You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment. A reseller with a real price on the Gigabyte M528. The pricing we had from Aigo in Taiwan was spot on because Expansys have just listed the M528 with 3G, GPS, 3mp cam for just 429 UK pounds (549 Euros in Germany.) Sounds expensive? Its not. This is a….well you’ve heard me talk about it before so I won’t give you the full ‘FIE’ talk now. Take a look at the product page for the full spec list and links to our hands-on reports. It’s available on the U.S. site for $689. (more after the pic…)
The availability has dropped out of the UK website now but when I looked earlier, I managed to capture the image. It said 17th September. The availability is the same in the U.S.
My guess is that pre-orders have just swallowed up the first delivery but i’ll try and contact the UK-based company to get clarification. I’ll also be begging for a review sample!
M528 Specifications, reviews, links, gallery etc.
Many thanks José. You made my day!
Do you think the Nokia N810 a ‘big’ competitor for the M528? What is your take on these two devices?
The Nokia cannot run XP, M528 can. It is a waste of money to buy a device that cannot run XP.
I disagree. If you needs are video, music and web surfing, you don’t need Windows XP. You only need XP/Vista if you need to run Win32 applications not available on Linux.
Also with 4GB of storage, you certainly won’t be installing a lot of applications if you’re running XP, especially since it only has 512MB of RAM.
There are plenty of EEE 701 4G’s out there with WinXP!
The Nokia is no match for the M528.
It’s a nice device but completely underpowered with a painfully slow GPS.
Preorder made. Thanks for the heads up!
You speeky my language!
Nokia added A-GPS on the latest OS build. I think GPS lock is a lot quicker now.
But the N810 is still quite underpowered with its old 400MHz ARM11 CPU. However a lot of people are predicting that the next-gen Nokia IT will be using the more powerful TI OMAP3 SoC which should put it in the same class as a 800MHz Atom.
Veeeery nice, although there’s still more than a month to wait…what’s taking Gigabyte so long?
phone expansys, they haven’t had any of those yet – they expect to get them in september
So I’m honestly curious. Why would you want this device for $650? I understand wanting something smaller/lighter than a laptop or even netbook. But why this and not an iPhone or high-end Windows Mobile or Nokia N-Series device? Or a $300 iPod Touch if you don’t want to deal with a cellular carrier?
Will anyone beyond the bleeding edge enthusiast buy this thing?
I’m not hating, I’m genuinely curious what you all think.
This is the cheapest way to put the Internet in your pocket in my opinion.
I don’t just mean internet in the smartphone sense, I mean the full internet experience and everything that the Internet stands for today.
http://www.umpcportal.com/2007/06/722/
I agree, the market is currently relatively (to netbooks and iphones) niche but for people that want Firefox 3 in their pocket with 3G connectivity, there is no other choice that comes close in size or price.
Agreed. I want a small, silent, full internet device with 3g built in.
None of the items can offer that. The iPhone is great and as is Windows Mobile wehn coupled with Opera. But there are still plenty of limitations on what sites they will run.
The whole point about this M528: it can run XP and thus all the normal windows apps such as MS Office, QuickBooks, Firefox… It is by far the smallest and lightest XP device.
ive tried windows mobile but its seriously limited.
example: no tabbed notepad program , its essential for me but i cant find one on windows mobile , yet on xp there are several and they are free.
this doesnt come with xp , but most people will put xp on thier just so they can use a program they have been using for years, somethig which cant be done on an arm device or an iphone.
I would only buy it at that price if it ran Windows.
Too many requirements for me in a UMPC has me needing Windows at the moment until these mobile linux distributions start meeting the needs beyond web surfing and such.
In my eyes a UMPC is a PC but ultra mobile with limits as far as power but still has the unlimited software capabilities as a PC has.
Unfortunately finding easy to install software for mobile linux distributions is not user friendly.
On the other hand Windows is not designed UI wise well for these types of devices.
UMPC software (OS & apps) still has some maturing to do. I have been saying this for awhile, Windows deserves a new shell UI for mobile devices.
