Unboxing the Fujitsu LifeBook U810

FedEx just delivered my brand new Fujitsu LifeBook U810 mini notebook!

I had originally ordered it from Best Buy for Business last week, but after receiving an email about the unit being backordered with no firm availability date, I canceled and bought it directly from Fujitsu instead. Three days later, the U810 arrived at my door.

Take a peek at the unboxing and have a closer look at the device below.

Unboxing

Perhaps to keep costs down, Fujitsu opted to pack and ship the LifeBook U810 in a plain brown cardboard box.

Pretty boring, if you ask me. Presentation isn't that important, especially since most packaging is cast aside and eventually thrown away, but I still think more companies should consider its impact on a consumer's first impressions. Unboxing a product is a buyer's first experience as a new owner, after all.

Box Contents

In the box are the AC adapter and power cord, spare mouse pointer cap, VGA/LAN adapter cable, and three CDs (Vista Home Premium Recovery and Utility, Drivers and Applications, and Microsoft Works 8.5).

Other configurations of the U810 include different CDs. The Vista Business model, for example, comes with both Vista and XP recovery discs.

Also included in the box (aside from the unit itself) is a laminated Getting Started guide and some miscellaneous warranty pamphlets and paperwork. The stylus and li-ion battery are already "installed."

Closer Look

I mentioned in my "Another Fujitsu LifeBook U810 finds a home" article that one of the reasons I chose the U810 as my next UMPC was its 5.5-hour estimated battery life. The 4-cell battery sticking out so much does ruin the overall look of the device a bit, but it doesn't look quite as bad in person as I thought it would.

Unlike the Kohjinsha units, the Fujitsu U810 can't lean back more than about 45 degrees. Shown above is the display leaning back as far as it can go.

Since I haven't turned on the device yet (it's charging right now), I haven't had a chance to use the keyboard. For what it's worth, though, my "pretend-typing" sessions in both UMPC and laptop mode seem promising.

I suspect that I'll be able to type faster on this than on any other mobile device keyboard. I'll find out soon enough, but that's my prediction at the moment.

Here's a quick look at all the ports:

On the front is the port replicator connector.

The Compact Flash slot, power switch, and USB 2.0 port are on the right.

And on the left are the wi-fi/Bluetooth switch, power port, SD card slot, volume control, microphone jack, and headphone jack.

Size

I'll post some comparison pictures of the U810 next to some other devices in the next few days, but here are some in-hand shots to give you a general idea of its size.

Stay tuned for more coverage and my full review.

Update 1.21.08: Fujitsu LifeBook U810 review now available!

Comments

[orbitalcomp]

Congrats on the new toy, Jenn...looks very interesting, but I have a few hangups, such as:

Did it really come with Vista Basic, as evidenced by the logo sticker, and not Business or Premium?

Also, that trackpoint and button arrangement seems a bit awkward. The placement almost ensures that the device will be used in two hands, instead of on a desktop. Can the screen be flipped 180 deg, landscape or portrait for better access to the trackpoint?

Is a smaller battery available, perhaps more flush-fitting?

For the price, I could learn to work around a few things, especially when you compare this to a Sony UX costing twice as much.

[supermanthatohhhh]

Newegg is selling it u810 for 950. 1050 with vista business(and larger HD i believe but not sure).

i am thinking of getting the samsung q1u, because it is cheaper, ultimately i think the prices will go down in december/ january, so i am holding out until then to get it. maybe it'll drop down to 700 range. then i will definately get it

[Glenn7500]

Both models available @ Provantage.

[Jenn]

Thanks, orbitalcomp.

I don't know why the sticker says Vista Basic. My unit is definitely running Home Premium and the other model being sold by Fujitsu (and others) is running Business. One of the first things I did after setting everything up was actually remove the sticker, as I can't stand extraneous stuff like that (especially when it's incorrect!). I'm trying to peel off the huge Bluetooth sticker, but I swear it's been melted on!

The screen can be rotated 270 degrees in 90-degree increments using one of the buttons on the bezel. Swiveling the display from laptop mode to tablet also automatically switches the orientation.

The button placement is awkward, but it makes the controls usable in all scenarios. It's best suited for use in tablet mode, but it works fine in laptop and two-handed UMPC mode too. It takes some getting used to and isn't exactly what I'd call ideal, but I like that the controls are always accessible.

The standard 2-cell battery ships with the U1010 and is completely flush against the casing (see image here). It doesn't seem to be available in the U.S., but a couple of Australian retailers are selling it for about $90 USD.

[Rorschach]

orbitalcomp: Actually, you can get a UX280 (1.2ghz core solo) for under $1000USD, too.

Can't wait to see the comparison pics, Jenn. Your girly hand probably make it look larger than it is.

[JohnC]

Look forward to your comments. I've got a U1010. Despite various tweaks I eventually gave up on Vista (too slow) and upgraded to XP Tablet. Keyboard very nice once you get used to the idiosyncracies. Overall, I think it gives the UX some serious competition at a more reasonable price. Enjoy!

[stevenf]

Huh, interesting device!

I was just checking it out on Fujitsu's site, and read this:

"Systems with Genuine Windows Vista Business preinstalled will include Genuine Windows Vista Business and Windows XP recovery disc and utility."

So... you get both Vista Business _and_ XP discs if you buy the Vista Business version?! Do you think the XP disc would be Tablet Edition?

Seems like a good deal because I'd like to run XP Tablet Edition on it due to the CPU speed, but it would be nice to have Vista around just in case. Just wondering if anyone could confirm.

[stevenf]

Oh! Also, a size comparison with the UX would be interesting!

[Thax]

The more expensive U810 comes with Vista business installed. It also has the XP Tablet recovery disk in the box. That disk can only be used on the device it came with, so you do get the option of XP provided that you have a USB optical drive to load it off of. A big surprise to me is the BIOS, it is menued with mouse support and very easy to modify for booting off of other devices. I put ubuntu on it but went back to Vista after I needed to use the work VPN (Windows only proprietary, Wine did't work).
Jenn, I can't wait to see how you like the Barbie Laptop, coming from the iphone, Mylo and Nokia 770 this is a lot different.
The backspace key is labeled 'BS', so I get I can call BS on folks now with one keystroke!

thax

(pecked on u810)

[Charles]

You have a great site, Jenn. Just curious, what's driving you away from the 7" screens?

[Jenn]

Thanks, Charles. My Vaio TZ notebook is actually responsible for keeping me away from 7" UMPCs. Even though the TZ has a larger screen (11.1 inches), it's still so compact and lightweight that the 7 inchers just don't have a place in my life anymore. That's why I sold my Q1P to cover most of the cost of the U810.

I would probably be very interested in buying the Q1 Ultra or HTC Shift if I were a heavy inker. I'd still like to play with the two devices at some point, but I know they would eventually just sit around untouched if they were mine.