We managed to get a guide price for the S5 while we were talking to Viliv at CeBIT yesterday. Viliv told us that the model that will ship outside Korea (Intel Atom Z520 1.33GHz processor, 1Gb RAM, 60Gb hard-drive, 4.8 inch 1024 x 600 touch screen, 22.9wh battery and GPS hardware)will be priced at a recommended 699 Euro or below which means that Viliv are probably giving resellers enough room for a 649 price point. 649 Euro is a high price. Higher than I expected and without 3G too. HSDPA is planned for Q2 I understand and will cost an estimated 100-150 Euro more. Is it still worth it?
I tested the Viliv S5 again yesterday and spent a good 30 minutes playing with the haptic feedback keyboard and launcher application. The touch screen is amazingly light and when combined with the haptic feedback on the keyboard, makes for a very usable experience. Of course it will never get around the fact that an on-screen keyboard takes up space and you’ll have to deal with this annoyance while also learning the quirks of the on-screen keyboard but if battery life is high up on your list and you’re prepared to take-on the learning curve, the Viliv S5 is going to provide you with one of the most powerful, no, i’ll say the most powerful pocketable Windows experience ever.
A few other notes:
- Joystick is still a cursor control. It’s such a shame they didnt implement a mouse here. GPS is standard on the Viliv premium models but it won’t ship with navigation software (Take a look at JKK’s StreetDeck demo on the S5)
- Build quality seems very good. No flex. No creaking. Quality buttons.
- 6 hours real battery life is being confirmed both by Viliv and others.
- 1,33Ghz processor is fast for web browsing. Expect sub 10 second average page load times and swift web-based applications.
- Screen brightness is as good as any I’ve seen apart from the ClarionMiND.
- I tested Google Earth and was surprised to see better 3D performance than I expected. Not fantastic, but certainly better than I’ve seen on, for example, the Wibrain i1.
- I couldn’t test the speakers or any noise from the unit
- The unit was warm (after 6 hours use under stage lighting with constant use) but not hot.
- Viliv are going to try and send one out this week for arrival next week but I’ll give it a 30% chance of happening based on Viliv’s CeBIT and local territory commitments right now.
- Shipments to pre-order customers in Korea started two day ago. (1000 units. Keep an eye on Ebay!)
Based on the quality of the build, the haptic feedback, the launcher app, the GPS and the performance, I’d say that the pricing is about right for the Viliv S5. You’re getting a PC, PMP, navigation device (add 100 Euro for navigation software) a reasonable e-book experience and a web experience that will blow away anything else that will fit in your pocket.
ViliV S5 Premium. Pricing Details. Hands-on Notes. http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=6022
Having seen the Streetdeck demo, the whole car kit and the screen does lock very, very responsive. Impressive. I love it, BUT it’s missing a webcam which is crucial to me. I can’t believe they didn’t put one in…
How the hell does a company go from $500 us to $650 us to 699 euro……if this is correct. I wont be getting one on this point alone. Even though I had a feeling demand would do this to the price. :(
Yeah the price seems to have creeped a tad to far than my expectations.
$580 – $600 USD is what I was hoping to see on the sticker.
Demand doesn’t mean the lower prices. It’s the cost per unit that drives the price. Demand allows the suppliers to increase production given that the demand is sustainable and the increase production brings increase marginal profit either equal to or greater than previous production unit level.
c’mon, don’t you get one on your cell phone?
The price would we right with HSDPA build in, but an additional 100 – 150 € would be a an absolutley no go. That would be a whopping 850 € for such a device! For a smart phone I wouldn’t pay more than 600€ those days.
Ok, they’ve done most things right on the S5 which prevent me to buying a compal device (like many others), but in this case it means another waiting period for a better price or another device. For the ones which want HSDPA – they need to wait anyway…
Lack of keyboard was worrying me, but based on everything I’ve seen I could get over that.
Lack of HSDPA at that price is worrying me a lot more!
The price is too high for me.
I have researched the additional hardware (like headset for a microphone and portable keyboard). I have researched the addition software for GPS and synchronization that I will need to make it worth while. While I have been saving for this device for 6 months, I have only half the necessary amount I need. Now I will have to consider the Compal variants more closely.