You can install Windows on it. It’s be done already!
Without a Windows OS, I don’t think I can use my cell phone as a modem with this. And I don’t want to have another cell phone plan just for an UMPC.
Found this:
http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/Tether_with_Linux
Although it is true that not everything available on XP can be done on Linux (read software), most every solution is out there in one or the other way.
Personally I would only get this if I can use XP on it.
This is exciting. There is a good chance I will purchase this once it reaches the US market.
this thing looks as big as the oqo. when i bring my N810 with me, i don’t have to decide whether or not i want to travel with it in my pocket. when it is in there, i forget about it until i need it. my oqo hogs the entire front pocket and is very tight and uncomfortable. i am gonna sit this out until they get smaller and thinner.
It is a tad smaller than the OQO on the thickness, granted only 3 mm.
Here is OQO & M528 sizeasy
http://tinyurl.com/64aj38
One more thing on the size the M528 is 100g lighter than the OQO 02! 100g might not sound like much but it’s really like 30% of the weight of the M528 so.
One thing I’m actually now wondering is does the M528 have a fan, I would presume it does, and if so does it power up as often (read: seldom) as on the EEE pc’s?
Thats one more thing that really bothered me on the OQOs they get really hot (though better than 01 the 02 still gets “too hot”) and the fan tends to be loud enough that it annoys and really would grab anyone’s attention at a small meeting!
Chippy any comments on the fan on the M528?
There is no fan in the M528. It is silent!
Marc, how do you know there is no fan? I haven’t found any info this way or that way yet!
Steve has already had a pre-release version of this and has confirmed there is no fan!
This was the biggest selling point for me. A silent full internet experience.
Ok thanx guess I didnt read/listen good enough :)
Yeah fanless is both nice for silence and battery time. It is somewhat odd to have a pocketable device that starts having fan noise relatively loud like the OQOs :)
Totally like its design,yeah..fits in a pocket but pocket-internet isnt enough for me.I need RJ45 and more internal storage.I like MIDs but the usability,except for mobility,isnt good enough for me.MIDs would only make sence to me as 2nd or 3rd device.
Am I right the M528 has no mousepointer/trackpad ? Touchscreen yes or no I prefer “mousepointer” at least something like the Sharp WS016H has,something to move the mouse without touching the screen.
I completely understand. This is either a ‘gadget’ or for people that really need or benefit from 3G full internet in their pockets.
Frankly I feel these could become the “pocket netbooks” at this price range :)
I mean just look at how many non professionals really do have Sony UXs and OQO’s despite their prices!
I too wouldn’t mind the D4 UI and keyboard but at double the price and around 1-1.5 hrs of real life use the D4 is truely a JOKE! Aside from that Sharp has always made superb pocket devices, not to mention FANTASTIC FIVE ROW QWERTY keyboards!
It will be perfect… surf 3G… but battery ??? 2 3 hours with 3G ?
We’re in the 2.5-3hours range for online battery life. Not fantastic but thats the best you’ll get with mobile Firefox today. Hopefully Gigabyte a spare battery into the final build. They are so small that you could easily carry 2 spares.
I’d much rather see an extended battery if that is feasible given the compartment, maybe something similar to the Widcomm D4’s extended battery is possible. Also, maybe something like the Proporta portable batteries would be an option…
I can carry 4 spares to have 10 12H (a day) :o).
i have everun so i love large autonomy…
Although this 2.5-3hrs is totally a joke in my opinion that is GENERALLY speaking for all devices be it laptop, netbook, MID etc. Should’ve reached the double by now, perhaps the focus on electrically powered vehicles lately will help on this front?
Now on the other side of the coin though, please note that this is a device that will cost you a THREE DIGIT price only (in Euros and Dollars), and that not even spending the 2x to 4x more for an OQO will get you any more battery time, so in my book it’s at least a step in the right direction that the price is more “in harmony” with the battery time.
