Black Diamond Advanced Technology have just announced a ruggedised ultra mobile PC – The Switchback. Magnesium cased, sunlight readable display, MIL hardware spec and an interesting condensed querty membrane keyboard. Back modules allow for user-specified expansion options. SwitchBack can support anything from a joystick control to a breathalyzer. The options are virtually endless. Cool, a joystick and breathaliser. Now there’s a LAN-party ultra mobile PC if ever I saw one! The rest of the tech specs are Origami-like. Price on request to BDAtech. Steve / Chippy. tags: ruggedised, umpc View […]

If you like the form factor of Origami UMPCs and fancy the idea of hanging one on the wall, go ahead! The i7210 has a VESA mounting bracket which will give you multiple options. If you want to immobilise your ultra mobile PC forever though (I can’t imagine why. Its a bit like buying a desktop PC for web browsing!) try the Nobu N8 unit. Its basically a Pentium-M (or 600Mhz farness) ultra mobile PC with a specialised housing for building into walls. NEXT! More info here Via MP3generation.   […]

Unfortunately the Flybook has to go back tomorrow so I’m rounding off the tests today. Over the weekend I managed to do some battery tests and a lot more ‘real life’ testing. Battery life is as expected with a UMPC-like 1:45 under full load (WiFi on, BT on, 100% CPU, 50% screen.) Battery drain rates are almost exactly the same as I got with the Easybook P7 from Paceblade. Screen rotation works faultlessly and its an absolute pleasure to have 1024×600 as the native resolution. Graphics power is not a great deal better […]

Mr DHL delivered the Flybook V33i this afternoon so I had to say goodbye to the family and lock myself in the Carrypad cellar for some intimate dealings with said device. I’ve done a really brief video (will be up tomorrow) and a photo-set as an introduction to the device. Over the next 3 days (myflybook.de have kindly loaned it to me for 4 days) I’ll be doing some tests, making a few journal entries and writing up a report for the portal. The unboxing was almost embarrassing. I’m glad […]

A quick note to say that I’ve just run the Vega playing audio with the screen off for 7 hours and 10 minutes. Actually, I think it would have been much longer as I found out in the last hours that the Winamp graphic equalizer was processing the audio. That takes over 30% of the CPU on the Vega. Without it, the CPU was down at 5%. Average battery drain was about 5Watts. 3 Watts less than with the screen on and +20% CPU util. I suspect that the screen […]

As I run the last test on the Vega (long term audio-only, screen off test – just reaching 5 hours now with about 40% battery left. Not bad!) I’m starting to plan for the next review device. Its the high-end Flybook V33i that I’m expecting in the next 24 hours. It’s all about style. She’s a beauty isn’t she?   That picture wouldn’t be half as enjoyable if it was a 20″ notebook would it! Back to the Flybook though, we’re talking performance that could make it the best Vista-capable ultra-mobile […]

At last we’re seeing some online resellers in Europe offering the ASUS R2H and the prices look good. For a 768MB/60GB ultra mobile PC with Web-cam (this doesn’t appear to be the cut-down model from Holland) you’re looking at around €900. So the ASUS is coming in as the cheapest Origami ultra mobile PC to date as the standard Q1 512MB/40GB is selling for €1160 and the Paceblade Easybook P7 256MB/40GB (equiv. Tablet Kiosk v7110) for €1250 Delivery is expected in the next 4 weeks in Germany. Details taken from […]

This is great news. The Raon Digital Vega is going to be available outside Korea. I’ve been in touch with three agents today that have all said they will be adding the Vega to their portfolio. Firstly, for Australia, New Zealand and surrounding islands, Tegatech will be offering both the 256 and 512MB versions to resellers. The MSRP (recommended price) has been set at AUS$1299 for the 256MB version and AUS$1350 for the 512MB version. End-user prices are unknown at this stage. Secondly, for the UK market (and offering shipment into […]