Review: Fujitsu LifeBook U810
The Fujitsu LifeBook U810 mini notebook is part of the second wave of UMPCs running on Intel's new energy-efficient Ultra Mobile Platform. The U810, first introduced as the FMV-U8240 (and also known as the U1010 and LOOX U in other regions), launched in the U.S. in August 2007.
It was a significant occasion not only because it marked Fujitsu's entrance into the handheld PC market, but also because the Vista-based unit lacked two of the most highly criticized characteristics of previous devices: high price and short battery life. At the time, a UMPC priced at under $1,000 and boasting up to 5.5 hours of runtime on a single charge was merely the stuff of dreams. But there it was, very real and tucked inside an instantly familiar compact convertible shell.
System Specifications
When launched, the LifeBook U810 was not as configurable as it is today. At the time of this writing, currently available and upcoming options include built-in WWAN, solid state disks, operating systems, colors, and HDD size.
What follows are the specs of the base unit, which I purchased directly from Fujitsu about a month after it began shipping and is the subject of this review.
| Processor: |
800MHz Intel A110, Intel 954GU Express chipset |
| RAM: | 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (no DIMM slots for expansion) |
| OS: | Windows Vista Home Premium |
| Storage: | 40GB shock-mounted HDD (4200 rpm) |
| Expansion: | Compact Flash and SD card slots |
| Display: | 5.6” passive touchscreen (1024 x 600) |
| Wireless: | 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 |
| Size: | 6.73" (W) x 5.24" - 6.0" (D) x 1.04" - 1.26" (H) |
| Weight: | 1.56 lbs. |
Click over to my U810 unboxing for photos of the packaging, included accessories, and the factory-fresh mini notebook itself.
Additional accessories, such as a dock and several cases (including the executive leather portfolio), are available separately from Fujitsu and other retailers. There are also a number of unofficial case alternatives that work well with the U810 such as the Tumi T-Tech Flow accessory tote and Elecom ZeroShock III portable CD/DVD drive case.
Design
The convertible notebook form factor adopted by the handtop is one that is immediately recognizable to just about everyone. There are several thoughtful elements present that bring innovation to an otherwise familiar design (more on this later), but in general, the U810 looks exactly like a typical laptop or tablet PC, just in miniature form.
One of the main advantages of the design is its versatility. Within seconds, the computer can go from being a standard notebook (set on a lap or table) to a mobile device (held between both hands) to a slate/tablet. Nice!
Unlike in other parts of the world, Fujitsu offers the U810 to the United States in just one color: black. I haven't seen the white, red, and blue tops that are available elsewhere in person, but if they're anything like the U810 I've got in my hands, their finish is smooth and scratch-resistant.
There's even a touch of silvery shimmer mixed in for good measure.
Overall build quality is good, but not outstanding. The shimmering topcoat used on the top of the U810 is absent from the rest of the casing, which is fashioned largely out of somewhat flimsy matte plastic. The silver trim (also plastic) actually popped out of place on my unit and was able to be "bent" back into position with little effort.
The extended battery that ships with the U810 doesn't lay flush against the unit the way the standard one does (photo here), so the unit's general cuteness and aesthetics are definitely challenged by the battery's slightly wobbly 0.76-inch protrusion.
Large pieces of suede are affixed to the bottom of the U810 for heat reduction; they also give your fingers some nice textural variation when holding the unit in your hands.
Size
At 6.73 inches long and 5.24 inches wide (not including the battery), the Fujitsu U810 can easily sit in the palm of a hand. It obviously won't fit into a standard-sized pocket, but it can slip into most bags, backpacks, and purses quite unobtrusively.
For more photos illustrating the unit's size in relation to other gadgets and common items, please take a look at my U810 size comparison gallery.
Display
The mini notebook is equipped with a swiveling 5.6-inch WSVGA Crystal View touchscreen display.
The display can be positioned to suit just about anyone's liking, so viewing angles are excellent. Also top-notch are screen brightness, color saturation, and clarity/crispness. WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) on 5.6 inches is really nice: no squinting, dryness, or any eyestrain at all, even after hours of continuous screen gazing.
My main complaint about the display is that it's incredibly reflective. Maxing out brightness levels, while detrimental to battery life, helps to reduce the mirror-like quality of the screen under natural light and makes the U810 usable wherever indirect sunlight shines indoors. Reflection and glare are happily nonexistent in low-light situations or under artificial lighting.
Orientation
Screen orientation can be rotated a full 360 degrees. It flips automatically when swiveling the screen (clockwise direction only) to convert the notebook into a slate but can also be adjusted manually to suit personal preferences.
When used in landscape slate mode, the controls are actually designed to be above the display, not below it as shown above, so that the mouse pointer is under your right thumb. (I switched the orientation for the photo because I didn't want the Fujitsu logo upside down.)
