold-out keyboard, but I've been pining for this odd duck of a UMPC to reach the U.S.

I'm not sure I'd buy one (pricing is still unknown, for one thing), but I'd certainly like the chance to review it to get a sense of its overall operation. Folding and unfolding it may become cumbersome while on the go, but I still like the idea of pairing a tiny, 5-inch UMPC with a full-size keyboard. UMPCs … Read more

If you think the Raon Digital Everun was the smallest, think again. Ultramobilelife was given a glimpse of an ultra-mobile PC that is almost the same size as portable media players.

Based on the VIA Mobile ITX chassis, the MTube holds a 1GHz VIA processor, 2.8-inch VGA screen and 8GB of storage. All in a body that measures a mere 85 x 85 x 20mm and weighs 150g. Though it runs Linux and not Windows' power-hogging Vista OS, battery life is none too impressive at four hours. The MTube will hopefully hit stores in 2009.

(Source: Crave Asia)

Some of us at Crave have never been huge fans of the so-called ultramobile PC (UMPC), but maybe that's because we have an aversion to gadgets with acronyms that sound like universities. Plus, there just seem to be so many reasons not to want them. But a new offering from Korean computer maker Raon claims to have dispensed with one of those black marks: battery power.

It's been christened the "Everun" because its batteries can last from 7 to 12 hours, according to the company, depending on whether it's running a standard or enhanced pack. … Read more