New Q1 Arrives in Q2 and Q3
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Today's reader question: What would you pay for an Origami device (aka Ultra-Mobile PC)? Please keep that question in mind while reading this post on the Samsung Q1 Ultra, which was announced today. |
To recap for anyone who missed last year's hype: a UMPC is a touch-screen, tablet-like computer smaller than a notebook. The original Q1 had a 7-inch display, measured 11.3 by 7.8 by 4.1 inches and weighed less than 2 pounds. UMPCs run the full Windows operating system.
Samsung will offer four new Q1 models, ranging in price from $799 to $1,499, over the next couple months. The entry-level price is closer to Microsoft's design price goal of $500. But not close enough.
What's missing from today's announcement—and this could be telling—is the lack of coordinated press coverage from Microsoft. UMPC is a product category for which Microsoft generated much buzz early last year, and the Q1 was the marquee device Microsoft PR folks showed press and analysts last year. The company's silence over the Q1 Ultra is deafening.
Maybe Microsoft is no longer so hot on this category, maybe the category simply hasn't yet achieved Microsoft's design goals or maybe Microsoft is planning its own device—a genetically re-engineered Zune/Portable Media Center/Xbox handheld.
As evidenced by technologies like PlaysForSure, Portable Media Center or Windows CE for Smart Displays, Microsoft sometimes bails out, leaving partners with a dead device category.
No matter, Samsung is pushing ahead, innovating on the UMPC concept—and there's flexibility enough in Windows Vista to transcend any Microsoft misgivings. And, in fairness, Samsung counted Microsoft as a partner for its launch event late this afternoon in New York.
The original Q1 is a beautiful device. Based on the Q1 Ultra photos, so is its successor. But Samsung's approach is clearly different from Microsoft's original conception. Before going to manufacturers with the Origami concept, Microsoft created several reference designs using off-the-shelf hardware, which is what led to the $500 price point. Q1 is more of a budget buster.
In a Microsoft Q&A in March 2006, Corporate Vice President Bill Mitchell explained, "Part of our objective in creating the original reference design for the UMPC category was to engineer a platform that's both very compact and, through careful component choice, possible to sell for $500 MSRP."
Sasmung's idea of "careful component choice" was "choice components," which, as for some other UMPC manufacturers, led to prices more than double Microsoft's original conception. Samsung chose to release a classic, trendy device. The Q1 or the Ultra won't appeal to everyone.
If true cutting-edge is bleeding-edge, the Q1 Ultra is a bloodbath. New Q1 models sport the new Intel Ultra Mobile processors and put thumb keys on either side of the display in the upper corners. There are two cameras, one for videoconferencing, on most models. Later in the year, Samsung will move Q1 from hard disk to solid state storage.
Samsung's approach is classic example of where Microsoft's intentions don't match up with those of its partners. I
Last week, Bret Berg, senior product marketing manager for Mobile Computing Products for Samsung Electronics America, told me Q1 acceptance is growing, particularly among business verticals.
The vertical market uses for the Q1 range from it being incorporated into farming equipment or medical devices to being used by doctors to capture prescriptions for digital fulfillment. Samsung also is having success in the K-12 education market.
"When you have a clamshell device, it's not going to be as durable as a tablet," Berg said. But standard Tablet PCs are too big for many specialized tasks.
The first available of the new models is the $1,199 Q1U-V with 800MHz Ultra Mobile processor, 1GB DDR2 memory, 60GB hard drive, 128MB shared graphics and Windows Vista Home Premium. Berg said the device is capable of rendering Vista's Aero user interface. The similarly configured Q1U-XP comes with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition for $50 less. For back-to-school shoppers, Samsung will have the $799 Q1U-EL, which has a 600MHz processor, 40GB hard drive, Vista Home Premium and no cameras.
In August, Samsung plans to release the $1,499 Q1U-CMW. Nearly identical to the $1,199 model, the high-end Q1 Ultra will come with HSDPA cellular/broadband capabilities.
I won't pass judgment on the Q1 Ultra without using it. But, I must admit to skepticism about the Vista performance and wonder who would buy the back-to-school model rather than a notebook.
Cell phones might be another competitor. Two weeks ago, I bought the Nokia N95 cell phone. For about the price of the low-end Q1 Ultra, the N95 has cellular, Wi-Fi, two video cameras, a 5-megapixel camera, GPS and more. The high-end cell phone is more portable and offers most of the same benefits—and battery life—as the Q1 Ultra.
Returning to the original question: What would you pay for a UMPC, or would one be right for you? Commenters, please share with everyone.
Comments (8)
I use an HP tablet PC (tc4200). I personally prefer that any system can be used like a laptop. I would not buy this because it does not have a built-in fullsize keyboard. I also don't like the fat gap of plastic all around the screen. I want my screen to fill most of the available area.
I'll stick with HP's tablets. They are pretty nice, but they are a lot more expensive.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF25a/321957-321957-64295-304455-306995-1847962.html
Phil
Posted by Phil Deets | May 7, 2007 9:15 PM
Everyone including Apple is missing the idea. A small PC is great but it's still a PC. A mobile phone is great too but even the iPhone is just that, a fancy mobile phone.