Touchscreen
The U810 is outfitted with a passive touchscreen that responds to both styli and fingers. Responsiveness is a bit low, as a fair amount of pressure is needed for the system to register the touch, but it helps to combat vectoring when inking. Tablet PC functionality is built into the unit's Vista Home Premium operating system, so TIP, handwriting recognition, and gestures are all supported.
The writing area is small, but the bezel provides a wide enough palm-rest to make inking slightly more comfortable. The experience isn't on par with a full-size tablet PC, of course, but given the size of the unit and the screen, it's not too bad. With a little practice, it could be a decent note-taking companion at meetings and other events.
Controls
In addition to the convertible design, the navigational controls on the U810 are key to the unit's usage versatility.
The main controls are located on either side of the display's hinge and can be accessed whether the clamshell is opened or closed. From left to right are the mouse buttons, mono speaker, down/Fn/up buttons, and pointer, which Fujitsu calls the cursor control. Have a closer look below.
Mouse Buttons
These two buttons correspond to the left and right buttons on a standard mouse. They're nicely sized, easy to press, and well positioned.
Down/Fn/Up Buttons
On the other side of the display hinge is a set of three smaller buttons with icons and lettering printed on them in white (the picture had to be taken in low light for the white, which looks gray above, to show up).
The arrow keys take care of scrolling and can also page up/down when used in combination with the function (Fn) button. Pressing Fn once enables the secondary functions of the other buttons; pressing it twice launches the Fujitsu Menu Utility, which allows quick access to system settings.
The relatively small size of these buttons may be tricky for those with large hands to maneuver. Their size is better suited for index fingers, but their placement suggests mostly thumb use.
Cursor Control
The cursor control, or mouse pointer, is a rubber square with a bumpy surface that acts as grip for your thumb. Aside from a very rare appearance of "mouse drift," which I've seen only twice in the last 2.5 months, the pointer does an accurate job of controlling the on-screen cursor. The motion is fluid and easy to get used to.
Using the pointer when the U810 is in standard notebook mode is a little awkward due its placement, but it gets the job done. A trackpad similar to the one on the FlipStart 1.0 might not be a bad addition on the next-gen U810.
Additional controls and other features are scattered around the screen bezel.
A VGA webcam and microphone are built into the top.
Stylus Slot
Next to one of four rubber stoppers on the bezel is the silo/slot for the telescoping metal stylus.
Fingerprint Scanner & CAD Button
At the corner below the stylus slot are the fingerprint scanner, which uses Softex OmniPass software, and a dedicated Ctrl-Alt-Del button (see the "C" and "D" encircling the "Alt"?) that performs the action of a standard CAD command on a keyboard when held down for two seconds.
LifeBook Application/Tablet Buttons
To the left of the scanner/CAD key and centered below the display panel are a set of three buttons that Fujitsu collectively refers to as LifeBook Application/Tablet Buttons. All three have preprogrammed primary functions as well as user-defined secondary functions.
The first button (/) is mapped to toggle the keyboard headlights on/off, the second (//) brings up the tablet PC input panel (TIP), and the third rotates the display in 90-degree increments. Pressing any of these buttons after pressing the Fn button performs a pre- or user-defined action (e.g., display switching, launching programs).
The keyboard is given its own section below, so let's skip over it and explore the rest of the U810's hardware.
Status Indicator Panel
Below the keyboard is a foursome of status indicators (left to right): battery charge/DC-in, battery level, hard drive access, and power.
I/O Ports
A quick look at the I/O ports was already given in my Fujitsu U810 unboxing, but since about 11 weeks have gone by since then, it's worth repeating here.
On the left side are the wi-fi/Bluetooth switch, power port, SD card slot, volume control, microphone jack, and headphone jack
On the front is the port used to connect the optional docking cradle
A Compact Flash slot, power switch, USB 2.0 port (beneath thin plastic door), and vents that blow out hot air directly onto your palm when you're using the mouse pointer are located on the right side of the mini notebook.
Keyboard
The Fujitsu LifeBook U810 is equipped with a 56-key miniaturized keyboard that looks and feels very much like a standard keyboard.
Key Pitch & Key Stroke
While most full-size keyboards generally have a 19mm key pitch (distance between keys) and 2.5mm key stroke (distance keys move when pressed), the U810's keyboard has a 14mm pitch and 1.3mm stroke.
These numbers may not sound promising on paper, but for five rows of keys set into a space measuring a hair over 6 inches, they're actually quite good.
UMPC Typing Mode
Two-handed thumb typing requires some stretching on account of the keyboard's width, but the generously sized, easy-to-press keys make up for it.
While most chiclet-style thumboards require deliberate presses of tightly spaced keys, little more than a light tap almost anywhere on the half-inch keys (some are smaller and the space bar is about an inch long) is needed to type on the U810.
