jkOnTheRun

OtterBox intros protective cases for Samsung Q1U UMPCs

OtterBox has long been a name synonymous with outstanding device protection and today they're bringing that protection to the latest UMPCs from Samsung. The new case fits either a Samsung Q1 Ultra or Ultra Premium model and offers access to practically every port and interface while offering protection from the elements.

For $79.95, you'll get your choice of yellow or black. Regardless of color, each case offers three layers of protection: a clear membrane, a Polycarbonate shell, and a thin silicone skin. I wouldn't drop my UMPC underwater in this (although have I done that with a PDA in an OtterBox), but short of that, this case looks to offer outstanding protection while adding 11.5 ounces of weight.

The cheap, sub-notebook class gets sub-classed... and more expensive

I'm swamped today but happened to catch a little news in Google Reader after lunch. Is it just me or are the laptop companies trying to kill the newest sub-notebook market before it really hits critical mass? Don't get me wrong: I love what was started by the OLPC and the Asus EEE PC. It just appears to me that folks are trying to cash in on it by maximizing profits in the early stages. Here's what I've seen:

• The OLPC was planned to be around $100 or so and turned into a $200 machine. 100% increase.
• The Eee PC 701 was looking to be a $200 machine and quickly turned into a $400 purchase. Again, a 100% increase.
• The 901 Eee PC offers a little more storage, slightly bigger display and higher resolution. $549 is the pre-order price on a device that shouldn't require massive retooling from a build standpoint. Yet, the new features will cost you almost 40% more than the old model.
• HP's Mini is a nice machine that might have a wee bit more power than these competitors and it certainly has a beautiful screen and more usable keyboard. Based on the price, "you won't even need to consider this purchase". It starts at $499 and the highest-end XP model is just over $800. Who's dropping $800 without blinking? Even at the mid-range, you're looking at $600 or so... still not a "whim purchase".
• The MSI Wind is forthcoming as well: $610 is the pre-order price.

Each of these devices offers different feature sets, sizes and weights to be sure. It almost seems to me that folks are trying to create sub-classes of the sub-notebook class though. I also see prices trending up, not down. There's cheap and functional and there's expensive and faster. What happened to the $200 and $300 machines? Are the components truly driving the prices up or is the profit margins that are increasing?

Could we soon see capacitive touch UMPCs?

My premise is a bit of a stretch, but this DigiTimes story today got me thinking. Apparently, Sintek Photronic is in the process of developing 7-inch capacitive touch screens. I realize that non-UMPC devices like in-car GPS modules are a more likely contender for a capacitive touch screen of this size, but it's always possible that some of these are destined to be the face of a UMPC.

Using a screen of this type and not including an active digitizer would certainly preclude any inking within an OS like Windows XP Tablet Edition or Vista, but with many devices in this class looking at alternative environments (read: Linux), I could see a UMPC with capacitive touch and no ink abilities. Again, this just an exercise in thinking on my part, but it makes me wonder: how many of you would give up the ability to ink if you had a UMPC with a capacitive display making for a better touch experience?

GRAHL's PDF Annotator 2 beta available

One of my favorite Tablet PC applications, PDF Annotator, is about to hit a new version. PDF Annotator 2 is currently in beta and you can download it for free right now. The beta version will work until May 31, 2008, but that gives you plenty of time to try it out. Some of the new features include:

• New Page Manager containing thumbnails
• Bookmark Manager with ability to create your own bookmarks
• New completely customizable Toolbox
• Stamps
• Auto-smooth setting to smooth free hand lines
• Enhanced Full Screen mode with fly-in toolbars
• Improved Text Search in new search toolbar with search result highlighting
• New Continuous View and improved view and zoom behaviour
• Pan mode
• Page Navigation with history support
• Additional Text Box Styles with colored backgrounds and borders
• Many more useful in detail improvements like a much better and faster rendering engine

If you're not a risk-taker, that's OK too. You can download the current production version and use it for 30 days to see if it works well for you. I've found it to be an essential tool for inking and marking up PDF files. There are definitely some good alternatives out there, but I've been very happy with PDF Annotator. Before I forget: folks who bought a PDF Annotator license for $49.95 this year will get the next version upgrade for free. Might be worth a download and purchase now, in case version 2 goes up in price.

A Tablet Input Panel alternative: Inker

Atozed Software is confident that they have a Tablet PC Input Panel alternative that's more efficient than the native TIP found in Windows. After watching the demo video, they might be on to something, but I'll have to install "Inker" and give it a try. My general observation is that Inker might be preferred by some, but it looks a bit too cluttered for my use on a UMPC. I do have a full-sized Tablet PC though so I can give it a go on both.

Some of the efficiencies noted might be a little overstated. For example, the product page says that it takes four taps to capitalize a word in the native TIP, while it's a single gesture in Inker. I count two taps, not four: one tap on the word shows the possible auto-complete options in the TIP and the first one is almost always the same word capitalized (or in lowercase if you wrote the word in caps). Regardless, I'm all for text-entry input options, so I'll take a look. You can too with a free download right here. You'll need Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and of course a Windows edition that supports Tablet PC functionality.