Without having this on hand I can say it would be one of the best UMPCs ever. There are few videos related to this on You Tube and when you see them you can quickly see the power behind this unit.
The lack of keyboard is not a big deal for me. If I was looking for a computer this size with keyboard I would buy a netbook not UMPC.
6 hours of battery life is absolutely outstanding and I like the interface as well. I cannot wait for this to come out.
I would pay that much fore an LG XNote/OQO like device (keyboard/mouse pointer) with great build quality and 8 hours wifi on battery life (with extended battery).
The Viliv S5 is a very nice device even without physical keyboard and 4 hours (or is that 6 hours true ?) battery life but not for 649€ + import costs.
Now I also believe that the UMPC is dead,MIDs will meld with smartphones and Netbooks will end up like Laptops,bigger-better-more expensive.
We tested 3:15hr of WiFi in maximum brightness and 60% battery left last week, while we estimate the battery meter looks inaccurate, yet it won’t deviate a lot. So 6hrs should be true.
UMPC is differently equipped and designed. It’s not a machine where you run VM ware, Visual studio, ect. UMPC is a lightly equipped laptops can do many of the common tasks with lighter CPU juice.
I think these devices clearly have a place as evidently shown in today’s market. Kiddle cost $350 and it only does few things. It’s easy to justify added cost for these devices. CPU/Color Touch Screen/XP OS/Harddrive/Wifi/GPS. That’s significantly more than Kindle 2.0 device. Also, Sony P series doesn’t have a touch screen or a GPS but it costs more.
699euros (880$?) is way too much for this, 650$ sounds better. Maybe we are spoiled by the EEEpc and the likes, but at this price I’ll start eying the OQO 2+ device, which starts 999$… (but is lacking the GPS. damn)
now for someone to make the side buttons do interesting things in a console emulator or similar ;)
Is there a way to slow down CPU with some software, in order to get more battery life? I’d like to have it ON rather than stand by, let say getting email notifications or be IM online. These tasks would require modest CPU speeds.
the cpu will idle at 800mhy. with screen off i expect 7hrs of wifi on or 8hrs tethered via BT based on work i did with the wibrain i1
Quote – “Screen brightness is as good as any I’ve seen apart from the ClarionMiND”. How does it compare to the OQO2+ OLED? Which one appears better for use in direct sunlight, S5 or OQO2+?
the oled screen on the oqo never really impressed me when in sunlight. i feel that the s5 would be better but cant say 100% for sure
hmmm… Chippy is the US pricing still what engadget confirmed or did it just go up for everyone? While i’m not unhappy about getting rid of my u820, i wasn’t really using it other than the in car setup I want, the s5 would suit my needs perfectly… BUt the price has to be right.
What networks does HSDPA work with?
I’m still not sure of its pocket-able size .
See if you can get the size:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2859/22314appleiphonevspackopj2.jpg
For me the S5 would be pocketable,I can put my iphone sideways in my pockets and I still have room.
Thanks for your picture .
Btw ,Do u know the fan’s noise from the unit ?
From the specs shown in the Streetdeck demo video it said the device was fanless.
A big plus!
It’s fanless and not very hot (bit warm, around 30 Celsius something)
I had thought about getting an oqo 2+ but the battery life is what ended up helping me decide to not get it. The battery life of the ViliV S5 on the other hand is much closer to what I want, I don’t mind that it’s bigger, doesn’t have a physical keyboard, and doesn’t have a camera, I would trade those things for better battery life any day.
How can the ViliV S5 be the most powerful pocketable Windows experience ever when the OQO Model 2+ is smaller and has a beefier CPU? (The S5 does have a larger battery and denser screen though.)
Given Windows 7 is coming I wonder if there will be any driver support. If not you’ll be stuck with XP and 1024×600 isn’t the most common ratio.
Is there even an English Viliv support web site?
Also I wonder if you can get a TV out accessory and 2nd battery (?). I know there’s RGB but would be nice if you could get HDMI.