The primary issue when typing in UMPC mode is that it involves a frequent shift in hand position. When holding the unit with both hands, it is more natural to hold it near the center to balance the weight and to reach the mouse pointer and other controls. As soon as text needs to be entered, however, the hands must leave their original position and move downward so that the thumbs can reach the keyboard.
Laptop Typing Mode
Multi-finger typing can feel cramped after significant stretches of time, but it also provides rapid data entry. Give and take, I guess.
Even after 2.5 months of use, I'm still not able to truly touch type on the U810. With more practice and some real effort, however, I think it would be possible.
Typing Speed
Of all the thumboards and mobile device keyboards I've ever used (as of this writing) and despite the shortcomings mentioned above, the Fujitsu U810 keyboard is the hands-down best. It allows me to type faster than I've ever been able to on a portable device and although there are some definite annoyances with the layout and double-mapping of the tab and arrow keys, the individual key size and tactile feedback are superb.
Here are my typing test speed results, expressed in both percentage of average touch-typing speed and actual words per minute (wpm), alongside some of my previously published UMPC results.
| UMPC | Percentage of touch-typing speed |
| DialKeys on Samsung Q1P |
29% (25 wpm) |
| OQO Model 01+ | 34% (29 wpm) |
| Kohjinsha SA1F00A (UMPC mode) | 36% (31 wpm) |
| Sony Vaio UX180P | 37% (32 wpm) |
| FlipStart, high-capacity (UMPC mode) | 40% (34 wpm) |
| FlipStart, both batteries (laptop mode) | 41% (35 wpm) |
| FlipStart, slimline (UMPC mode) | 43% (37 wpm) |
| Raon Digital Everun | 45% (39 wpm) |
| Kohjinsha SA1F00A (laptop mode) | 51% (44 wpm) |
| OQO Model 02 | 51% (44 wpm) |
| Pepper Pad 3 | 54% (46 wpm) |
| Fujitsu LifeBook U810 (UMPC mode) | 55% (47 wpm) |
| Fujitsu LifeBook U810 (laptop mode) | 59% (51 wpm) |
I should mention that I took the U810 tests after using it for just two weeks. Most of my other UMPC typing tests were taken after similar periods of time, so it wouldn't be fair to post my current U810 typing speed, which reflect 11 weeks of regular practice.
Performance
When Intel announced that its new Ultra Mobile Platform would include the low-power 600MHz and 800MHz A100 and A110 mobile CPUs, many were concerned about the processors' ability to handle resource-hungry Windows Vista.
Today, more than 9 months after the platform's announcement, the consensus seems to be that there is no consensus. No one is overjoyed or exceedingly thrilled, but while some are content with the processors' performance under the weight of Vista, others feel the OS is too bloated to run without extreme compromise and have immediately downgraded (or upgraded, as many claim) to Windows XP.
For my own needs, which involve little more than Firefox and word processing, the Fujitsu U810's A110 processor and 1GB of RAM do an adequate job of making sure that Vista Home Premium hums along nicely.
Multitasking is not the U810's forte, as even downloading Windows updates in the background often maxes out the system, but since it wasn't designed for that purpose, I have no qualms about performance. Most of you know I'm not a power user or multitasker anyway; right now, for example, all I have open on my Sony Vaio TZ are Firefox (I'm writing this online, logged into my host account) and Adobe Reader (I always keep the product manual open).
CPU Meter
When the U810's system is idling (which for me means no less than 72 processes), Aero is enabled, and Windows Sidebar is running, my CPU Meter (I heart Sidebar Gadgets) looks like what you see above: memory usage at 49%, CPU at 11%. This leaves more than enough room for the Vista-A110 combo to do their thing without making much of an impact on my work.
Since my needs are not identical to yours, your take on the Fujitsu U810's performance may not be in accord with mine. I know this is obvious, but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated.
Benchmarks
If absolute objectivity is what you're after, here are the U810's CrystalMark numbers followed by the Windows Experience Index scores.
I don't do a whole of benchmarking around here, so there isn't much to compare the figures with except for my Vaio TZ benchmarks and, to a lesser extent, the Vaio UX180P vs. Samsung Q1P article I wrote last April.
I've mentioned time and again that benchmarks and technical data aren't my cup of tea (it's even in my FAQ), so as I always say when I post bits like this, I'll leave the analysis up to the experts.
Timed Tests
I've also said before that time is more important to me than benchmarks. Knowing, for example, that the Samsung Q1P takes 12 seconds to awaken from standby is infinitely more valuable to me than that it decompresses a file at a rate of 57.45MB per second.