What we want (taking some liberty here) is a slate. Not a tablet, not an iPhone, we want a slate. It should run Vista or Linux, only because Apple's OS comes with a developer dead end.
No more rotating media please, we've all figured out how to use a wireless network or flash memory by now. Instead, gives us 12 hours of uninterrupted battery duration and then a fast recharge or hot swap battery.
No keyboard necessary but voice commands are a pain too. If we wanted everyone to know what we were doing, we'd take out radio ads. A very good HWR from which we could take a sample document we write on paper, shoot it with the built-in camera and do the recognition to train the HWR system. Heck, Samsung already does text recognition with a cell phone A-990 so surely this should be something that can be done.
A PC Card sized slide in mobilephone that also acts as the Internet connection, something like Verizon's real fast data would do the trick. When you don't need the slate, take the card with you andmakeit good for full use. The Moto Razr's come real close and with a bit of tweaking, a little thinner and it could work just like that. Bluetooth all the way and not that 10 meter junk, a full 30 meters at least.
With all that, I'd pay Samsung's price. As it is now? I'm not even a buyer and although I'd love to have one, the price isn't justified.
Can they do it for the price? You bet they can. With a communications service contract to help subsidize the thing, 500-800 is very possible.
Why isn't anyone doing it, not even Apple? Because the people making the decisions really don't use their own products. Who thinks the CEO of Samsung or Apple really carries around a phone? They don't bother. Oh, they'll show them off but someone else carries the things around for them.
Posted by TestedBy | May 7, 2007 9:34 PM
Joe, your content is getting thinner by every entry.
For example, this article of UMPC just full up with technical feature but not analysis
To fill up your column later, you resort to asking readers to reply and comment.
Posted by Thomas | May 8, 2007 12:32 AM
Joe, your content is getting thinner by every entry.
For example, this article of UMPC just full up with technical feature but not analysis
To fill up your column later, you resort to asking readers to reply and comment.
Posted by Thomas | May 8, 2007 12:34 AM
The future is in MIDs, not UMPCs (fancy name for tablet PCs).
"The UMPC dies. And no one notices."
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31899/113/
MIDs:
http://byronmiller.typepad.com/byronmiller/2007/05/intel_is_ready_.html
http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=480
Posted by Roy Schestowitz | May 8, 2007 8:14 AM
The UMPC is a stupid form factor. It's too big to fit in a shirt pocket so it's not worth the bother. And if you do need something bigger, you might as well get a laptop so you can have a proper keyboard for touch-typing. Anything in between is just plain dumb.
Posted by Richard | May 8, 2007 4:05 PM
Yah I'm more then a bit hesitant on what Vista is going to do on an 800Mhz processor. My ThinkPad with a 1.4Ghz gets pretty dang choppy but it also has a very subpar GPU in it so *shrugs* Who knows.
Also I want to know how hard it is to get at the hard drive in this thing. 60GB ain't going to do it. 80-100GB...Good enough.
As for why someone would want one of these. Its simple. This is not intended to replace a laptop. Just as "most" laptops aren't designed to replace a desktop. this is just another supplement. I'm going on a trip in July. This would be perfect for said trip. Not only don't I have to worry about someone leaning back and crunching my laptop screen, which happened to my ThinkPad, but also you don't need to keep it on the tray.
Posted by John Doe. | May 15, 2007 8:28 PM
I've noticed a trend here - if *I* can't see why *I* would use it - then obviously no one could possibly have a use for such a thing.
The UMPC does not fit in the pocket. Neither does a laptop, yet a laptop is acceptable. Ah.. I hear you say - but a laptop is more powerful and can do more. True - but their price is inverse to their weight. So, I can get a cheap one - but it weighs 6.6lbs... or I can get a light one - but it costs over $2000.
The UMPC hits in the middle - relatively inexpensive as Tablet PCs go, very compact, very lightweight - it does way more than a PDA, almost as much as a laptop, and it's a tablet PC, which always carries a hefty premium.
Because it's a block rather than a convertable, it's rugged and easy to handle.
As for lacking a keyboard, you can get a compact keyboard and an organiser which hold both the UMPC and the keyboard in what looks like a book. That gives you the best of both worlds: remove it from the book when don't need a keyboard, attach the keyboard when you do.
I'm not at all clear as why this option is somehow worse than being forced to lug the keyboard and deal with twisting screens.
Everyone also seems to forget that Vista comes with one of the best handwriting systems available. Yes - better than the ones on MacOS X. It also has good voice reco.
There are other ways to get info into a computer than the keyboard - and the keyboard's not always the best or most appropriate way.
As for the UMPC's impending death - I can tell you from experience - everyone I know who knows I'm getting one of these Q1s is constantly asking 'got it yet'? They want to see it.
Which reminds me - WHEN WILL THIS BE ON THE SHELVES FOR REAL?
I'm waiting, man.
Posted by Jeff Lewis | May 25, 2007 8:35 PM