FlipStart- so long and thanks for all the fish

I can't remember any gadget in history that was vaporware for as long as the handheld FlipStart PC that actually ended up making it to market.  We were one of the first folks on the planet to get our hands on one and give you the very first look which seems like just yesterday.  Now it seems the company behind FlipStart has stopped selling them, after dropping the price of the little PC to only $600.  According to this notice found on engadget the FlipStart looks like it is no longer being actively sold by the company that makes it, something of concern when you are a company with only one product.  I'll never forgot when Marc Orchant dropped the FlipStart 3 feet to a marble floor in Seattle and the thing wasn't even dented.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: Skype video on the HP Mini with Windows XP

James and I are getting tons of questions on how well (or how bad) Skype video calls are on the HP Mini. This geek chat shows that while the quality isn't as good as higher powered machines, it is quite usable, and without any tweaks. I'm using a MacBook Pro on my end to record the video while James is using the HP Mini with Skype 3.8 for Windows. It's the 1.6 GHz VIA C7-M, 2 GB of RAM and running Windows XP.

OQO hacked to the Mac

There is an endless fascination with hacking all sorts of non-Apple hardware to run the Mac operating system, Kevin was not immune to that and enjoyed running OS X on his Samsung Q1.  Recently a video surfaced showing an OQO that apparently has OS X (Leopard) running making the smallest Mac ever.  It is cool to watch although there are several things that bother me about this installation.  First of all I am not aware of anyone else who has gotten OS X installed and working on the Via processor.  The OQO in the video certainly has the Via processor so there is a lot of confusion as to how this individual got OS X to even work on the Via.  Second, the video is incredibly blurry and it seems to me that for something so "first" a greater attempt would have been made to at least show the results more clearly.  Thirdly, recording the video in a location without connectivity seems a bit convenient to preclude showing how the little Hackintosh works with the web.  Fourth, the OQO has a Wacom digitizer which OS X supports natively and it would have been cool to see interaction with the UI by pen, something that hasn't been done before outside of the ModBook.  And lastly, I would have preferred to see the hacker showing more OS X applications running and not just the finder and iCal.  Maybe get iPhoto running or something else to prove that OS X works fully on the OQO.  It is definitely cool to see OS X running on a handheld though and we've been as vocal as many in calling for Apple to make one.  Have a look at the video and see what you think.

Fujitsu adds integrated HSUPA to U810, T2010

Fujitsu just dropped an integrated 3G radio into both a UMPC and Lifebook Tablet PC for speedy connectivity on AT&T's network. Both the U810 UMPC and the Lifebook T2010 tablet get the option, with MSRPs at $999 and $1,499 respectively. (Note: the 3G option adds $200 to both devices; thanks Dan!) The HSUPA radio will fall back to EDGE or GPRS as needed and should get you speeds around 1.4 Mbps down and 500- to 800 kbps back up when in a coverage area.

Many folks swear by integrated radios for their WWAN connectivity, but I'm still sold on a USB solution like my USB 727. The definite downside is having a USB device sticking out of my computer or UMPC, but the advantage of having a 3G solution for every computer I own far outweighs the negative for me. If you're a single-device owner that doesn't change devices more than every 18 to 24 months, integrated 3G might be the better solution.

UMPC and sub-notebooks screen-size, resolution: the trend

It's interesting to watch the trend of screen size and resolution in the UMPC and sub-notebook market. Every initial UMPC in 2006 that I can think of had a 7-inch display, which was the standard size defined the Origami Project. Over the next one to two years, designers learned that 800 x 480 wasn't optimal so we've witnessed resolution bumps to a more useful 1024 x 600. The trend-setting Asus Eee PC started at the less than optimal screen size and res, but the next-gen model is already at 8.9-inches and the higher res. The HP Mini is an outlier with an even higher resolution on the 8.9-inch display.

I don't know what's the "optimal" size and res for an ultra-portable device, and quite frankly, that varies for each individual. Still, I'm excited to see that some manufacturers are going just a wee bigger on the display: 10-inches. We've heard of Asus bringing a 10-inch Eee PC to market this year and it wouldn't surprise me to see others follow; Dell and HP come to mind. 10-inches is a nice compromise between usability and portability. Perhaps not as much as an 8.9-inch screen, but certainly more than a lower-res 7-inch screen. I expect that by next year, 7-inch displays are relegated only to UMPCs while sub-notebooks gravitate towards the 8.9- and 10-inch sizes. Some LCD panel manufacturers are already shifting their production lines in this direction and one even expects to manufacture 1.5-million small displays this year. Not a lot when relatively compared to the mainstream 13- and 15-inch market, but quite a bit for a market that was practically unheard of two short years ago.

Going back to the optimal size and resolution preference, I'm torn between 8.9- and 10-inches myself. I'd use either of these at WXGA and probably be happy and productive. How about you? What's the ideal screen-size and resolution on your "dream device"?

Pocketables walks through the Origami Experience 2.0

Just as I downloaded and installed a pre-release copy, Jenn offers up a spectacularly detailed overview of the new OE 2.0 software. She covers the three main applications: Origami Central, Origami Now and the Touch Settings. Jenn details the functionality of each part so you can get an excellent feel of what will be offered when the software becomes available.