Even though this is evident from some of the numbers, I should still mention that my U810 has not tweaked or otherwise optimized and that the unit's 16 start-up items include Windows Sidebar and an anti-virus application.
| Sleep: |
6 seconds |
| Wake: | 7 seconds |
| Restart: | 3 minutes, 2 seconds |
| Shut Down: | 1 minute, 18 seconds |
| Cold Boot: | 2 minutes, 24 seconds |
| Launch Firefox: | 5 seconds (first launch after restart) 4 seconds (subsequent launch) |
| Launch IE7: | 5 seconds (first launch after restart) 3 seconds (subsequent launch) |
| Launch Origami Experience: |
7 seconds (first launch after restart) 5 seconds (subsequent launch) |
| Launch WMP11: | 5 seconds (first launch after restart) 4 seconds (subsequent launch) |
| Wake to Firefox Launch: | 15 seconds |
| Wake to IE7 Launch: | 14 seconds |
| Wake to Origami Experience Launch: |
18 seconds |
| Wake to WMP11 Launch: | 14 seconds |
The restart, shut down, and cold boot times are undesirable, but my U810 is always sleeping (Vista's default "off" state) when not in use so they don't make a difference in my usage patterns. Although not as quick as my TZ, being able to pick up the U810 after it's been sleeping overnight, flip open the lid to awaken it, and be online in 15 seconds is fast enough for me.
Comfort
Although highly portable and compact, the Fujitsu U810 is still one of the heavier UMPCs in its second-generation class. With the extended battery installed, the little clamshell tips the scales at 1.56 pounds (with the standard battery, it weighs 1.34 pounds). While still extraordinarily light for its size and for what it is (a full-fledged computer running full-blown Vista), 1.56 pounds does begin to tax the forearms after about 30 minutes with no arm support. With arm support, however, I've been able to use the U810 with no problems for several hours at a time.
The notebook form factor may not be particularly ergonomic when held between both hands, but the relative thickness and width of the U810 actually make it rather comfortable to hold. And though a bit small, using it while set on your lap is pretty comfy too. It feels more natural on a table or desk, but lap use is definitely not out of the question.
Battery Life
The U810 ships with a rechargeable 4-cell lithium ion battery (5200mAh) rated at up to 5.5 hours, a tremendous improvement over the 2-hour batteries that plagued first-gen UMPCs.
Actual runtime depends on screen brightness levels, usage, power settings, and other factors, but I'd say the U810 puts in a good 4.5 to 4.75 hours of moderately bright wi-fi time before calling it a day. Commendable.
Conclusion
In the midst of the current Asus Eee PC frenzy, where affordable notebook computers with 7-inch screens are welcomed into new homes at a rate possibly never attainable by UMPCs, is the Fujitsu LifeBook U810 as relevant today as it was when it first became available last year? Does the smaller, more expensive unit have a solid place beside the alternatives, especially now that less powerful devices are becoming more robust and similarly capable ones are receiving drastic price cuts?
At the time of release, the U810 was an impressive machine. Sporting a versatile design, intuitive controls, best-in-class keyboard, and outstanding battery life, it was well received by mobile tech enthusiasts and the star of many favorable reviews.
The mini notebook was impossible to ignore. And even though its audience may not be as enamored by the "small wonder" today as they once were, I think it still is.
The Fujitsu U810 is available now at Amazon
i wish that fujitsu-siemens would distribute these in europe...
Posted by turn_self_off | 02:35 AM on Jan 21, 2008
Great review.
It's odd that your touchscreen is heavy touch. Mine is definitely light touch, even more so than my original Samsung Q1. Wonder why there's a difference.
I'm in the boat for those who switched to XP Tablet. The performance hit and wacky behavior from Vista was just too much for me.
As for the keyboard, I was able to get used to it after about a month. I can type very fast with this keyboard now but it doesn't take much time for my hands to start feeling sore.
I'm finding myself using the touchscreen more these days. The pgup/pgdwn hardware keys and mouse buttons are a bit stiff. Too much clicking is causing my wrists to get sore.
The fan is a annoying since it sits right where your right hand goes to control the mouse pointer. Hot air blowing on your hand can get annoying after a while.
There are other issues but overall, this is a great device. I use it all the time, everywhere, and not having to worry about battery life is great.
Posted by Rodfather | 04:00 AM on Jan 21, 2008
Jenn, awesome and highly anticipated review. I agree with everything you said. I am interested in your personal thoughts on how long you see yourself staying with the U810?
I have lived with mine now for several months and am starting to feel like I can't make it through a day without it. I use it to read magazines (Zinio) and have now gone completely electronic for reading of every kind (which appeases my eco-terrorist wife), and am using it as my main browsing device. Yes, I wish it had an 1024*768 screen, but with some tinkering and remapping of keys to match my needs, I certainly find it more than usable. I am a software developer and need to run some serious apps to do my job, as well as VMWare images galore, or I would be trying to figure out a way to use this as my main system, but its just impossible. So this is truly a companion machine for me. Its probably best since there are some things I do on my personal machine that I wouldn't want big brother seeing happen on my work machine..no, not that.
