Looking for a great PC that runs a fully fledged version of Windows XP but weighs less than two pounds? Well, it’s here – at least if you can live without the “great” part.
We lambasted this thing when it first showed. Now, mainstream reviewers are getting their hands on it. And washing them afterwards.
It’s a tablet-style computer, about the size of a trade paperback and at 1.7 pounds, only slightly heavier. It has a 7-inch screen with a few buttons around it, but no keyboard or mouse. If the Q1 were red, you’d think “Etch A Sketch” when you saw it.
So who needs a UMPC? Well, Samsung sees students and salespeople as the early adopters. I think they’re wrong.
Students need something they can write and play games on, and the UMPC isn’t it. You can write on it with the stylus, and the software does a great job of recognizing what you write, but it gets tiresome. You can also call up an on-screen keyboard for thumb-typing while holding the device, but it really doesn’t work well. It obscures too much of the screen and it doesn’t work when you hold the screen vertically because the “keys” overlap. Thirdly, the power cable connects exactly where you need to hold your right hand for thumb-typing.
The Q1 would make a good e-book reader too except for a bug. When I hit a button to change the screen orientation to vertical, the screen started sensing touches at the wrong places, making the computer nearly useless.
Many dialogue boxes are so large that they don’t fit on the Q1’s 800-pixel-by-480-pixel screen. You’ll be hunting for the “OK” and “Cancel” buttons till you hit the hardware button that tells the screen to simulate the more standard 800-by-600 resolution.
Microsoft has a track record as a tenacious improver, and its hardware partners will no doubt figure this one out.
Just give them a year or two.
AP science and technology writers are the only decent talent remaining in that wire service. This article proves it, once again.
btw — it’s $1100.
I have got to believe it is going to be awesome if John says it sucks.
Carl must be a refugee from slashdot.
If they get those things (UMPC) under $500 I might think of buying one.
I would buy one ONLY if it had a flash drive instead of a hard drive.
I was joking. Anything with Windows on it is going to bomb. I was referencing a quote from John saying the iPod is over rated. But now I can not find that quote or proof that he ever said it.
I like John. And just to let you know moss… I never /.
Apparently you are not a frequent commenter on this site or you would know who I am.
Gee, Carl — I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I just made that silly presumption about slashdot because it’s the 1st link you recommend at your site.
Chuckle.
I have a feeling its going to be way too expensive for what it does.
800 x 480 display? Useless. Nothing but an expensive toy. If it had a different OS that could maximise the display then it could be interesting, but running XP on a screen that small is gonna be AWEFUL…
Mind you running XP is already aweful enough as it is.
Also, will it run Vista or is it stuck with a 5 year old OS for life?
Son of a! You caught me… Old website designs attack! AGGHHH!
This is actually more reminiscent of first-generation Samsung products, like their early mobile phones (the horror!!). When Dell gets in (IF Dell gets in) it’ll be a different story.
Carl — spend some time with it. It’s a nice website. Doesn’t have to take much time, daily.
I was going to tease you about the photo of yourself; but, I actually like Radiohead. 🙂
I really do.
Origami is the code name for a Portable PC Standard… it’s not a single device! God I wish people would get that…
I have to say – I like it, and can see the use of it. Would I buy one? IF I had money to burn, because it’s hardly an essencial item. I can see it being popular with the sillicon valley type crowd though – its a nice step up from a PDA.
The correct term for this type of PC btw is UPPC – Ultra-Portable PC, which is what Origami refered to.
Gregory, its UMPC – Ultra-Mobile PC … that said, i wouldn’t buy one – over-priced and under-functional – get a PDA or a laptop, if that’s what you need – this will fill neither role well.
I think that we’re just not ready for this tablet style machine. For me it’s the same reason a PDA doesn’t rule my life. To me it’s only good for information retrieval. (Address books/contacts, notes etc) My biggest problem is getting data INTO it. I just feel that the Stylus type interface or touch screen interfaces are sophisticated or accurate enough to be part of my daily life.
Yes handwritting recognition software is getting better, but it’s just not there yet. I probably won’t be using any style PDA/Origami etc until Voice Control becomes a reality. (And my thumbs are too big for typing)
Jeff
$99 and I will buy one
I just love this review by an Aussie journalist.
His verdict: ‘… the Samsung Q1 would not be worth a pinch of camel dung to me.’
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/4125/53/
Origami just a hobby
By Stan Beer
Tuesday, 02 May 2006
I could never quite figure out the fascination that some people have with tablet PCs. Screens are much better suited to looking at than writing on I would have thought. However, I certainly can’t see what the fuss is about with the newly released Samsung Q1 Origami.
With this particular device, you have something that costs an arm and a leg (around $1100), has no really usable keyboard, has an underpowered processor, a tiny screen (7-inch) and is too big to fit in your pocket. Sure it has a pretty decent amount of memory (512M of RAM) and storage (40G hard drive). It also has Bluetooth, WiFi and two USB ports.
Except for the fact that Samsung Q1 doesn’t have a DVD drive, a keyboard and a decent sized screen, it would make good little compact device to carry around in a briefcase or whatever it is that mobile workers carry things around in these days. However, those are pretty big exceptions.
Speaking as a mobile worker who needs to type documents, read them and maybe watch a DVD in my spare time – perhaps when I’m on a plane – the Samsung Q1 would not be worth a pinch of camel dung to me.
If that’s the case, maybe I’m looking at the device from the wrong angle. Instead of viewing as an underpowered, skeletal notebook PC, maybe I should view it as a sort of souped up PDA. In that case, it’s too big to fit in my pocket, it certainly can’t double as a mobile phone like say a Blackberry could and it’s way too expensive. Other than the fact that it has more storage and processing power than I would ever need for a PDA, I can’t think of single use for it.
Oh by the way, I haven’t checked the warranty on this device but, at that price, I would want three years. In fact, on any laptop these days a three-year manufacturer’s warranty should be mandatory.
If I were a gadget head hobbyist who takes delight in watching movies on a tiny monitor or typing with my thumbs on a pseudo keyboard or scribbling notes with a stylus on a monitor, I may consider shelling out $1100 for a Samsung Q1. However, as I’m not, my notebook plus my 3G phone do me just fine.
I feel like I am on pretty firm ground when I concur with the numerous voices who have said that this is a niche product, much like tablet PCs are now. there will be people who will use it … for something.
as an afterthought – the primary computer activity for many, if not most, people is web browsing, which is more and more interactive (blogging, etc). a PC without a keyboard is not so good for this ….
ummmmm…wonder if Wal-Mart will offer this?