My limited use has shown me that while the entire interface is very well optimized for touch, it can sometimes be non-intuitive. I had the devil of a time finding out how to actually close the app and it took me a while to figure out how to configure a tile for something simple, like my local weather. I'll give you an advance hint now: if you want to change the settings of a tile, make sure you're in that tile. Then, edit the settings of the Main Tile (which is the one you're currently viewing. I was looking in the main Settings area and found nothing there for tile configuration.

One commenter yesterday asked why you'd want to use the browser in Origami Experience in lieu of the main browser itself. I can see why you might want to, but this will be a personal preference: the browser in OE 2 was a bit easier to navigate in from the get-go: more kinetic or inertial scrolling, bigger controls and large visual tiles of your browsing history, making it easier to tap one to hit a website. Again, personal preference will prevail.

Web browsing in the new Origami Experience 2.0

Earlier this week, I mentioned an upcoming four-part series on Origami Experience 2.0 and the first installment is available. Today, Brandon shows off the web browsing functionality built directly into OE 2.0. Without leaving Origami Central, you can view the web in an IE7-like browser that offers some extra bells and whistles. You'll notice that this browser version is a little more touch-friendly for navigation and includes RSS subscriptions as well as web page snapshots. I like how the History from the URL Address bar shows previously viewed sites as tiles for simple choosing.

The Origami Project site indicates that the software will be available soon, so this four-parter may coincide with an official Origami Experience launch for UMPC owners. Stay tuned!

Update: As an MVP, I just got a pre-release version through Microsoft. I'm not able to share the actual file, but I'll take a look-see to find out what might be different from the earlier beta I used last year.

And the latest OS install on my UMPC is...

I think I've had my new Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium UMPC for around six weeks now. In that time, I've run Windows XP Tablet Edition (which came pre-installed), Windows Vista and even Mac OS X. It's time to settle down now and that means I need an operating system for the long haul. Yes, I might do more experimenting, perhaps with a Linux distro or two, but I need my UMPC to be usable and rock-solid for everyday mobile use. So I've just wiped the drive and made a choice. Many of you would choose otherwise, but I went with Microsoft Windows Vista.

Vista Speech Recognition gets macro support

It's been a long while since I last used Speech Recognition in Windows Vista, but in my defense, I constantly have music playing when I'm on the computer. All I need is for "Relax" to fire up from my 1980's daydreams and have Vista put the PC into Hibernation. Still, I think that Speech Recognition is oft overlooked, which is why I'm excited to try the technical preview of Windows Speech Recognition Macros.

The idea is that you can script one or several tasks and essentially assign a voice tag to the macro. Lifehacker used it to insert an HTML signature to their e-mails and it sounds like it worked just fine. This might tip me over to re-installing Vista on the UMPC because the dual-array microphones on the Q1 series are excellent for this type of functionality.

jkOnTheRun video- Windows XP on the HP Mini-Note

I couldn't wait for HP to release it, I had to install Windows XP on the Mini-Note to see how it runs compared to Vista.  I performed a clean install of Windows XP using good instructions found on the web and it went clean and easy.  In this video I show how snappy the system runs doing normal tasks like opening Microsoft Office programs, surfing the web and running the Windows Explorer.  I am pleased with the performance of the Mini-Note running XP but you can judge for yourself after watching the video.  Enjoy!

BTW, the Zune theme I am running can be downloaded here since I know many will ask.

Upgrading RAM on the HP Mini-Note- video tutorial

A lot of folks have asked me how easy it is to upgrade the RAM in the HP Mini-Note and fellow Mini-Notester Joanna Stern of Laptop Magazine has produced a video showing it done.  Joanna upgraded the 1 GB stick that came in her Mini to a 2 GB stick and shows the entire process.  It is pretty straightforward although watching her pop the keyboard out to gain access to the DIMM slot made me nervous.  Have a look and see what's involved.

Final thoughts: Mac OS X on a UMPC

Wow, I had only planned to leave OS X Leopard on my Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium for a few days and it's been about two weeks. That alone probably says something right there.

In any case, it's time to say good-bye and get another operating system on the device. Some thoughts...

Origami Experience 2.0: a closer inspection

The Origami Experience 2.0 software is getting a four-part overview by Brandon LeBlanc at The Windows Experience blog. For the moment, Brandon just has an introductory post, but he promises part one very soon. As part of the Microsoft MVP program, James and I have been able to look at and use a beta version of OE 2.0, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the final version shakes out. I don't have any additional details on availability or if it will be made available as a free download to all UMPC owners (XP and Vista), so don't ask just yet. I'm sure we'll have the info soon enough unless Brandon shares it first.

One thing I really liked in the beta version is shown in the above pic that Brandon posted. There are various bits that can be customized for weather and RSS feeds, which makes the entire experience better than the first go around in my opinion.

