FrogPad Announces the Seamless Integration of FrogPad Bluetooth Keyboards To UMPCs
FrogPad™ Inc. (www.frogpad.com ), maker of the revolutionary portable one-
handed keyboard, FrogPad™ announces the seamless integration of FrogPad Bluetooth keyboard with Bluetooth enabled UMPCs using Microsoft Origami, such as Samsung Q1, Sony Vaio UX, Nokia 770 and Symbian Smartphones. Dubbed the iFrog, the new keyboard incorporates FrogPad’s patented ergonomic layout designed around the 15 most-used letters in the English alphabet with the latest wireless Bluetooth technology, and accomplishes 100% of all functions of a QWERTY keyboard. FrogPad is the premier keyboard that will make these products successful. What will you do with your other hand?
Today as I was coming into work, I found myself using the UMPC in a really cool way. I love hearing about how people use there UMPCs in an everyday environment. Like me for example, I use my UMPC, taking notes everyday at work. But what gets me excited the most about these devices, is when I hear stories on how the UMPC is used in those little situations in life…
As I was walking into work today, I noticed somebody had left their car lights on. My building holds hundreds of people, so I have no clue whose car it was. I knew I had to report the problem, or that somebody was going to discover how quickly a dead battery can ruin a Friday night!
I realized quick description of the car as not the best way to proceed. I knew I had to get the licenses plate number, or there was no way the owner would know it was their car. So without even thinking, I knew I could write down the licenses plate on my Origami. I keep my Origami in the front secure slot, in my computer bag. This way I swing around my bag and have quick access to my UMPC.
I swung around my bag, and whipped out the UMPC. It was in standby mode, so I was looking at the Program Launcher with in seconds. I taped Notes, then MS Journal. I quickly jotted down the licenses plate, and reported it to the front office.
The whole incident took about 15 seconds to take out my UMPC, and jot down the plate number.
This little device is really becoming a part of my life.
AMD to Supply Chips for Mini PCs
Whatisnew.com
This original article printed in the Korea Times, TMCnet translated and reprinted it. I'm skeptical about the bias and not confident in the accuracy, but nonetheless an interesting read:
After seeing the unsatisfactory debut of the world's first Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) this spring, Samsung Electronics is planning to sell the next version of the mini PC at a bargain price, starting this fall.
The upcoming UMPC will hit the market around September at a price under 700,000 won, down from over 1.2 million for the initial Q1 model, a company insider said Friday.
To lower the price, Samsung will use CPUs made by AMD instead of expensive Intel chips, the Samsung official said on condition of anonymity. Also, subsidies from KT for its WiBro wireless Internet service contract may help drop the price further, he said.
Ultra mobile PCs go head-to-head
PC World Canada
New devices from Samsung and TabletKiosk could be viable laptop replacements, but they'll put a dent in your wallet.
Samsung's Q1 and TabletKiosk's EO--the first systems based on the Microsoft/Intel Ultra Mobile PC specification--prove you can cram an awful lot into a small package. Both devices condense the best features of a tablet into a package that's less than half the size and weight of a typical laptop.
Notebook-like notebooks
Previously called Origami, the UMPC spec combines a touch screen with a tablet's pen input. Both the shipping devices I looked at are about the same size and weight: 9 inches wide by 5.5 inches high by 1.25 inches deep, and just under 2 pounds. In fact, if they were red, you'd think they were Etch-A-Sketches with a few extra buttons. Each has two powered USB ports, and each uses a 7-inch LCD and a 1.8-inch 40GB hard drive. Both systems run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with Touch Pack, a version of the operating system with extensions for the touch screen.
Averatec's AHI UMPC takes shape
engadget
Remember Averatec's sweet AHI UMPC concept from a couple months back? Well, they gave us the latest iteration of the device as it's been moving forward, as well as some details -- and we have to say, this is the first UMPC we've genuinely been able to get excited about. The sub 2-pounder will supposedly be somehow optimized for VoIP, videoconferencing, viewing live TV and VOD, and apparently even gaming (we're hoping they mean light gaming -- no CrossFire going on up in here). It's also supposed to have voice recognition systems (presumably for use with GPS guidance and the like), a docking station, and is set to be priced under $800 for Q4 2006 launch. So basically it sounds like they're making a bunch of stuff up to get us excited, because we're having a hard time believing they're going to meet these goals. Then again, with capabilities so tantalizing and a price that low, we're a little tempted to turn a blind eye and hope for the best.
