(Credit:
CNET Networks)
These are tough times for the UMPC, whose promise of pocket-size, always-on computing has been overshadowed by the proliferation of cheaper Netbooks. But Samsung, one of the first companies to announce a UMPC back when the initiative was known simply as Origami, has continued to issue updates to its Q1 Ultra. The latest, announced Monday: the Q1U-CMXP, notable for its integrated HSDPA cellular modem, and the Q1UP-V, a Q1 Ultra Premium running Windows Vista Business.
The Q1U-CMXP is almost identical to the Q1 Ultra released last year, with the addition of a 3G cellular modem that's compatible with AT&T's network. The Q1UP-V, meanwhile, features the same 1.3GHz Intel Core Solo U1500 CPU as the model we reviewed last month but increases the RAM to 2GB to better handle Windows Vista Business.
There's little doubt that these two enhancements seem designed to up the UMPC's appeal among corporate IT buyers, who may be the only folks left who can shell out $1,400 for a tiny tablet. But that's still a hefty price tag, considering that much of the same functionality can be had with a Netbook or one of today's newer smartphones.
Which all begs the question: is there vitality yet in the UMPC format, or should Samsung (and other manufacturers) pull the devices off life support? Tell me what you think.
(Credit:
Caroline McCarthy/CNET Networks)
No, Samsung reps didn't actually say that at yesterday's launch party for the Q1 Ultra ultra-mobile PC in NYC. But they might as well have. The original Q1, after all, was powered by a plodding Intel Celeron processor, had a battery life that ranged from 1.5 to 3.5 hours, and used a stylus-activated touch screen in lieu of a keyboard. The Q1 was released only in 2006, but customer complaints were enough for Samsung to push out a new device only a year later.
The Q1 Ultra is currently available (shipping in the next two weeks) in an $1199 model that is lighter and sleeker than its predecessor, has a QWERTY keyboard, a 60-gigabyte hard drive, and a battery that should last 4.5 hours (and which can be bumped up to 8.5 hours with an extended-life battery), and is equipped with a brighter, higher-resolution LED screen. It also has two cameras--a lower-resolution one on the front for webcam-like use, and then one on the back for actual picture-taking--and a biometric fingerprint reader.
Over the next few weeks, a $1149 business-oriented Q1 Ultra model will be released, which will run Windows XP instead of Vista. Along with that, a $799 lower-end model with a smaller hard drive and no cameras or biometric reader will be launched for a tighter-budget consumer market. There's also a super-high-end version in the works that will have cellular capabilities, but that won't be released until August because it's currently going through a qualification process with Cingular.
Click here for CNET News.com's coverage--and here for a gallery.
The sun never sets on Crave. Our British counterparts are in Germany this week, attending the big CeBIT show where they spent some hands-on time with Samsung's latest attempt at turning the potential of the ultramobile PC (UMPC) concept into an actual product that actual people might actually use. (We've yet to review a UMPC that isn't awkward, underpowered, and overpriced, including the Samsung Q1.) Samsung's second-generation UMPC, dubbed the Q1 Ultra, brings some improvements to the table, which--to their surprise--left our British Cravers somewhat impressed.
First, it's a bit thinner and lighter than the preceding Q1 and, most notably, includes a QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard is split, with half of the keys to the left of the screen and the other half to the right. BlackBerry owners accustomed to banging out quick e-mails with their thumbs should find this arrangement somewhat familiar; it certainly looks like a better option than the onscreen keyboard on the original Q1. The screen is still 7 inches on the diagonal, but it's brighter with a higher resolution at 1,024x600 (up from 800x480). The touch-sensitive screen is improved, thanks to the Touch Pack mobile interface in Windows Vista. There's also a low-res Webcam on the front and a 1.3-megapixel lens on the back. In addition to 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, the Q1 Ultra features an HSDPA SIM card that lets you hop online via a 3G cellular network.
Samsung is keeping the processor a secret for now, but the theory is it has to be a low-voltage Intel chip. Perhaps a Core Solo. Surprisingly, the device uses a standard (read: spinning) hard drive; Samsung says it's still developing models with hybrid and solid-state flash drives. We would have wagered a princely sum that the Q1 Ultra would have featured a 32GB NAND drive, since Samsung had the Q1P SSD on display two months ago at CES.
Two obstacles remain: price and battery life. The Q1 Ultra would appear to improve on neither. It won't offer anywhere close to a full day's charge, and Samsung expects the Q1 Ultra will cost roughly the same as the original $1,100 Q1. It's slated to arrive in the U.K. in May; no word yet on when it'll appear on our shores.
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