I mean you can buy just about any “full” laptop and you will still have the same battery time, with the exception of one or two models like the Sony TX that might be able to squeeze around 2x these numbers, but then again that nice machine has a scary thin LCD and trust me it’s not a cheap LCD, breaking an LCD on the OQO or Sony TX will cost you more than one of these M528 :)
What will be interesting to see is if they took the Aigo MID approach and removed the 3G and the camera in the back of the unit. If so, this is the EXACT same specs as the Aigo MID. Let’s hope they didn’t do that.
The version Expansys are showing has 3G and camera.
Does this have a virtual on screen keyboard or do you have to use the slide out keyboard for input?
Is the OS on the 4Gb hard drive or is it on a separate ROM chip?
Also does anyone know if it boots from the USB port so I can use Puppy linux on a flash drive?
Why on USB when it has MicroSD?
A quick search on eBay shows that 8GB microSD SDHC cards are readily available for around $40 USD, I am no expert of SSD and SDHC speeds but I believe that the better SDHC cards are not far behind (if not better?) than the EEE SSD cards?
Never the less with a reasonable small amount you can make this into a 12GB device. As I mentioned the other day to Chippy it almost seems like soon we could see a device with the OS on ROM and with a “BYOM” (Bring Your Own Memory) with SD cards now in the 32GB range (note thats SD though not microSD).
Plenty of people have been hacking the EEE’s with dual OS with one on SD card both Linux-XP and even Linux-OS X, I can’t recall if some even had all three OS’ ready to go on some EEEs?
Either way I believe these devices are in the “right” price range to get a huge following/hacking community, which (as with the EEE) really opens up new doors and in a sense raises the value of the device.
That’s a good point, if it boots from sd card that is a better solution.
I really think your idea about OS on ROM would be the best option.
wow, finally!
seems like a lot of people want to hold this machine in their hands as soon as possible :-D
hmm…what about mobilx? chippy, maybe you can ask them about m528 and it’s availability :-)
Mobilx are waiting for final pricing and availability at the moment. (AFAIK)
I recieved my Aigo P8860 Tuesday and got two batteries. It didn’t say it comes with two batteries but maybe they are doing this to give users more run time. :) The batteries are very thin and small. So far I have been getting 2hrs 50 mins on each battery. I really like the device, and anyone that owns a Nokia N8xx; I have the N800 and I can tell you that the screen on the Aigo is almost as crisp and clear as the N800. I would of waited for the M528 but my cell phone is Sprint so its CDMA and don’t have SIM chip to use on the M528. I use my Blackberry Curve with BT DUN with all my devices. Right now I’m not having good luck setting up the BT DUN with the Aigo. It has the setup BT DUN but doesn’t connect. :( Still trying to find out what I can find out to get this to work. Hopefully I can get this working as this will make me internet ready anywhere. :)
Keep us posted on how your device works for you!
Will this help at all?
http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/Tether_with_Linux
$689 wow great price!
with 3G and 3MP AF camera, looks like it’s much better than the aigo P8860!
btw, i hope the bios is unlocked and comes with all the Windows XP drivers.
one question, will the sims slot recognize any sims card ? i have a us at&t card.
It will accept any normal SIM, yes.
M528 don’t come with built-in HSDPA. But you can add this module when Gigabyte release the module.
M528 does come with 3G. At least the one I tested did.
I hope expansys have their specifications right because it says 3G in the specs. “HSDPA mini card module”
Is there any truth to this separate HSDPA module? never heard of anything like that before (offered to a retail customer that is)
what are you talking, chiuyan?
btw.: the availability on the expansys website is saying “17th september” again..
I waiting a long Time for this informations. But until September is a long time. Maybe LG comes this a Better MID, or Wibrain release her Atom based MID. Maybe there are better for me.
I how a HTC Wizard and need a better replacement, with a better OS and better Performance. Ok – none of this Device can be used as a Cell Phone, but thats alright. I will use a secoundary Device to do Calls. I’m intressed in a Surfing-machine, with powerfull PC features like USB, some Gigs of Storage and the ability to Run normal Applikations.