Update: Ok, we've got some preliminary specs here! Look out for a 1GHz Celeron M, 30 or 40GB drive, up to 1GB RAM, 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, WWAN optional, 4-in-1 card reader, external VGA and audio outs, and a 5-inch 800 x 480 display.
Asustek preps Origami UMPC R2 for sale in July
DigiTimes
Having displayed its Origami Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), the R2, at the CeBIT 2006 IT tradeshow in Germany, Asustek Computer is now preparing sales of the device in July, according to the company.
Asustek exhibited its R2 at the ongoing Computex Taipei 2006 tradeshow and stated that official sales will kick off in July. Featuring an Intel Celeron M ULV 900MHz processor and a 7-inch panel, the R2 has a compact size of 234.24x133x28mm and weighs only 920 grams. The R2 will be priced in the range of 799-1,099 euros, the company said.
More powerful Origami Ultra Mobile PCs on the way
VNUNet.com
The next generation of Origami Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs) will boast enhanced features including longer battery life, larger screens, more powerful CPUs, TV tuners, GPS navigation and 3G connectivity.
New models are already on the drawing board, and slated for launch by the first quarter of next year, manufacturers say, following criticism of the first generation of Ultra Mobile PCs.
The UMPC platform, originally developed by Microsoft, is a handheld tablet-style wireless PC controlled with a touch screen and pointing devices. It has no keyboard, and early models have been faulted for their weight and short battery life.
"We want to develop a UMPC with Intel's Yonah, the Core CPU, but keeping the same form factor," Stanley Chen, of UMPC maker Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), told vnunet.com at the Computex trade show in Taipei.
The Intel Core CPU, previously known under the codename 'Yonah', comes in both dual-core and single-core versions. Intel announced an ultra-low-voltage version of the CPU earlier this week.
Several companies are showing UMPCs at Computex, including ECS, Asustek and Amtek. ECS manufactures the H70, which is available in a variety of configurations.
The top-of-the-line model has a 1GHz low-voltage Pentium M CPU, 1GB of memory, and a 60GB hard disk drive. In some regions, the PC is sold by Chinese firm Founder under the name Mininote.
PC power for your car
Montreal Gazette
Talk about a hot piece of CARgo. Samsung's new UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) - enigmatically named the Origami - completely sold out at Best Buys across North America on its first day of release.
A mobile PC, the Origami operates off the Microsoft Windows platform and features full computing power
capable of playing music, checking email and viewing video while on the go. The device can be mounted in the vehicle and features GPS and WiFi
capabilities. Sporting a seven-inch screen alongside the 900-mhz Intel Celeron M processor, it arrives with 512 megabytes of memory. Outrageously good initial sales aside, the Origami has launched to a bit of a collective yawn from critics. But it's very cool and very mobile.
Unfortunately, hoity-toity critics sometimes lose sight of how important the cool factor can be $1,210; visit www.bestbuy.ca
Keep taking the Tablets
The Age, Australia
Microsoft's new Origami platform lets you do some amazing folding tricks when it comes to reducing the size of tablet PC-based devices.
Fold a tablet PC in half and you've got something roughly the size of TabletKiosk's eo UMPC v7110, one of the first generation of Ultra Mobile PCs running Origami (basically Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 with a few enhancements thrown in).
The v7110 weighs a mere 900 gm and sits comfortably in two hands, although it does feel a little chunky at 24.8 mm thick and gets quite hot because of the fanless CPU design.
Available in black or white, it has a seven-inch, 800x480, widescreen display, which can't be rotated to portrait mode.
UMPC devices to offer more features
Geek.com
Joel sent me the Samsung Q1 to check out for a few days after he had a chance to play with it for a while. I am on the road with only the UMPC for a business trip and am seriously thinking about buying one for myself, but also don't want to be too hasty, since the UMPC market is still quite young. Several other UMPC devices have popped up online in the last few days that have some impressive looks and specs.
Visting California This Week
Whatisnew.com
I've been in California since Saturday. It's wonderful to see the Central Valley and Bay area... mmmm, boysenberry pies :)
The woman sitting next to me on the flight from Seattle to Sacramento told me that she was afraid of flying. She'd already mentioned that she liked to play Scrabble games, so I asked if she likes Sudoku. Before she knew it we were at 10,000 feet so I pulled out a UMPC and handed it to her so she could play. There was quite a bit of turbulance and this kept her entertained for a few minutes. Thank you, UMPC!
