The Definition of ‘UMPC’

Posted on 14 June 2006, Last updated on 17 February 2019 by

I just read Craig Pringle’ latest post. In it, he says the that Motion Computing LS800 is not a UMPC. I think it is!

Craig is a Microsoft ‘Most Valuable Profesional’ (MVP) so I can see why he might say that but I don’t think its going to be good for anyone in the ‘Ultra Mobile PC’ market, customers or resellers, that we draw a line between the Origami-derived UMPC’s and other UMPC’s

Here’s a question. If Samsung put an AMD processor in the Q1 casing, should it be called a UMPC? I think for the customers sake, if it performs the same tasks and looks the same as an Ultra Mobile PC, its a UMPC.

Here’s my first attempt at the definition of an UMPC.

A highly portable computing device with 5-10″ screen, wired and wireless connectivity that is able to load and run common internet, office, media and pim applications operated through a graphical user interface.

And that’s why our ultra mobile PC product database contains more than just Origami-derived UMPC’s. What do you think?

[update: Craig’s response. My response. Craigs latest response. ]

4 Comments For This Post

  1. Ripberger says:

    Seems like a semantics issue. I’ve heard this form factor called a clipboard computer, slate pc, tablet pc, and now UMPC. To me it seems like different names for the same thing. I guess MS and Intel want to own the UMPC concept. Let them have it. The rest of us can have carrypads.

  2. Craig Pringle says:

    Steve,
    I understand where you are coming from, but that is not the definition I would use. See my response here
    Cheers,
    Craig

  3. Chippy says:

    Craig. Thanks for the response.

    Ripberger. A great idea ;-)

    Regards
    Steve / Chippy.

  4. R.Wildman (Illuminator) says:

    Heck, y’all. I just call it ‘my computer’.
    Plain and simple. If I have the “UMPC”, or laptop, desktop, or tablet, it’s just ‘my computer’.

    “My system,” works too.
    Good posts.

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