Maybe the M528 is too small for some Applikations, even if Windows xp installation Hacks already exists. I will waiting for some more information, until the Device is on Sale. And if the First impressions looks right i will go and order one of this Device :)
Greetings Sebi
Sorry kyuss, M528 is built-in with HSDPA module. It is confirmed by Expansys.
4000MB onboard memory?????
are you sure you don’t mean 4GB onboard memory which would actually be 4096MB?
i don’t think anyone produces a 4000MB chip, as everything works in base 16(?) eg, 16, 32 ,64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192 etc.
There’s actually “more than meets the eye” on this subject and a lot of confusion on the terms out there, especially now with these (RAM based) SSDs replacing HDDs!
Might want to review this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megabyte
and this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigabyte#Consumer_confusion
But yeah this is a *GIGABYTE* (M528) thread not a Megabyte one :)
Expansys suddenly withdraw the Price Offer in their international sites (e.g. Hong Kong) except UK. It seems that In September, Gigabyte will only sell this product in UK.
Ouch! That’s disappointing. I was about to pull the trigger on this device here in Canada.
As for those who don’t understand why one would pay for this when you can get a real laptop for the same money, there are two answers:
1) real internet in your pocket (sorry, smartphone browsing does not cut it for me)
2) gadget addiction.
I would also readily pay a premium for getting XP on this system. Yes, I know, XP sucks and all, yes Linux is wonderful and all, but the learning curve on Linux and the software availability are problematic. XP works here and now. Are you listening Gigabyte?
Greetings:
I agree that for a price of $684.00, the Gigabyte MID better have Windows XP installed.
MID’s should be priced at about $300.00 period.
In Montreal I can get a very fast LapTop for $684.00, why would I buy a small 4 inch MID?
Regards Robert
but you know that this is UMPCportal.com, right? ;-)
Well you can get two if not three US pickups for the price of a New Mini, so why should I buy a Mini? :)
I never thought Apples and Oranges mixed well as a juice :)
A tad off topic here but I think it belongs in here..
as much as I like (liked?) Sony I have no clue why they developed this device, without it being a mobile phone also it seems doomed to me:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/sonys-mylo-2-magically-transforms-from-personal-communicator/
Why not just take the team/dept working on that and join it with their ever so successful PSP team and bring a updated UMPC/MID?? Maybe join the Sony-Ericsson division and be the first to bring us a TRUE ALL IN ONE pocket device :)
..been waiting for this one sooo long. haven’t bought any other device before i saw this one. “unfortunately” the everun note also caught my attention. but i don’t understand why everybody is complaining! you want an iphone? get one, you want windows mobile? get it. ME likey this GNU/LINUX based device which does not have the nearly 10 years old windows XP GUI which is TOTALLY not designed to be run with fingers on a small device. or would you want win xp with the 3G iphone??? come on guys, XP is out-of-date. MS does not offer it anymore. i want new styles and flexibility and for that GNU/LINUX is the best you can get…for free, as “free-as-in-speech” and also “free-as-in-beer”
lets wait until steve gets one and shows how it performs. and the price is not that bad, considering you have a full fledged computer in small size and with 3G connectivity….find me something else like that???!?!?!! FF3, openoffice, pidgin, skype, VLC, bmpx, gimp…come on…no windows please…
Expansys USA doesn’t show it anymore :(
http://www.expansys-usa.com/error.aspx?exit=15&data=165783
on the uk site it still shows the same date, 17th of sept. again reading through the specs…i asked myself: why would i buy a smartphone in the first place?! this one just does about everything
On the “why would I buy a smartphone” it all depends if you don’t have one and are more in the need of more fuller OS or and internet access but not for long periods during the day or you don’t need a device that is constantly hooked up to the web then yes a MID might be the way to go.