HP Mini-Note meets Windows XP

Last night I decided to see for myself how well the HP Mini-Note runs under Windows XP.  I did a clean install of Windows XP Pro and got my core applications installed.  Today I'm going to give it a test spin and see how much faster (if any) the Mini runs under XP.  Note that I didn't find it ran particularly slow most of the time under Vista Business but I suspect overall it should be snappier under XP.  It was relatively easy to install XP as I found good instructions on the web from those who have found all the HP drivers needed for XP even though HP hasn't released any officially yet.  I had to snap this photo from the install as it seemed eerily prophetic, those XP developers no doubt predicted what was yet to come in Vista:

jkOnTheRun video- using OS X on the HP Mini-Note via LogMeIn

Since I mentioned that I have been running OS X on the HP Mini-Note through LogMeIn I have gotten a lot of questions about the performance I get doing so.  I use LogMeIn to remotely access my MacBook Pro on the HP Mini-Note and it is quite productive.  In this video my intention is to show how responsive the LogMeIn connection renders OS X on the Mini and thus demonstrate how I am able to get real work done with this method.  The 17" MacBook Pro runs at a screen resolution of 1680x1050 and I demonstrate how the lower resolution of the Mini (1280x768) handles that using great utility built right into LogMeIn.  You'll also see how I can even access the external 2nd monitor on the Mac through the Mini.  Have a look at how cool OS X looks running on the HP Mini-Note in full-screen mode, it's just like being there.  :)  This is done using the free version of LogMeIn which makes it even better.

PS: Before you start jumping on me I know there are other remote access solutions out there.  I use LogMeIn because the free version is good enough for what I need and because I can run a Mac from anything else.

Buy.com outs Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium Vista model

This isn't a terribly huge surprise, but it appears that Buy.com is now offering a different variation of the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium. I bought the Q1UP-XP which had Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition pre-installed and 1 GB of RAM. The Q1UP-V will of course sport Microsoft Windows Vista, although I can't tell which edition it will have. My guess would be the Home Premium edition, although the Business and Ultimate editions also support Tablet PC functionality.

The price for the Q1UP-V at Buy.com is listed at $1,449.00, which is a $150 premium over what I paid for my UMPC running Windows XP. The extra cost gets you Vista, but also gets you a 2 GB stick of RAM installed; I don't see any other differences. While it's not difficult to buy and install the 2 GB yourself, I could see some folks just opt to buy this higher-priced model so the upgrade is done for them. Buy.com shows the device as temporarily out-of-stock with no ETA on an availability date.

(via Origami Project)

Laptop Mag- how to configure HP Mini-Note for Skype video calls

In my review of the HP Mini-Note, I lamented over the inability to get the device to make decent Skype video calls.  The HP can make audio calls just fine but video is too choppy to be of any use.  Joanna Stern of Laptop Magazine agrees with me and decided to find a way to make it work.  I am happy to report she has been successful so check out her article to see how you can change the Mini-Note's configuration to get Skype video calls to work acceptably if that is important to you.  Well done, Joanna!

Don't toss that old UMPC, make it a portable Linux device!

Frequent commenter and fellow mobile enthusiast, TaxMan wrote something interesting on his blog and it coincides with something I pointed out earlier today. Namely: we have so many more portable device choices than we did a short time ago. Instead of selling his original Samsung Q1 UMPC, TaxMan decided to take the Linux plunge, something I did with Ubuntu in 2006 with mixed results.

It just goes to show you what a little Googling and elbow grease can do. TaxMan has the Gutsy Gibbon release of Ubuntu installed and unlike my failed efforts, he has the touchscreen working as well!

"After much tweaking and re-reading of the instructions I posted in an earlier post, I got the touchscreen working. The callibration isn't perfect, but it's good enough for onscreen navigation and light text entry using the on-screen keyboard."

He has links to the instructions right on his site and he now has his Sierra Wireless 875U AirCard working as well. If this type of solution appeals to you, you'll want to hit up his recent posts for the info. Nice job!

OS X on the HP Mini-Note the easy way

Kevin's dabbling with OS X on his Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium got me hankering to see the great OS running on the HP Mini-Note but I don't have the guts to do it the hard way like he did.  This past weekend I got to experimenting and found the easiest way to get it running on the HP Mini-Note.  I wanted to have the smallest MacBook around and I was able to do it very easily using LogMeIn.  It turned my MacBook Pro into a host for any PC with a web browser and the HP Mini sure has one of those so in just a few minutes I was running OS X on the Mini:

The speed was quite acceptable and this is using the free version of LogMeIn. I was very surprised to find that the HP Mini runs this better than the Fujitsu P1620. The screen updating is fluid on the Mini but choppy on the Fuji.  I even ran a Quicktime video on the Mini pretty well.

Mac OS X on a UMPC: first ink, some thoughts and challenges

I should probably start out by clarifying what I'm doing. Or rather: what I'm not doing. I don't intend to create a step-by-step guide on how to install Mac OS X on a Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium. I also won't be running the OS on the device for long. I simply want to get a feel for what it would be like to carry and use a UMPC with Mac OS X. Many readers have clamored for a Mac Tablet and aside from the Axiotron Modbook, this is the closest you can get today. The Q1 Ultra Premium has enough oomph in the 1.33 GHz Core Solo and the 2 GB of RAM I installed to even make this viable. I don't expect everything to work but it should prove an interesting experiment to see how usable the full Mac environment will be on a device with small keyboard and a 7-inch touchscreen.

So what would Mac OS X be like on a truly mobile device?

Unlike the picture above, I believe it's not about the destination. It's about the journey. During my two-year journey with UMPCs, I've run XP, Vista, and Ubuntu. Each experience offers more insight into what a mobile operating system can and should offer. Maybe it's time to temporarily travel for yet another experience. The journey begins...