My complaints are few, but they all revolve around upgrading. I don't understand this soldering of memory to a motherboard. Whats the number one thing people want to do hardware wise to any machine they buy.. upgrade memory. My cars wheels aren't welded on, my kitchen appliances aren't set in concrete.. I just don't get that its not upgradeable.
Anyway, I am very interested to see what peripherals and additions you have made to your U810. I have read about the Tumi and your dislike for the leather case from fujitsu, but have you found a case that works for this machine and keeps off the dust and dirt.
Sorry, this sounds like I am doing a review too...I just had a lot to say I guess. I am actually off on a business trip today, and I am about to jump in the car and go purchase a Jabra BT3030 headset to try out for the 5 hours of sitting in a tin can.
Thanks for the review!!!
Posted by luvmyumpc | 04:52 AM on Jan 21, 2008
The M in UMPC is for Mobile. So what's the point of a device like this if it doesn't have ubiquitous (or at least what resembles ubiquitous) net access?
Worthless without a HSDPA/EDGE or other cellular modem built in, IMO. The new U1010 should resolve that issue.
A Linux option would also make it much more attractive.
But a nice device other than that.
Posted by Andrzej Taramina | 05:34 AM on Jan 21, 2008
I'm trying to decide between this and the Flipstart and I was wondering what people would recommend.
I've never owned a UMPC/Mini-Laptop before and, as of now at least, I'm looking more for a portable web browsing in bed & on the couch/ Portable media player/Casual Gaming/Secondary PC-device more than a business travel device.
I don't think the lack of or inclusion of a touchscreen or built in cellular technology is that important to me. And I have enough left over giftcards from Christmas that the price differences probably isn't that important either.
My chief concern are: which unit has the overall better specs (processor {A110 vs Pentium M} and integrated graphics system) and also the input device + keyboard layout usability. It looks like the flipstart might be better for gaming with its directional pad and touchpad, but I've heard conflicting things about how usable its qwerty keypad is as compared to a traditional mini-sized keyboard.
Any ideas or thoughts?
Posted by Alex | 06:39 AM on Jan 21, 2008
Very insightful and thorough review.
A review of the U1010 3G would be very interesting.
Posted by Dukeswharf | 06:58 AM on Jan 21, 2008
@luvmyumpc: I picked up this case on eBay. It's perfect for me because I just wanted something to protect the U810 without adding much bulk. Shipping from Japan to Philadelphia took only 5 days: Link
Great review, Jenn.
Posted by Geoffrey | 08:26 AM on Jan 21, 2008
@Andrzej: I use my mobile phone's high-speed connection through BlueTooth or USB and then don't have to have a separate SIM/account commitment for my U810.
The new version, due here in March, will have built-in HSDPA either standard or available.
Posted by Geoffrey | 08:41 AM on Jan 21, 2008
Geoffrey,
Thanks man, I will order one. My only concern is that it will fit the U810 with the leather case on it...not sure but its worth a shot.
I use my mobile phone for connectivity as well. I have PDANet installed and it turns on DUN modem where Verizon killed it...just click a button and 3 seconds later I am online at acceptable speeds for email and light surfing.
Posted by luvmyumpc | 08:53 AM on Jan 21, 2008
Nice review, very thorough! That yping test was some weird thing though, i tried it and i found it very...unaccurate. Type speed for me is how fast you can actually type a set of words in your head right. That test is about reading a rather uninteresting text then writing it down without even being able to go back and correct words. Persoanlly i find myself typing off of somethign already written very few times :p that was a bit off topic but xD
As for eee pc, are you going to review it?
Posted by Cptnodegard | 11:15 AM on Jan 21, 2008
@lumyumpc: No it won't fit with the leather case on. It's a good, tight fit all by itself.
Posted by Geoffrey | 01:25 PM on Jan 21, 2008
Jenn -
Good to see a full review, your original mini-review and unboxing article was what got me interested in the first place. Good pics and comments, as I have gotten used to on your site! Looking at the pic of the fingerprint scanner, it looks like yours is skewed just a fraction...so is mine, at least I know I'm not the only one :-)
Glad to see there are a few others who are using this versatile device...I've had mine for about 3 weeks now, and so far I am really enjoying it. My main uses have been for web browsing, SlingPlayer, and as a remote for my Sonos music system at home and at work. I use it in tablet form probably 75% of the time, but when I use the keyboard, it is very easy to use. I wish the arrow keys could be used without the [Fn] key, but no big deal. It does lag occasionally, but that is due more to the slow hard drive than the processor. I do keep a 1 GB SD card in for use as a ReadyBoost device, so that definitely helps.
Jenn, you mentioned the highly reflective screen...you should get the 3M Vikuiti screen shields from Fujitsu that are custom fit for the device. They are a bit pricey, about $50 for five shields, but it's a small price to pay to keep the screen looking new. They are anti-reflective and they are scratch resistant.