Sony Vaio UX50
digitaltrends.com
The Sony VAIO UX50 trumps the Microsoft Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) initiative before it even gets off the ground. Not content to just run with the crowd, Sony reminds us all that they were doing UMPC since before UMPC was even an acronym in Intel’s techy little dreams. So, what happens when a seasoned veteran takes on the buzzword heavy world of specialized PCs? Read on to find out…
Ultra Mobile PC Update
PC World
PC World's Dennis O'Reilly noted the many usability compromises imposed by UMPCs, including cramped screens, difficult navigation, truncated windows, and dialog boxes that open outside the viewable areas. He also lamented the lack of an optical drive. But he grudgingly said that either the Q1 or a similar device, TabletKiosk's EO ($1164), could be "the portable computer I've longed for," if their prices were lower. Both devices could replace a full-featured laptop "if you're willing to live with an overcrowded screen and a few costly but necessary add-ons," Dennis writes.
The Samung Q1 UMPC performs well on the road
Geek.com
I am seriously thinking about buying the Q1 for myself because I can use it as a portable media center, in car GPS system with nice large display, internet tablet to carry around the house or office, electronic note taker for the office, portable salvage engineering computer, podcasting radio, digital photo album and frame, and desktop companion. The stereo speakers play very well and with the integrated Bluetooth radio my Bluetooth stereo headphones work well. The Compact Flash slot allows me to pop in a CF slot after recording content using the Neuros Recorder 2. The display is bright and very readable in the 800x480 resolution and I really appreciate the 80 degree integrated stand for watching video content and using the Q1 on a desk. The Samsung Q1 UMPC did what I needed it to do and performed very well as an ultra portable computer.
I received a confirmation from
TabletKiosk. We are getting practically a new machine!
We will be transferring each customer's RAM, hard drive and back panel to 
a
new machine. If upon testing any of the reused parts appears to be defective it will also be replaced.
It seems to me that this is the best thing to do and I would like to thank TabletKiosk for trying so hard to have this issue fixed in the best way possible.
Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC Receives Expanded Product Availability
Market Wire
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced that it has expanded retail distribution of its new Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) due to strong initial sales and growing customer excitement for the device.
Launched May 1 in the United States, the Samsung Q1 is now sold in all 32 Fry's Electronics stores and soon will be available at various Best Buy stores in Texas. Initially, the Q1 was sold via Best Buy's e-tail outlet, www.bestbuy.com/ultramobilepc, and at www.CDW.com.
"The Q1 was in high demand from the moment it debuted on the Best Buy and CDW websites," said David A. Nichols, Director, Display Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. "That demand is what's driven us to make the Q1 available at all Fry's Electronics stores plus the Texas-based Best Buy outlets. In addition, we'll soon be announcing yet another distributor for the Q1."
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Intel, the Samsung Q1 is among the first of a totally new category and form factor of PC -- a truly ultra-mobile unit that can easily be carried in a small briefcase, daypack or purse. Yet, the Q1 still offers the power of a PC that runs Windows XP Tablet Edition with an Intel Processor, 512MB memory and a 40GB Hard Drive. With its brilliant 7-inch LCD touch screen and integrated wireless communications capabilities that include WiFi and Bluetooth, it is a PC that you can use anywhere, anytime.
Origami feedback mixed, says Samsung
PC Advisor
Feedback from customers who have bought Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s Q1 device suggests that a pre-launch teaser campaign by Microsoft Corp. might have backfired, a Samsung executive said Monday
The Q1 went on sale in the U.S. in May and is based on Microsoft's Origami platform. Microsoft collaborated with Intel Corp. to create Origami, which combines a tablet edition of Windows XP with a pen-based tablet computer similar in specification to a laptop computer."Feedback has been quite mixed," said David Steel, vice president of marketing for Samsung's digital media business, in a briefing with reporters at the company's headquarters in Suwon, south of Seoul.
A positive or negative response is generally related to how much of the pre-launch Origami hype the person had been exposed to, Steel said.
Samsung is looking ahead to a second-generation ultra mobile PC. In preparation the company is examining the user interface and how people interact with the device. The Q1 can be used with a keyboard, pen or via its touchscreen.
Q1 Origami gets a keyboard
computeractive.co.uk
Samsung is bundling a plug-in keyboard with its pioneering Q1 ultra-mobile PC (UMPC), the company announced today. It fits into a folding case that can also carry the portable.
The 'organiser bundle', as the company calls it, is available now at £799 inc VAT – the same as the launch price of the machine without a keyboard.
Mark Jennings, Samsung's UK notebook business manager, said: 'The free organiser bundle and additional range of Q1 accessories, in particular our extended battery and power options, builds on consumer demand for flexibility and mobility in computing devices.'