Vista SP1 is out for the HP Mini-Note

So I'm working away in the coffee shop and Windows Update just flagged that an update is available for the HP Mini-Note.  I popped WU open to see what it was and believe it or not it is Vista SP1.  I'll install it tonight and see if it makes any difference.  It's only 65 - 438 MB according to Windows Update.  :)

Remote Desktop Connection updated: connect to a PC through your Mac

Microsoft updated their Remote Desktop Connection for Mac last week and I'm just getting started with it. I've previously used RDP to view and control my MacBook Pro with my Asus Eee PC, but I want to kick the tires of using the Mac to connect to my new UMPC. The one obvious disadvantage of using RDP between any two systems of course, is that both have to be powered on. If you leave a desktop or notebook running while at home however, this could be another free alternative for remote access.

Once I get everything set up and working here at the home office, I'll look into true remote access while on the road between the two devices. For Mac to Mac connections, the "Back to my Mac" feature works well, but it's mainly an RDP client with a nice face. Quick note: on my Q1UP running Vista Ultimate, I had to enable the Remote Desktop access. The below screenshot illustrates it. By the way: that shot is from my Mac. ;)

(via MacUser)

Michael Gartenberg agrees: XP Lite has merit

I was nodding my head in agreement several times this morning while reading Michael Gartenberg's most recent Computerworld article. A Jupiter Research analyst, Michael shares his experiences with an Asus Eee PC and comes to the same conclusion many of has have had here: Vista isn't really geared to work well on ultramobile computers. Michael calls for an "XP Lite" out of Microsoft, a twist on what we've longed for in a "Vista Mobile" environment.

Using nLite freeware, you can customize your own XP installation, but that's not something mainstream consumers can, should have to or want to do. When I put XP on my Eee, I opted not to use nLite, but I did remove certain XP components from the installation. That ended up leaving me 1.5 GB of free space on the 4 GB SDD storage. nLite, by comparison, provided Michael with a full 2 GB of storage capacity. In either case, I think the UMPC market is asking for a leaner Windows environment; one that offers full Windows application compatibility, but doesn't require desktop-horsepower to run well in a portable device.

Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium battery life with EV-DO: a weekend scenario

Several folks have asked me directly how using my EV-DO modem affects the battery life on my Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium. I've been hopping around with the device for a few weeks now and although I haven't done any scientific benchmarking, I can share some information. I've found the overall battery life to be excellent, but of course the Q1UP comes standard with a 6-cell extended battery. I also have a fully-charged spare with me and based on my short usage history, I'm still convinced I could work all day. Ten to twelve hours isn't a stretch with this setup.

HP Mini-Note UMPC available for order

That didn't take long, the HP Mini-Note UMPC is already available for order from the HP web site:

No surprises here, ship dates of April 15th are quoted.

Ubuntu Mobile and Moblin: just the facts

Last month, our good friend Dan (aka: ThoughtFix) attended Bossaconference 08 and came back from Brazil with both a new appreciation for both mobile Linux and the Brazilian Bikini Team. OK, maybe not the the latter, but I suspect he wouldn't answer me if I asked him about that so let's focus on mobile Linux. More specifically, Dan takes a look at Ubuntu Mobile and Mobilin; two terms we've hit a small bit about in the MID space and I expect we'll be hearing quite a bit more on them as the year goes on.

Dan shares a bit of his newfound knowledge and there's definitely some facts that I wasn't aware of. Things like:

• Moblin isn't an operating system or a Linux distro; it's a project.
  
• Ubuntu Mobile is built with Hildon and Gecko.
  
• Both initiatives have some some Intel backing or sponsorship

There's plenty more info on Dan's UltraMobileGeek site, so if you're curious about the two, Ubuntu Mobile and Moblin that is, his post is a great place to level-set yourself. I know that Dan has been poking around with an Ubuntu Mobile build on his Samsung Q1U, so you might want to stay tuned for future info as well.

jkOnTheRun video- first look at the HP Mini-Note UMPC

The good folks at HP let me play with the brand new HP Mini UMPC.  It's been known as the HP UMPC, the 2133 and who knows what else but it's officially the HP Mini.  This video is longer than most we do because we wanted to give you the best look possible at this innovative mini-notebook.  The Mini will only set you back $499 for the entry level configuration but this video shows off the top-of-the-line model.  This one is only $749 so it's still a very good deal.  You'll see the HP Mini from every angle, see how well constructed it is and get a good look at how well the Via C7-M 1.6 GHz processor performs.  Take a look at the video and see what we think of the new HP Mini.

jkOnTheRun review- hands on with the HP Mini-Note UMPC

The Asus EEE PC woke people up to the benefits that a sub-notebook device brings to consumers, especially if it's priced attractively.  HP is releasing their hotly awaited sub-notebook and the Mini is a solid first effort in this small notebook category.  I know, we have heard this device called the 2133 or the Mini-Note but HP told me they are going to release it as simply the Mini.  I have been using the HP Mini for a week now thanks to the good folks at HP and this hands-on review of the device should answer all of your questions about it. There is an interesting story behind the Mini as I discovered by spending an hour with the folks at HP behind the device.  The Mini is the brain child of the group at HP that produces products for the education sector and not the main consumer group.  HP found that in discussions with educators that they needed a notebook computer that was small enough for students to easily handle and yet sturdy enough to survive the knocks that they dish out to the gear they use.  HP went to work and the Mini emerged to fit those needs and they've done it so well that I'm pretty sure it will appeal far beyond the education sector, especially given the attractive pricing.

Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium gets the HSDPA upgrade

Nope, not my Q1UP; integrated WWAN connectivity is not conducive to my lifestyle because I use multiple machines on a daily basis. Stephen cracked open his Q1UP and saw the same thing I did when I opened mine for the 2 GB RAM upgrade: an open and easily accessible mini-PCI Express interface and a SIM card slot. You don't need to remove the top motherboard to get at these; just crack carefully open your device and you'll see both. He popped in an active SIM and Sierra Wireless HSDPA card and is now rockin' and rollin' with speeds around 1.8 Mbps down and 350 kbps back up.

Even if you're not interested in this particular upgrade, I recommend his story regardless. He shares his thoughts on the device's performance and the overall experience, which he can compare to the Q1 Ultra that he owned prior. Much of what he says echoes my own experiences so far, which are very positive.

Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium: Vista upgrade tip

Chris, one of our readers, has also taken the plunge with a new Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium and we've been conversing via e-mail the past week or so. He's got his 2 GB RAM upgrade done and is trying to get everything working under Vista. I intend to do a high-level, step-by-step post for the upgrade (which is actually not too bad) and I thought to share some info that I just shared with Chris; hopefully it helps those who follow the same path.

Hardware-wise, I've got everything working under Vista: WiFi, Bluetooth, hardware buttons, cameras, and the fingerprint reader. The reader was the most challenging but the solution to it offers a good insight for solving other Samsung-specific issues under Vista for the Q1UP.

The Samsung software disk includes all of the drivers and applications you need for these hardware bits to work. Unfortunately, you can't run the main install program to pick and choose what apps and drivers you want installed because the menu app isn't supported in Vista. If you Explore the disk however, you'll find bunches of subfolders that are tagged with alpha-numeric combinations. Inside each of these is the installation contents for a driver or a piece of software. There's a text file in each that describes what the contents are, so yes, I've been through all of them. That's where I found the OmniPass software: in folder BA46-0512A... right where I expected it, of course. ;) These folders are a good start to finding the Q1UP-specific files you need, so don't be afraid to nose around in the file system of the disk.

Win XP EEE PC at Best Buy in April- Laptop Mag's got one now

Word has come out that the Asus EEE PC with Windows XP instead of Linux will start appearing at Best Buy in early April.  The Asus EEE PC 4G  will set you back $399 and is the same as the Xandros-based model 4G just with Windows installed.  Laptop Magazine has gotten their hands on one early and have published a hands-on review including video of this WinXP mini-notebook.  They seem to like it better, at least found that some things that don't have drivers on the Xandros version work fine under Windows.  Here are the complete specs for the 4G:

• Colors: Pearl White, Black
• LCD Size / Type: 7″ Wide
• LCD Resolution: 800 x 480 (~WVGA)
• LCD Type: TFT
• Graphic: Intel UMA
• Chipset: Intel Mobile Chipset
• Processor: Intel Mobile CPU
• Memory: 512MB DDR2
• S.S.D Storage (Solid State Disk): 4GB
• OS: Windows XP Home Preloaded
• Software: MS Works, Windows Live
• Audio: High-Definition Audio CODEC
• Microphone: 1 Internal Microphone
• Speakers: 2 Internal Stereo Speakers
• Audio Jack-Out (3.5mm)
• Audio Jack-In (3.5mm)
• Wireless Included: 802.11 b/g
• LAN / Connector: 10/100 Mbps / RJ-45
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Memory Card Reader: MMC/SD(SDHC)
• VGA Port 1 (D-sub 15 pin)
• Integrated Camera
• Battery: four-cell 4400mAh
• Battery Life: 2.8 hours
• AC Adapter Output: 9.5V, 22W
• AC Adapter Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal
• Unit Weight: 2.0 lbs (with battery)
• Unit Dimensions: 8.86 x 6.30 x 0.79 ~ 1.26 inches

For sale to a good home: Samsung Q1P with 2 GB of RAM

Now that I have the Q1 Ultra Premium, it's time for me to say goodbye to Samantha, the Samsung Q1P. She's up for sale and before I go the eBay route, I'm offering her to any jkOTR reader that can give her a good home. The UMPC is 14-months old, but doesn't look a day over 3-months. I've looked all over the device to find any physical flaws and can find only one minor issue. The right side of the screen has some wear and tear from all of my scrolling. It really doesn't affect anything you're viewing and hey, I've broken in the scroll bar area for you. ;) Seriously, if this is a concern to you, I'll take some close up pics if you request them.