I also have the Fujitsu leather case, and it works great...I leave a 4GB MicroDrive in my CF slot, so I really don't need access to the slot thru the case. The only thing I would change on the case is the clasp - I would rather have a magnetic one instead of a snap, and I would rather the strap come from the bottom over the top, instead of the way it currently is.
Until I got the U810, I used my N800 all the time, but since then I rarely turn the N800 on anymore. It just has too many shortcomings compared to a full-blown OS, and the battery life is not much better with heavy Wi-Fi use.
Posted by orbitalcomp | 02:09 PM on Jan 21, 2008
Has anyone had an OQO 02 and a u810? Which did you prefer? The size of the u810 puts me off, it doesnt look that portable.
Posted by Paul | 02:26 PM on Jan 21, 2008
@ Rodfather: I want your screen! Sometimes I feel like I'm going to bust through it with the excessive stylus tapping (and at times, jabbing!) I need to do. I don't use the touchscreen too much because I'm almost always in UMPC mode.
Did yours come with the XP discs? They only ship with the Vista Business unit, so I didn't get them.
Are your hands getting sore from thumb typing or laptop-mode typing? My forearms are usually the first to cry.
@ luvmyumpc: Hmm. I haven't really thought about how long my relationship with the U810 will last. I tend to hold on to things much longer than I actually have use for them, so that's what will probably happen with this. I may buy another UMPC this year but I'm not holding out for anything in particular. If it comes down to a new UMPC or a MID, though, I think I may go for the MID.
Do you read with the U810 in landscape tablet or portrait mode? Portrait makes more sense for ebooks and such, but I find landscape more comfortable to hold. Sometimes I put on a pillow on my lap, balance the unit on it (in an "A" position), and read/browse largely hands-free. What kind of battery life are you getting?
Is your touchscreen heavy like mine or light like Rodfather's?
Aside from the Tumi and leather portfolio you mention, I haven't bought any accessories for the U810. I keep it uncased on a small table near my desk when not in use, so it's not being shielded from dust or anything. I use the system often enough that nothing really gets the chance to accumulate. I am still on the lookout for a nice slipcase or sleeve but I'm not interested enough to really put any effort into finding one. What are you using?
Sorry for all the questions. It's really just a sly way to get you continue your review. ;-)
Posted by Jenn | 02:53 PM on Jan 21, 2008
@ Alex: I'm basically a CPU moron, so I can't offer anything substantial in terms of which processor is better and why. I assume the FlipStart's Pentium-XP combo is generally better than the U810's A110-Vista duo, but I don't know which is more suitable for gaming.
The U810's keyboard does not seem ideal for gaming because the arrow keys are double-mapped (you need to hold down the Fn key to access them). In terms of overall usability, though, I think it's much better than the FlipStart's keyboard.
@ Geoffrey: Thanks so much for the eBay link. I saw somewhere that someone was using it for their U810 a few months ago but couldn't remember where I saw it or what it was called. Now I can finally get one. Thanks!
@ Cptnodegard: Good point. Freestyle typing tests exist, but I think they're not as standard as the "copy what you see" ones. The first typing test I ever took was when I was in the 8th grade; it was the "copy what you see" kind so I've never questioned or even thought about how strange/unnatural the format actually is.
As for the Eee, I really don't know. I have been thinking about the pink 2G Surf lately, but I know that I won't have much use for it beyond the review. I kind of swore off 7-inch devices after I sold my Q1P...
Posted by Jenn | 03:24 PM on Jan 21, 2008
Give it a capacitive screen, menlow chipset, and gps :)
Posted by Tino | 04:09 PM on Jan 21, 2008
Hi orbital. I knew your U810 would be used for slinging. You sling anything that can be slung! :-)
How are you getting on with the touchscreen? I don't care much for TIP, but I kind of like Windows Journal. The U810 was my introduction to it and the experience has been pleasant. I know most prefer OneNote/EverNote/ritePen, but Journal is fine for the very seldom inker.
Your ReadyBoost comment surprised me. What kind of card are you using? I put in a 1GB SanDisk Ultra II and it actually worsened performance. The CPU was maxed out all the time and memory usage increased by 10% with nothing but background nonsense running.
Thanks for the screen protector info. I actually haven't been using the device very much during the day, when the glare is at its worst, but I'll look into the shields if things become intolerable. Do they make the display pretty readable outside?
Posted by Jenn | 06:01 PM on Jan 21, 2008
Jenn -
Yes, I'll admit...I kinda like my SlingBoxes :-) Definitely one of the coolest tech devices I have ever had, they just plain work.
