Pocketables

Rumor: Raon Digital gone bankrupt?

Grab your salt shakers and gather 'round, folks. It's time to share a rumor that's beginning to seem a little less like fiction and a bit more like fact as the days go by.

I received an email tip early last week about Raon Digital - makers of the Vega, Everun, and Everun Note UMPCs - being in some kind of financial trouble that recently landed them in bankruptcy court. I hadn't heard even a whisper about this previously, so the news came completely out of left field for me. The tipster had sent me solid information before, though, so I had no reason to immediately distrust the email. Since the Korean company has issued recall notices on its website in the past, the first thing I did after reading the email was head there to check for an official announcement. The site looked exactly like it always did, with the Everun Note still appearing on the front page and nothing new or exciting anywhere else.

A few days later, word about the company and what looked to be a confirmed bankruptcy appeared on a couple of small Korean websites. I checked the official site again: no change. At this point, I emailed Raon Digital for a comment.

I haven't received a response yet but today, a week after the first tip rolled in, I went to check on the main site again. This is what I saw (and at the time of this writing is still there).

Gaming, the UMPC/MID, and you

This guest article was submitted by Steven Law.

So, you're on the road and tired of listening to the music you have on your UMPC or MID, watched all the videos, read all your emails and ebooks, and don't have any websites you want to check out (or have no internet connection . . . where are you, in a submarine?) What to do? Well, you could take a nap do some work game!

You certainly won't be playing Crysis, but there's a large number of gems available, especially if you're willing to go back a few years. In fact, there are so many that I couldn't even begin a comprehensive list here; what follows are just some sources to get you started.

Viliv S7 convertible priced, poised for release

Boy, Viliv is certainly on a hot streak. The X70 preorder event has barely cooled and already the company is promoting the highly anticipated Atom-based S7 convertible UMPC on its website. Advertised as being capable of providing "true all-day computing" thanks to its 9.5 hours max of runtime, the 7-inch device will be available in three configurations with the following prices:

• 729,000 KRW (~$573) S7 I-LOG HX: Windows XP, 1.33GHz Atom Z520, 1GB RAM, 60GB HDD
• 799,000 KRW (~$628) S7 I-LOG 3X: Windows XP, 1.33GHz Atom Z520, 1GB RAM, 32GB SSD
• 849,000 KRW (~$667) S7 D-LOG 3X: Windows XP, 1.33GHz Atom Z520, 1GB RAM, 32GB SSD, DMB

All models can also be outfitted with integrated WiBro (additional cost unknown). A global release date hasn't been announced yet, but it shouldn't be too much longer before those of us not in Korea find out when and where to get one.

Reminder: Viliv X70 preorder event

Just a quick reminder for those eager to be among the first to get their hands on the Viliv X70 UMPC: the Dynamism preorder event begins at 1 p.m. EST on Monday, July 6th. Be one of the first 777 customers to purchase the Express or Premium models of the 7-inch slate (all configurations include Windows XP Home, 1GB RAM, and GPS) and get a bunch of free goodies:

• Upgrade to 1.3GHz Atom Z520, leather case, car kit, and protective film ($599 X70 Express: 16GB SSD)
• Leather case, car kit, protective film, and spare battery ($729 X70 Premium: 32GB SSD; $879/$1379 X70 Premium 3G: 32GB/128GB SSD, HSPA modem)

Dynamism will be keeping everyone updated via Twitter during the event, so be sure to check there if you experience problems while placing your order or just want to check on the remaining supply. Good luck!

[Preorder Viliv X70]

Kohjinsha readies SK3 UMPC for release

UPDATE: Official Kohjinsha SK3 product page

UMPCPortal received some early info and press shots today of a new 7-inch convertible UMPC that Kohjinsha is expected to release in Japan later this week.

Estimated to sell for between $700 and $800, the Atom-based SK3 looks to be a marginal upgrade to last summer's SC3, offering little more than a modified casing, dual cameras, and 802.11n WiFi support. The unit hasn't been added to the Kohjinsha website yet so there's still a sliver of a chance that the currently reported specs (1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520, 2.3-hour battery life, XP Home) could turn out to be more impressive and upgrade-worthy [UPDATE: Nope!]. If not, at least the SK3 still has the SC3's ExpressCard/34 slot, ethernet and VGA ports, and integrated GPS.