He said sales of the Q1 had already exceeded expectations. The Q1 is the first ultra-mobile built to Microsoft Origami spec to be widely available in the shops. It has full Tablet PC functionality, which means it has viable handwriting recognition and can be used without a keyboard.
But the inclusion of one is a bonus for people who use the machine for heavy bouts of writing.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced that it has expanded retail distribution of its new Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) due to strong initial sales and growing customer excitement for the device.
Launched May 1 in the United States, the Samsung Q1 is now sold in all 32 Fry's Electronics stores and soon will be available at various Best Buy stores in Texas. Initially, the Q1 was sold via Best Buy's e-tail outlet, www.bestbuy.com/ultramobilepc, and at www.CDW.com.
"The Q1 was in high demand from the moment it debuted on the Best Buy and CDW websites," said David A. Nichols, Director, Display Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. "That demand is what's driven us to make the Q1 available at all Fry's Electronics stores plus the Texas-based Best Buy outlets. In addition, we'll soon be announcing yet another distributor for the Q1."
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Intel, the Samsung Q1 is among the first of a totally new category and form factor of PC -- a truly ultra-mobile unit that can easily be carried in a small briefcase, daypack or purse. Yet, the Q1 still offers the power of a PC that runs Windows XP Tablet Edition with an Intel Processor, 512MB memory and a 40GB Hard Drive. With its brilliant 7-inch LCD touch screen and integrated wireless communications capabilities that include WiFi and Bluetooth, it is a PC that you can use anywhere, anytime.
Origami feedback mixed, says Samsung
PC Advisor
Feedback from customers who have bought Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s Q1 device suggests that a pre-launch teaser campaign by Microsoft Corp. might have backfired, a Samsung executive said Monday
The Q1 went on sale in the U.S. in May and is based on Microsoft's Origami platform. Microsoft collaborated with Intel Corp. to create Origami, which combines a tablet edition of Windows XP with a pen-based tablet computer similar in specification to a laptop computer."Feedback has been quite mixed," said David Steel, vice president of marketing for Samsung's digital media business, in a briefing with reporters at the company's headquarters in Suwon, south of Seoul.
A positive or negative response is generally related to how much of the pre-launch Origami hype the person had been exposed to, Steel said.
Samsung is looking ahead to a second-generation ultra mobile PC. In preparation the company is examining the user interface and how people interact with the device. The Q1 can be used with a keyboard, pen or via its touchscreen.
Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC - Our Full Review
Tablet PC Reviews
Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC - Outstanding Mobility, Limited Functionality
The Samsung Q1 UMPC can best be described as a miniature, scaled-down Tablet PC. This device is the first release of a collection of devices based on Microsoft's Origami Project. The Q1 is lightweight. It features wireless LAN and integrated Bluetooth. At one pound, eleven ounces this device can serve a select community of users. But we have to make one point clear. The Q1 and the UMPC itself is simply not a replacement for a real Tablet PC or notebook computer, but rather more along the lines of a super-powered PDA. Working with the small 7" screen and stylus is reminiscent of my PDA days. The Q1 to me is like a large Pocket PC with a real operating system (Windows XP Tablet PC Edition), a real hard drive, and a real CPU. That said, let's look at the Samsung Q1 in depth. We'll leave it to you to decide if the Q1 is worth your $1,100...
iHangMan for UMPCs and Tablet PCs
ultramobilepc-tips
This is a version of the game prepared for UMPCs and Tablet PCs where the computer thinks the word and it's our task to guess it. 
The game comes with 3 lists of words, the main list of around 1000 words, the list of Capitals of Countries and the List of Countries names. You can create your own list of words in a TXT file adding one word per row, this feature makes the games virtually new every time that you add a new list of words to be used by the program.
This game is a perfect tool to practice your handwriting with the Tablet PC recognizer. You can also use it as a learning tool to teach your kids new words making the learning process a big fun.
My UMPC is Samsung Q1, With an Intel celeron M ULV (900MHz), 512MB DDR2, 7" WGA Touch Screen LCD (800x480), stereo speaker and SRS sound, 40 GB hard drive, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11 b/g, bluetooth 2.0, AVS NOW (multimedia instant on), 2 USB, 1 TYPE II CF Card, H/P Jack,VGA , DC-in, 3-cell battery (3hrs.) and 1.7 lbs. I use it at home to watch recorded movies from my network while its connected via bluetooth to my souround system. I use it in my car for multimedia apps. and GPS via Street and Trips 2006 and CF GPS from HaiCom. Also connected wirelessly to my cd deck via bluetooth and FM transmitter. At work i use it to write my notes for patients. Of all the gadget that I have, the Q1 is the most versatile and the most useful
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