OQO will launch a revamped version of their Model 02 UMPC, dubbing it the Model 02+ and endowing it with an OLED display, embedded touchscreen, Worldwide 3G internet, and a 1.86 GHz Atom processor.
Today we learned that an obscure UK company called Psion has claimed ownership of the term “netbook.” If we can’t use that term anymore, what should we call it? Give us your best ideas.
After playing with a prototype of Intel’s Convertible Classmate, it more or less confirmed what I had suspected: there are some neat ideas at play, but there’s a reason why it’s aimed at schools. galleryPost('intelclasstabhands', 3, '');
The computer rear-end in this photo is a Sony machine that’s just hit the FCC. There’re a couple of things that make it interesting: it’s labelled with PCG-1P1L, making it synonymous with Vaio numbering. It was tested for 802.11 Wi-Fi in b, g and n flavors, with Bluetooth and both EVDO and HSPA. Its label reveals it’ll run a Windows OS, and the label size gives a clue to the size of the machine: about 24 x 12 cm. And that’s tiny. Sure, Sony’s made small Vaios before, but this is in the 3G-toting HP Mini 1000 size range. Which raises the obvious question: Is this a Sony netbook? It’s impossible to tell, at least for the while, but over to you in the comments. [FCC]
Dell’s Mini 9 may be going for a pretty good price already (and an irritating disk error) but check out this deal sweetener: Dell’s added a 32GB SSD option for just $US100. The base model with that larger solid state drive is thus $US449—and to me, that’s pretty bonkers good value. [Dell via Engadget via Geekygadgets]
Yes, the netbook market is tired and pretty jam-packed, but check out this shiny beast: it’s a mini-netbook from Korean manufacturer UMID. And it’s tiny. There’s no official size info, but it looks smaller than a paperback book, and comparable to the old Psion PDAs, if you remember ‘em, but far more capable. galleryPost('umid', 3, '');
In a long-awaited refresh to their tablet lines, Fujitsu has announced considerable upgrades for its U and P series. The comically small 5.6″ U820, following in the dainty footsteps of the U810, gets improved battery life, GPS, a super-sharp WSXGA touchscreen and a 1.6GHz Atom processor, somehow weighing in at just over 600 grams. The U series starts at $US1,049. For people with human-sized fingers, the P1630 8.9in convertible. netbook packs a 1.20 GHz Core 2 Duo, built-in accelerometer, 64GB SSD option and a steep base price of $US2,179. Press releases after the jump. [Fujitsu]
One of the great things about netbooks like the Eee PC is all of the potential for modification. This particular hack comes to us via a Russian Eee PC 701 owner who managed to turn it into a carputer for his Honda Fit. With the monitor in the dash and a wireless keyboard in the glovebox, the Eee PC transforms into an XP-driven media device with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and (most likely) GPS. By the looks of things, making this hack work in your vehicle will be no easy task—and there isn’t much to go on besides a series of photos that outline the build process. Still, if you are willing to give it a try, the images are available in the link. [Photofile and eee.pc.ru via Liliputing]
At first glance, the iMe (sorry!) iKit handtop computer sounds pretty fandabbydozy: it’s a tiny, folding, 2.8-inch screen, QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi-enabled, webcam and Bluetooth-packing, multimedia-playing computer. But then you learn that it’s got just a 3-hour battery life in operation, doesn’t have 3G connectivity and if you even want to connect a mobile broadband dongle you’ll have to get one with an “optional” internal USB connection. It’s basically the tiny portable PDA computer we all fancied back in the 90s.
Asustek executive Samson Hu has confirmed his company’s plans to release a touchscreen Eee PC variant for sale by Q1 of 2009. It’s not known whether the devices will look like the touch panel Eee mods that have been floating around or take the shape of a tablet, but we’ll see in January when the first models are shown at CES. That’s not all though — further announcements indicated that the Eee line is changing is some more subtle ways.