I like the touchscreen fine, it works great even with the screen protector. Obviously, Windows is not very finger-friendly on a 5.6" screen, but it's definitely usable. The TIP seems to work good for me, but I don't use the handwriting at all. I do use the pop-up keyboard quite a bit when in tablet mode, and I use my fingers like on the N800. The transparent mouse sometimes gets in the way of certain things, but it is handy for those very tiny things that are hard to tap. Haven't tried Journal yet...
This is going to sound funny, but I am using the exact same card as you, a 1GB SanDisk Ultra II. Now, I run without that Windows Sidebar, so maybe I should turn it on and check my CPU/Mem usage. Who knows, maybe I'm just getting a placebo effect...I'll run some tests with and without the card and see what happens...
As for the shields, they do help just a bit in direct light...outside, really the only place I have used mine is in the car, and it was fine, but I had the brightness cranked up all the way.
Posted by orbitalcomp | 04:21 AM on Jan 22, 2008
@Jenn: The starter of this thread speaks negatively about those screen protectors because of the negative impact on the clarity of the screen, which is to be expected with glare resistant protectors. Unfortunately, the U810 has such a high resolution, they seem at odds with each other.
Posted by Geoffrey | 05:02 AM on Jan 22, 2008
Hi Jenn,
Yes it's odd. I've read a lot of feedback saying the screen is heavy touch but I have the exact opposite experience with mine.
I'm usually not typing with my thumbs unless I'm writing very short text. Thumbing isn't all that bad, it's annoying since doing key combos to do punctuation is a pain. So my hand get sore fast from touch typing too much.
Usually wrists/forearms get sore first from using the mousestick with my right thumb, and mouse clicks with the left thumb. These buttons are stiff and take a toll on you if you're clickin a lot. Reaching with my right thumb to click the pgup/pgdwn keys is a huge factor.
I bought the Vista Business version. So it came with XP Tablet recovery disks. Installing XP Tablet was a breeze. It's basically an image so when it's done, all the software and drivers are already installed.
As for 3g as some have mentioned, I'm using a USB EVDO modem (Novatel U727) if I can't find a WiFi connection. It works great and not very intrusive. I also have a EVDO router (Cradlepoint CTR350) in case I don't want to have a modem sticking out of the U810. It's the best solution for me since I use multiple devices. There are times I stick the modem into the Samsung Q1 or work laptop to get online.
Posted by Rodfather | 09:32 AM on Jan 22, 2008
I've been using my U810 for fieldwork since October.
1: the cf slot is slow, too slow for readyboost. However, it handles a 32GB cf card just fine, unlike my usb cardreader.
2: The sd slot is also slow, but it handles my sdhc cards (up to 16GB). Both cf and sd slots use PIO, and thus tie up the cpu when reading or writing.
3: After 3 months with vista home, I switched to XP tablet. A major pain to buy an OEM license and to install, but it is noticeably quicker. [The major reason was that ESRI's ArcPad 7.0 doesn't run on Vista, the new 7.1 runs on Vista but can't handle raster files.]
4: A cheap SiRFIII bluetooth GPS makes with DeLorme or other software makes this a fine in-car navigation system.
5: My current configuration has the 40GB hard disk replaced by a 32GB samsung ssd (getting the U1010 cable from Fujitsu is the hard part), a 32GB cf card permanently in the slot for mass data storage, bluetooth mouse for the lab and bluetooth GPS for the field, and the convertible bump case with velcro tabs to keep the U810 secure while in keyboard configuration. With the usb port for downloading from dataloggers, this is a great field computer: ArcPad maps and communication with the GPS, stylus for map navigation and data entry from pick-lists & forms, and a keyboard for entering occasional labels and notes.
Posted by tp | 06:59 AM on Jan 25, 2008
Hi all -
Really looking hard at purchasing one of these...really curious on how the screen is. How long can you view it without getting eye-strain? I realize it has better resolution than most other UMPC's, which is a plus, but I am worried that going from my primary 14in screen primary to a 5.5 secondary for periods of 2-3 hours might get uncomfortable..any thoughts? TIA
Posted by AMonty | 05:06 PM on Jan 26, 2008
Hi everyone. I, too, am considering buying one of these bad boys but can't make my mind up yet.
When I was browsing for accessories I have found this GPS cradle with integrated speaker, built-in GPS (duh) and a wireless FM transmitter all in one. Looks like a very nice item for in-car usage.
The ebay link is:
http://tinyurl.com/39se6n
I wonder if anyone has taken the plunge and using this item in their cars.
Cheers
Noyan
Posted by Noyan | 09:41 PM on Jan 26, 2008
Just wanted to say thanks. I brought one of these thanks to this review. Will probably "upgrade" to windows xp tablet. :)
Posted by icurafu | 02:13 AM on Jan 28, 2008
I think they had a good idea but the form factor is still not right. What people want is a touch type computer that runs full desktop OS yet can be carried in a large jacket pocket and has touch type input. Fujitsu should have made it narrower so that it could fit in a jacket, and also make it longer so that the keyboard would be more touch type rather than thumb. It is too large to carry without a bag so to me that is the big flaw in the form factor.