What would you be needing the device for?
of course it all boils down to what you need it for, but for that price tag you do NOT even get a smartphone (e.g HTC) today!
for me browsing the web as is is the most important thing, and not some sort of shrinked pages or where i need to zoom (iphone style) all the time. tabbed browsing, extensions etc with FF3 is a must. then i use skype and pidging (for various protocols) the entire day through – mainly for work. i listen to music all the time and read news (rss etc.) and since i started with some web-devel tools, i need also a good text editor. all this and more even on the go when i am on a trip to visit parents, friends etc when i don’t want to carry the notebook. the notebook is way more powerful, but this small device is what i’ve been looking for since looong time. smartphones do not provide those functionalities, well, maybe yes, but crippled and as said, sometimes to a higher price, so why bothering with it.
@fab
Well we are only talking 1.3″ difference here between the iPhone 3.5″ and this 4.8 so you will still want to zoom at times, its not like you “have to” zoom on the iPhone unless you want to read it. Even with a 5″ (OQO) or as in this case 4.8″ your eyes will get sore after a while if you will be trying to use it as any other “normal” computer for more than 2 hours.
Tabbed browsing ok but you can do that on Opera Mobile too for Im sure over a year as I haven’t used Opera Mobile on WM devices for over a year and it was available even then. HTC’s aren’t my favorite though indeed they are with the OEMs :)
Skype can now be used on a number of devices directly or indirectly, depending if you want to be able to call or just chat, Skype will even work on a number of non smartphones http://www.skype.com/download/skype/mobile/ you mean “PIDGIN” as in the messanger? I have a device that has AIM, YAHOO and MSN all native on it and is in constant contact with the web and lasts me well let’s see my battery is on half right now and I unplugged the phone some 15 hrs ago it also has 5 row qwerty keyboard like most Sharp made devices :)
Good text editor, as in….TXT editor? Or to write documents with various fonts etc?
The main difference between this and a smartphone though is that typically a smartphone will be ON CONSTANTLY and capable of handling a full day with CONSTANT connection to the web, if you’re looking to run Skype OR/AND some other messengers on this device I predict your battery time will drop down to 2 or less hours/ battery/charge.
I think this will become a very popular device to mod!
I’m anxious to read the first user reviews to see how functional the device is and what actually comes with it and what may need to be purchased separately to make it fully functional. I’m hoping GPS works straight from the box (from reading the hands on reviews of the Aigo MID at umpcfever, it appears that unit’s GPS isn’t fully functional). Expansys was starting to get a fair number of questions about this unit and I wonder if part of the reason they withdrew their webpages about it is that they weren’t able to fully answer–one question they did respond to was whether the unit will be capable of voice calls since it has 3G. They responded no, it will be data only, no voice. Other questions that remain unanswered include whether a WIFI SDIO card (specs say it’s WIFI by SDIO) is actually provided at the purchase price or whether it’s additional cost. Specs also say that bluetooth is via USB so does the dongle come standard or is it an optional accessory? I really hope the SDIO WIFI card and bluetooth USB adapter are included in the base price and that they’re not keeping the base price “low” by requiring these 2 items to be purchased separately. I hope firm information on availability and shipping dates is release soon.
It comes with built in Bluetooth and WLAN, like the Aigo MID.
Bad news in this morning. Expansys tell me that its NOT with 3G. The description has been modified to make it clearer.
“LAN/Wireless LAN – 802.11b/g via SDIO I/F, HSDPA available through mini card module (available seperately)”
There is no info on other models at the moment. Im guessinmg another 100 pounds for 3G. This changes the equation somewhat. (And annoys me)
Steve
That REALLY sucks.
:(
Are they going to stock the 3G module?
Expansys have changed the description again. It now says:
HSDPA available through mini card module (TBC)
Fingers crossed. It maybe be included after all!
I searched for ‘Unlocked I-phones Available In Us Market’ at google and found this your post (‘D Price and Date. | UMPCPortal – The Ultra Mobile Computing reference site’) in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read.
Hello,
Can anyone let me know of how to install XP on the M528 exactly please?
Thanks in advance,
Matt.