The unit is factory restored to Windows XP Tablet Edition. I don't have the AVStation partition working because I left the 2 GB of RAM in the unit for you. I'll include all three factory CDs if you want to futz with AVS. I no longer have the original box or packaging so I'll wrap her up real nice-like in protective bubble-wrap. Here's the package up for grabs:

• Samsung Q1P UMPC with 1.0 GHz Pentium M and 2 GB of RAM. 60 GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, CF slot, 2 USB ports, VGA out, Ethernet jack, dual-array microphone, and stereo speakers
• 1 standard 3-cell battery
• 1 extended 6-cell battery
• AC adapter
• Samsung soft case
• USB Data cable for connecting to another PC
• Extra 2 GB USB drive and a PC Card MoGo mouse... just to say thanks for taking care of Samantha. ;)

Please contact me directly at kctofel@jkontherun.com with questions and/or to make me an offer. I'd rather not go back and forth on a price, so please just make your one best offer. If you are interested in Samantha and my Asus Eee PC 4G, make an offer for the package. The Eee PC is in stellar shape and would come in the factory packaging with all manuals and CDs. I'll factory restore Xandros Linux on that unit. In either case, I'll pay for UPS ground shipping, U.S. only. I simply don't want to deal with customs on a foreign shipment. Payment to be via PayPal.

USB port placement on devices that rotate from landscape to portrait

Now that I've got Vista up and running on the Q1 Ultra Premium, it's time for a Starbucks run later today. I just installed the VZ Access software needed for my USB727 modem so connectivity is tested and good to go. One feature the Q1UP has over my older Q1 and Q1P is that one USB port is on the top of the device. This is just awesome from a form factor standpoint. On the older models, the two USB ports were on the sides of the device, making it difficult to effectively hold and use the UMPC as one of your hands had to deal with the modem sticking out.

With the top USB port, I'm not affected at all in landscape mode. I'd probably face a challenge with the device in portrait mode, but if worse comes to worse, I could put the modem in the port on the right side of the device and rotate the screen counter-clockwise. This would essentially put the USB modem back on the "top" of the device. I hope other small device manufacturers take note of this; putting the USBs on the traditional sides might not make the most sense if the unit is designed to be used in both portrait and landscape mode.

There is no perfect mobile device because size does matter

The quest for the perfect mobile device is a long-running and eternal one that many have undertaken and none have succeeded in finding.  I know because I am one of the worst, always looking at new gadget X to see if it will be the one.  The good discussion about the "two laptop minimum" has my thoughts going in overdrive and since I am in the enviable position of having many great gadgets at my beck and call I have been able to regularly test what constitutes the perfect device for me.  There ain't one.

I have two distinctly different careers running at the same time, something that sets my needs apart from most folks so my thoughts may not be pertinent to you.  But they are my thoughts and I have never been too shy to share them with others so here I go again.  Take them with a grain of salt, after throwing some over your left shoulder for luck, of course.

More HP UMPC info leaks- world waits

Engadget has gotten their hot little hands on what looks like a legitimate spec sheet for that hotly awaited HP 2133 UMPC and it's shaping up as expected and very nicely.  Four different models are revealed priced from $549 with SUSE Linux to $849 with the top hardware configuration.  For those living under a rock the 2133 is the new sub-notebook that HP will be releasing soon, April 7th according to engadget, that sports an 8.9-inch screen and priced to "sell like hotcakes".  All four models will be sporting a Via C-7 processor according to this new information and either 1 GB or 2 GB of memory depending on model.  The Via processor is the 1.2 GHz variety, no screamer for sure but designed to keep the cost down so HP can pitch the 2133 against other sub-notebooks like the EEE PC.  The new spec sheet shows choices of Vista Home, Vista Business along with the afore-mentioned Linux options.  Hard drives of 120 GB (5,400 & 7,200 rpm) and 160 GB (5,400 rpm) are offered along with the usual radio options of WiFi and Bluetooth.  There are two battery options, 3 and 6 cell.  I hope to get my hands on one of these babies very, very soon. 

Vista "Windows Experience Index" for the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium

I don't put too much stock in the Windows Experience Index, but to many folks it's a general indicator that useful for comparison purposes between Vista devices. Besides, I know someone's going to ask for the numbers. ;)

The overall index is 2.3 as shown, but you have to realize that the index uses the lowest of the five numbers. I always thought it should use some type of weighted average, but then again I studied Econometrics in college so this should be expected. Here's the individual scores on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium running Vista with 2 GB of RAM:

• Processor: 2.9
• Memory (RAM): 4.4
• Graphics: 2.3
• Gaming graphics: 2.8
• Primary hard disk: 3.7

How do these numbers compare to other UMPCs running Vista? Chime in if you've got data to share!

UMPC battery #2 finally arrived... and so has Vista

Since I finger-pointed at the US Postal Service earlier in the week, the proper thing to do is mention that they made everything right. Sort of. My second 6-cell battery for the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium was allegedly delivered on Monday morning per the tracking info, but no battery ever appeared at my house. I called the local Post Office yesterday to debate the issue since they said the item was delivered; they promised they would ask the carrier where she delivered the package to.

Lo and behold, what did I see next to my garage very late in the day yesterday: the package with the battery. The Post Office left a voicemail indicating that the item was delivered to my home on Monday, but I gather that it was actually delivered to another home in the development and those kind folks brought it over. Either way, I don't care how it got here. I'm just glad it is. Battery "B" as it will be known as from this day forward (to have and to charge, until bluescreen do we part) is now charging in the UMPC. Which is now running Vista. Too bad Samsung doesn't support Vista on the Ultra Premium yet. I feel like I'm stuck in a time warp: cobbling together drivers and apps just like I did for Vista on the Q1 a year and a half ago.