Posted by Al | 07:45 PM on Jan 31, 2008
I've been considering one of these since I first read about it. Your review pushed me over the edge, I picked mine up last week at Frys. I really love this machine. Great little device for doing work on the fly. Not a full replacement for a notebook, it works great for grabbing and taking on the road for a few days. I use it to surf the net via bluetooth using my i760, and installed foldershare to access the files on my work & home machine. Great device, and there is no better deal out there in my opinion. Thanks for the great review!!
Posted by Bill | 08:34 AM on Feb 02, 2008
Just got my U810 last week...so far really like it!
Very nice balance between portability, performance, and usability!
Put one of the Toshiba 100GB MK1011GAH drives in it this morning and it's really nice to have more storage space and better performance too...
I used Acronis TrueImageHome v11 to make a full backup DVD yesterday and a boot CD to make this transition easy...worked great! ;-)
Received an Invisible Shield screen protector yesterday that I read good things about elsewhere, but haven't installed it yet...
This afternoon, the Fujitsu Executive Leather Case should be here, so I'll be fully protected soon... ;-)
Only other thing I'm thinking of doing now is getting one of the standard smaller size batteries so that it doesn't stick out like the extended one....as I'm almost always by an AC outlet, battery performance is pretty much a non-issue for me unlike most folks..
Of course if I could just figure out how to upgrade the RAM to 2GB I'd be all set...
;-)
Mark
Happy U810 Camper...
Posted by ArchiMark | 11:10 AM on Feb 05, 2008
@ Noyan : there's a video on YouTube where they show the U810 used in a car http://youtube.com/watch?v=IokRXasmhsA
In the video, they use StreetDeck on it, which is a program that installs on Windows, but at least you get to see how the GPS works and how the UMPC looks in a car and all.
I've been wanting to buy this PC for months, but I'm waiting for the 3.5G version to be available at a reasonable price. So far, only the U1010 in Asia and Australia is available with 3.5G, and I could only find it for prices around $1600-$1800 (1999 Australian dollars). The prices should drop a bit when the U810 3.5G comes out in the US.
anyway, I've got 2 things to ask about the HSDPA/3.5G U810/U1010 :
1) tell me as soon as it comes out in the US, or if you find one under $1500
2) I live in Switzerland, Europe. does anyone know if the wireless connectivity will work here with the U810? with the U1010? I heard the U810 in the US would be SIM-locked with an AT&T SIM card, but not sure, and I don't know if that would make it unusable here. does anyone here have a U1010 3.5G? if so have you tried using it with your normal cell phone SIM card?
btw the "U series" is awesome! I'm trying to keep people here waiting just a little longer so they can buy the U 3.5G instead of the IPhone they're all waiting for. cheers
Posted by jon | 01:14 PM on Feb 17, 2008
Tnx for your good review I am waitng for the next version,Do you have any idea of when it will be released?
Posted by Mohammad Amin Firuzabadi | 04:02 PM on Feb 28, 2008
Hi Jenn, Would you please try skype video call and see if the system can handle it? My old fujitsu b3020d with PM1.1ghz, 1gb RAM, xp pro seem to labor when I run skype video call. The CPU usage hangs at 70-80%. I am considering a U810 to replace my b3020d, but wants to be sure it can handle one of my most frequent task. Thank you! Tosser.
Posted by tosser | 07:57 PM on May 02, 2008
Unless you get rid of Vista and install XP, Skype video calls on the U810 aren't fun.
From Mobile Tech Review: "Skype struggled with video calls and couldn't keep up, resulting in nearly unusable outgoing audio. . . . XP is much more responsive than Vista for most every task. . . . MS Office 2007 applications ran very quickly and Skype worked perfectly, even with video calls."
Posted by Jenn | 03:28 AM on May 03, 2008
Thank you so much for the quick answer Jenn! So tough to decide on the portable gadget line-up... I've considered keeping the B3020d and just getting an iphone for portable web (with iPhone prices falling) Probably should wait until June when the 3G iphones come out - then the used EDGE models would flood craigslist? I used ipod touch for a 14 day trip to Japan, and I was quite impressed by its web/communication capabilities - mostly due to the multi-touch screen.
Posted by Tosser | 04:13 PM on May 03, 2008
How would you compare the performance of the Fujitsu U810 vs the Sony UX series? I have a UX380 which I love but the battery life is so crappy I have not used it in months. I could literally see the battery level drop as I watched the screen. Tried all the tips and tricks but to no avail. If the Fujitsu is similar in performance I might give it a shot.
Posted by Spidubic | 10:41 AM on May 09, 2008