|
Thursday May 29, 2008
|
 Dell confirmed Thursday morning that a UMPC is in the works, after a company representative posted pictures to a Dell company blog.
Following the Gizmodo blog’s discovery that chief executive Michael Dell was actually carrying around a prototype (or finished unit), spokeswoman Anne Camden posted a a short teaser description of the laptop on the company’s Web site.
“Michael positioned it as the perfect device for the next billion Internet users,” Camden wrote.
Camden and Dell did not disclose any of the other features of the product, including its name, general availability, price, or specifications. The image files are named “Mini Inspiron,” however. But Camden also linked to an post on IdeaStorm, where Dell customers can suggest directions or products for the company.
That post suggested Dell create an UMPC with the following characteristics:
Dell customizability
Microsoft Windows Vista
Core Solo/Duo/Duo+ processor
1 Gbyte memory
60 Gbyte hard drive
Touchscreen
Optional 3G service
A discrete graphics card from Nvidia
2-3+ megapixel camera
DVI or HDMI connections, with a 7.1-channel speaker system
A flash card reader
Windows SideShow support
Given the fact that Michael Dell was carrying a finished laptop around, and that Dell has prepared photos available for its Web site suggests an imminent launch. The most likely scenario is next week at Computex, where industry sources have suggested that Intel will launch its Diamondville processor, a version of the “Silverthorne” (now renamed “Atom” processor”) for low-cost laptops. Rival Via struck first on Thursday, christening their new Isaiah architecture as the Via “Nano” processor.
EDIT 7:19 AM PDT: Looking more closely at the photos posted by Gizmodo, it looks like the QWERTY keys are close to being normally sized and spaced, but that the surrounding keys (such as the arrow navigation keys, “<” keys, “ALT” keys, et cetera, are significantly smaller. I haven’t played around with too many UMPCs, so I don’t know if that’s truly new. But it’s a novel and elegant idea.
|
|
|
Mixx It
Digg It
Stumble
More...
May 29, 2008 10:20 AM
I do love Dell and use them in my home and business but I don't think I will be ready to give up my BlackBerry Curve for the new Dell as far as portability goes.
JJ
http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com
May 29, 2008 2:07 PM
If it doesn't come in at a price point over a Bazillion dollars I'd buy it.
June 13, 2008 1:15 AM
I never use my blackberry for anything else but e-mail. I need a cheap low end UMPC to bring along when I am on holiday. I will get the ASUS eee 901 once its avaliable. If Dell can come up with a similar product that run on linux within the next month, then ASUS wil sell one less of its eee 901
August 12, 2008 11:58 PM
I am sure Dell will not sell the laptop without Genuine Microsoft OS. Have a few friends working at Dell and they confirmed the same.
Emm you said your budget was 60k... then you can get the same config as mine. There is a new discount available, they are offering a few RAM upgrade from 1GB to 2GB.
Also you can talk to the sales guy for more discounts...