Then again, if the SK3 doesn't bring more to the table (e.g., faster CPU, longer battery life, SSD, 3G), why not save a few hundred dollars and get the SC3 that now retails for 49,800 yen (~$521) instead?

:: Visit the Kohjinsha forum to connect with users, troubleshoot, and share tips ::

Viliv X70 preorder event scheduled for July 6th

Following the success of their Viliv S5 presale events in April and May, Dynamism is kicking off their "summer of innovation" celebration next month with a similar launch special of the 7-inch Viliv X70 slate.

According to this morning's announcement email, interest in the Atom-based device has been so high that it's "bordering on UMPC hooliganism." And what's the gang at Dynamism going to do about it? Include all kinds of freebies with the first 777 preorders, of course (nothing calms down a crowd like free stuff, right?).

Beginning at 1 p.m. EST on July 6th, those who order the $599 Express model (1.2GHz Atom, 1GB RAM, 16GB SSD, XP Home) will receive a complimentary upgrade to the 1.3GHz Atom Z520 along with a free car kit, leather pouch, and protective film. Folks who prefer one of the three Premium models (1.3GHz Atom, 1GB RAM, 32GB/128GB SSD, XP Home, 3G option) instead - prices start at $729 - and place their orders in time will be treated to a free standard battery as well as the car kit, leather pouch, and protective film.

Dynamism expects their first shipment to arrive on July 28th.

[Viliv X70 @ Dynamism]

Viliv X70 pricing starts at $599

Dynamism sent out an email this morning announcing its new product page for the upcoming Viliv X70 UMPC:

Just like the uber-hot Viliv S5, this Viliv X70 is beautifully-manufactured, features a great battery life, and has plenty of power to deliver a full, no-compromise, rich internet experience. The Viliv X70 features a 7" WSVGA display, 32GB SSD, 5+ hours of movie playback, 6 days of standby time, XP instant-on, GPS, and 3G HSPA.

Availability and exact pricing for the different versions are still on the drawing board, but the importer confirms that prices will start at just $599. This is the same price as the smaller S5, which is surprising yet certainly great for those who prefer a larger screen and don't need the top-of-the-line configuration.

OQO confirms that it's closing

Remember when OQO was referred to as vaporware by nearly everyone in the tech community? That was back in 2002 and the fledgling company was promising a product that would eventually turn the handheld market upside down. Finally released in 2004, the OQO model 01 drove handhelds away from a small device running the Pocket PC platform and toward a larger device running Windows XP. The first OQO was a fine device sporting a 1GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor (another blast from the past), 20GB hard drive, 256 MB of RAM, integrated 802.11b, and Bluetooth.

OQO built upon the success of their first device and launched several devices in the intervening years, culminating in the highly successful OQO Model 02 that was introduced by Bill Gates at CES 2007. Heaps of praise and awards were showered on the Model 02 device, which was expected to be replaced by the Intel Atom-driven Model 2+.The OQO Model 2+ device made its grand debut at CES 2009 and will be remembered, not as a piece de resistance, but sadly as a device that will never be.

Viliv S5 hacks: SSD upgrade and integrated 3G

All you folks fervently playing with your brand spanking new Viliv S5 should pause for a moment and check out the SSD and 3G hack from jkkmobile. The easiest of the two is the SSD hack, which involves getting your hands on any 1.8-inch 5mm SSD with PATA zif connection or any half mini zif SSD and simply swapping it out with the current HDD.

Now onto the 3G hack, which is not for the faint of heart or those without soldering skills.

Review: UMID mbook M1

While preparing my full review of the UMID mbook M1 that came out of its box a few weeks ago, I started to compile a list of everything I liked and disliked about the compact clamshell device (1.33GHz Atom Z520, 512MB RAM, 16GB SSD, Windows XP). I don't normally make lists like this, preferring instead to put my final thoughts together after the meat of the review is written, so I didn't expect to end up deciding to ditch my standard review format after the list was done.

The list was just so unbalanced that I think sharing it will be more useful to prospective buyers than my typical style. See what I mean below.