Okay, well, this just makes me sad.
No, not the fact that Compal’s upcoming Ultra Mobile Device (no affiliation with VIA’s UMD platform) is being called a UMPC when it only runs Windows CE 5.0. We’ve all seen that kind of thing before, so I don’t find it troubling. What bothers me is that in this case, I can’t really accept it. I want this to be a UMPC! A real one.
Have a look at this video and then tell me why it shouldn’t be. I mean, a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480, 16M colors) sliding display, QWERTY thumboard, 1.3-megapixel camera, miniSD card slot, HSDPA and 802.11b/g connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0, integrated microphone, and 5-hour battery life all sound quite fine for a 6.14" x 3.07" x 0.93" unit, especially considering that whispered pricing seems to be circling around the $400 and $500 range.
But then there’s the rest of the specs: 532MHz Freescale i.MX31 ARM1136 processor, 512MB flash RAM, and 256MB mobile DDR. And even though Internet Explorer 6, Windows Media Player 9, Skype, Windows Messenger, a flash player, and an office suite come preloaded on Compal’s lightweight (only 9.9 ounces!) device, the OS is still Windows CE 5.0. *bubble bursts*
But guess what. Aside from a few tweaks to the left side of the display, this UMD is the very same Menlow-based prototype that all but completely overshadowed Intel’s McCaslin/UMP2007 unveiling in April. There’s hope yet!
The device is scheduled for an "end of this year" release, so there’s still plenty of time to figure out how to un-burst a bubble.
Wha? Why would you be disappointed that it runs Windows Mobile? You would prefer a start-up time of 5 minutes, a battery life of 1.5 hrs and a cost of $1200? Windows has no place on a “UMPC” and letting Microsoft define the category is only going to lead to its failure.
I actually wouldn’t mind Windows Mobile, but this runs Windows CE. WM5 or WM6 would make this a nice alternative to something like the HTC Advantage.
Wha? Windows Mobile 6.0 is Windows CE 5.0. Or are you confusing hardware and operating system?
Hmm. No, now I’m just plain confused!
I always thought both WM5 and WM6 were just based on (i.e., built on top of) CE 5. I don’t think they’re exactly the same thing . . .
I could easily be persuaded into thinking otherwise, though, especially since you invented the Foleo ten years ago.
Yeah, that Foleo comment was tongue-in-cheek, aimed at Hawkins’ claim that it was the “best idea [he] ever had.”
My understanding is that the Windows Mobile vs. CE is mostly a nomenclature issue – CE 5.0 is the operating system to which are added (and subtracted) features specifically aimed at cellular devices. There are some other tweaks in there to be sure, but nothing earth-shattering. Your implication seemed to be that CE 5.0 is out-dated which it really is not – WM6 to CE 5 is not the same as XP to Vista, for instance. More like XP to XP Pro.
The reason I made the original comment is that I was distinguishing between running Vista on such a device (which seems to be what you were suggesting in the original article) instead of an operating system designed for lower-powered, primarily flash-based devices like this one. For this system CE 5.0 seems ideal because of its small footprint, robust features and full compatibility with any number of 3rd applications out there already (which is not the case with WM6).
I didn’t mean to start a big argument or anything. I apprecaite this site and have relied on it heavily for purchasing decisions – in particular for my recently acquired Pepper Pad 3. Thanks so much – keep up the good work!
I’d snap one of these up for $400, looks like a nice item!
@ weatherman: Oh my, no, I don’t take any of your comments to be argumentative at all!
You’re right that I would prefer Vista (actually XP) on a device with this form factor, though. I love my UX180P to bits, so practically anything that can replicate its functionality is something that is immediately added to my wish list. Although UMPCs aren’t designed to be primary-computer replacements, that’s what they are for me. So I’ll always choose a full-blown OS over something like WM6 on a mobile device, despite its disadvantages.
The original sources for this post both called the unit a UMPC, so my expectations were high. But then, according to the “official” definition, the device turns out to not be a UMPC at all. That’s why I added the “sadly” in the title. I guess calling it a PDA wouldn’t have had the same effect.
I do still want the HTC Advantage, though.
Off topic now, but how are you getting along with your new PP3?