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I've now spent a full workweek with the Kohjinsha PA series and since this is the last post I'll be writing before my husband and I start our new lives as parents, it's definitely time to share my thoughts on what is currently the smallest Atom-based convertible around. I usually prefer to spend at least a few weeks with a device before reviewing it, so what follows is just a mini review (albeit a long one) covering my general impressions of the unit.
The ViewSonic VCP08 and possibly even the unnamed VIA MID phone may beat it to market, but ITG continues to forge ahead with plans to release the xpPhone we've been following since its debut in June.
I've been in touch with the company's export sales manager for a few months now and received an email early this morning about the MID phone's latest and greatest feature: customization. While the slider unit's specs have always included a 4.8" WVGA touchscreen, unspecified AMD Super Mobile CPU, and of course Windows XP (original specs here), a new customized order option (see below) broadens the device's offering with choices of 4.3" and 7" screens, WSVGA resolution, CPU clock speeds of lower or higher than 1GHz, a 5-megapixel camera, and Windows 7.
Pricing for the original model hasn't been released (there's talk of it starting at $500 to $700, depending on configuration), so it's unclear how much higher each of the upgrades would raise the price.
Despite my slight sense of deja-vu after yesterday's news concerning the Windows XP running ViewSonic VCP08 phone, an anonymous source leaked some new information and images of a prototype VIA-based MID phone that not only runs Windows XP, but also Android at the same time!
The concept of the device seems to have been in existence since Computex 2009 in June, where a non-working mock-up identified as the Dr. Mobile or CCI MID with preliminary specifications was on display. The latest information and images of what seems to be a working prototype, however, indicate that the VIA MID combines two separate hardware systems: a UMPC portion running Windows XP and an independent smartphone system running Android. Detailed specifications are currently unknown apart from the MID side of things using a 500Mhz VIA processor, most likely the Nano. Previous information mentioned the use of an 800Mhz Freescale chip powering the Android portion of the device, although there is no confirmation of this in the leaked information. Unlike the ViewSonic VCP08, the VIA MID is a more conventional slider arrangement with a full QWERTY keyboard and a single screen that switches between the two operating systems.
Following my comment yesterday on internet tablet MIDs being an emerging hot product category, a new day has brought another new candidate to add to this growing selection of products. And like many of its contemporaries, it is also running Android.
Just announced by Innovative Converged Devices (ICD), a company based in both the UK and Seattle, the Vega tablet is described as a "sleek, kitchen-friendly Android touch device." The Vega is the first in a future line of similar tablet products running Android that will be low-priced, feature-rich, HD entertainment, and information devices. Apart from running Android in its 2.0 guise, these new products will also all feature 3G and WiFi (802.11 b/g) connectivity, have a touch interface, and be powered by nVidia's Tegra processor (which is also found in the Zune HD). A variety of screen sizes will be available including a pocketable 7" model, as well as larger 11" and 15" sizes that I presume are the "kitchen-friendly" options!
Did you ever have a gadget that you felt you were supposed to really like but, try as you might, you could only just kind of like? That's how I feel about my Archos 5 Android Internet Tablet.
It's a significant improvement over last year's Archos 5 IMT, offers faster web browsing speeds than other ARM Cortex A8-powered devices, has a large high-resolution touchscreen, and runs on an operating system compatible with a growing catalog of third-party applications . . . yet the iPhone 3GS is still my go-to device for nearly everything I should be using the Archos 5 Android for.
Followers of our coverage of the ITG xpPhone will be interested to know that ViewSonic has just announced its competing VCP08 phone also running Windows XP. Featuring an interesting side clamshell design in comparison to the xpPhone's slider arrangement, the VCP08 has a 2" external display and standard numeric keypad on its front for conventional phone use, with a 2-megapixel camera on the back. The clamshell opens to reveal a 4.3" internal screen and a full QWERTY keypad and finger mouse arrangement.
Other known hardware specifications include an unspecified Intel ULV processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and support for microSD cards. Network connectivity is currently unknown, but is likely to include the usual suspects of WiFi and 3G.
It seems that the hottest emerging gadget categories these days are internet tablet MIDs and e-readers. Perhaps one of the most speculated products that supposedly intends to cover both of these areas and more is the long rumored Apple Tablet.
At the GITEX trade show in Dubai, China-based Boeye revealed their MID 700 tablet running Google's Android OS and featuring a design strikingly similar to a device one would usually expect from Apple: an enlarged iPhone/iPod touch with a larger 7" WVGA screen but the same full glass face with a black and silver bezel. Other specifications from Boeye's website state the tablet uses a Marvell PXA303 processor at 624MHz, has 128MB of RAM and 2GB of onboard storage, and includes WiFi, 3G, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Adesun, a Chinese technology company based in Shenzhen, China, have just launched their new UMPC, the AD-708 Terminator Series. Based on the information from the English version of their website, the AD-708 features a 7" WVGA (800x480) LCD touchscreen in a tablet form factor, is powered by the old 1.2GHz VIA C7M processor, and runs Windows XP while also being compatible with Vista and Linux.
The Adesun AD-708 is available in two configurations; a basic version and a deluxe version. Both measure 7.9 x 4.8 x 1.4 inches (W x H x D) and come with WiFi (802.11 b/g), Ethernet (10/100), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a 300K pixel webcam, stereo speakers, microphone, VGA output, two USB 2.0 ports, and Express Card slot and SD card slots. In addition to the touchscreen, the UMPC also has an optical mouse and supports external peripherals through USB. Like other similar devices, an accelerometer adjusts the display based on the orientation of the unit.
Hi there! As this is my first official post on Pocketables, I would just like to say thanks to Jenn, Chris, and the Pocketables community for the warm welcome. I very much look forward to bringing you the latest and greatest in the gadget world from today onwards!
But straight to business. It has been reported by Bloomberg that Motorola have sold around 100,000 units of the new Droid smartphone during its first few days of availability over the weekend, with most stores selling at least half of their stock. A total of 200,000 units were made available for the launch on November 6th. In comparison, the iPhone 3GS sold 1 million units during its weekend debut earlier this year. Analysts expect Motorola will sell a total of 1 million Android smartphones this quarter and a total of 10 million during 2010.
As a follower of the Droid since its announcement, it certainly seems like a promising debut for the latest Android handset and perhaps the beginning of a turnaround for Motorola, particularly after their struggles over the past few years since the heydays of the RAZR. It's also good to see this revival being led by a truly impressive, competitive product. Which one of you were among the 100,000 who picked up the Droid last weekend? We would love to hear your comments and early impressions.
Overall, it's been a pretty eventful week for Zune HD owners, and that trend continues today with the release of some new 3D gaming titles from Microsoft. Up until now, if you wanted to game on the newest member of the Zune family, you were forced to entertain yourself with basic games that belied the power of the Tegra chipset and seemed weak compared to the iPhone or Sony PSP.
Six new 3D game titles are available immediately from the Zune Marketplace, and all are free downloads while still supported with short ads when loaded. The firmware update to 4.3 brought not only tweaks and fixes, but also support for these new 3D games, which include PGR: Ferrari Edition, Audiosurf Tilt, Lucky Lanes Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, and Checkers. If the screenshots give any indication of the gameplay, then we should be in for a treat.
According to Microsoft, these new games are only the beginning, with plans to bring Facebook and Twitter to the platform sometime in the near future. Just what we need: more social networking apps.
[zune.net]