Dynamism offering Everun with 32 GB SSD for $1099

Raon Digital's latest edition of the Everun has the SSD or Solid State Disk drive treatment and our friends at Dynamism just shot me a note about it. They're offering to import the Everun with 32 GB of SSD for $1,099. From what I can see, the unit doesn't have a single 32 GB drive, but instead has two: an 8 GB and a 24 GB; not sure if they appear as one drive or two on the unit. What's even more interesting is that the flash used for the drives looks to be different if I'm reading the product page correctly.

The 8 GB is listed as SLC while the 24 GB is shown as MLC. I take those to mean "single level cell" and "multi-level cell" respectively. If I recall correctly, MLC flash stores twice as much data in the same amount of space since it fits 2 bits in every cell as opposed to one.

The Everun is powered by a 600 MHz AMD LX900 paired with 512 MB of RAM to power Windows XP Home. It's not going to be the fastest machine by far, but if a small 1.1 pound UMPC with a keyboard is in your sights, you might want to pull the trigger.

Video how to: upgrade the RAM on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium

OK, this one isn't exactly for the faint of heart. I didn't know it until I was on camera, but the RAM slot for the Q1 Ultra Premium isn't in the same spot as earlier models. It's actually underneath a motherboard, so you have to not only crack open the case (which was a challenge), but also remove some cables and a board. Hidden underneath is the RAM slot and at that point, swapping out the RAM is a piece of cake. The whole process took me at least 30 minutes and you want to be VERY careful.

After the video, I noticed something funny with my touchscreen so I opened the device again to make sure all the cables were seated properly. Once I verified that and closed the device up, the hard drive was no longer recognized. Third time was a charm although I seem to have lost Windows XP; the device now appears to be functioning properly during a re-install of Windows XP Tablet Edition. Long story short: this can be done, but it's not as simple as I would have liked. Be careful!

Oh and while I was in there, I saw a free PCIe slot for a 3G modem card; there's no need to remove the WiFi/Bluetooth module from the other PCIe slot. :)

Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium: minimum run-time result

So my Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium has been unusable for the past several hours. Why? As I've done in the past with all the other Samsung Q1 devices, I was running the free Battery Eater Pro software that stresses the device to see what the minimum run-time is. The pretty little graph I usually get from Battery Eater Pro didn't get generated for some reason, but the log file is readily available and it shows that the UMPC crapped out at 4 hours and 22 minutes. If you ran the Q1UP at full bore with no power management, WiFi on and the screen at half brightness, that's how long you could work. Obviously, proper power management settings and a more laid-back use of the device will result in a longer run-time. I'm finding that the 6-hour run-time in normal usage is pretty realistic with this configuration.

OK, time to recharge the battery and get some work done. Then again, it's almost the weekend, so maybe I'll unplug and recharge my *own* batteries!

Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium: battery drain during use

I'll be running a Battery Eater Pro test later today, but I wanted to provide some general battery drain observations on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium. I installed Notebook Hardware Control to get a feel for things and see some interesting data. During the observation, I had the brightness at 50%, WiFi on, Bluetooth off and used the "Normal" profile in the Samsung Battery Manager power settings.

By and large the 1.33 GHz Intel Core Solo runs at 800 MHz when it can. If it doesn't need to, it won't run at 1.33GHz, which keeps the power consumption of the CPU down. When "idling", meaning the machine is just sitting there doing pretty much nothing, the power draw averages around 6 Watts. For basic web surfing, I saw the drain hop up in to the 8 to 10 Watt drain. When stressed with a high CPU load, it looks like a 12 to 13 Watt draw.

jkOnTheRun review- first impressions of the Sprint EVDO HTC Shift

When the HTC Shift UMPC was first announced so long ago several innovations really got the tech world buzzing.  First was the form factor as the Shift was so thin and light in its closed state.  The device was barely bigger than the 7-inch screen and less than an inch thick which makes it one of the smallest UMPCs with that size screen.  Then there was the unique sliding function that exposed a nice QWERTY keyboard when you slid the screen up.  The screen could then be tilted up and forward turning the Shift into a small laptop form factor and the tech world ate that up.  Then, and maybe the coolest innovation of all, HTC added SnapVUE, a subset of Windows Mobile that allowed the Shift to get push email even when the device is turned off so the mobile professional can stay in touch with the office no matter where they might be.

All of these innovations got everyone understandably excited and that excitement only began dimming as the Shift began encountering one delay after another.  Finally a few weeks ago HTC was able to release the GSM version of the Shift outside the US and excitement built up again.  I was contacted by HTC over a week ago and informed that the US version of the Shift would be released on March 24th and asked if I would like a review unit to play with under NDA.  Of course I said yes and you can imagine my surprise when it showed up at Mobile Tech Manor sporting not GSM 3G but EVDO under the Sprint network.  This was never hinted at by HTC and since I loves me some EVDO I was very eager to try it out.  I usually do a "first impressions' article on new devices that is typically written shortly after receiving a device but due to the embargo I have been using the Shift for over a week so this one is based a lot on actual experience using the device.  Read on to find out if the Shift excitement is justified.

And the secret device is- HTC Shift, US version with Sprint EV-DO