Not something I would carry myself but looking very nice all the same. High quality UMPC cases from Vaja.
Jenn from pocketables has all the details and puts a far better perspective on it than I ever could.

I’m actually thinking of getting my wife a Q1 Ultra and one of these. I think the Ultra and a mini-keyboard would fit in nicely. Any colour tips from the girls on the portal here would be greatly appreciated!

Toshiba have launched an 80GB version of the 5mm 1.8mm drive that would fit into a number of UMPCs. Currently, the biggest capacity is 60GB but the MK8025GAL will offer the 80gb at 4200RPM with an 8MB buffer. Price? Unknown. I suspect, like the 60GB version, it will only be available to manufacturers at first. It’s still almost impossible to get hold of the 60GB versions in single quantities. 

For those of you with 8mm to spare you can squeeze in another platter and get a 120GB version.

Source: Electronista via SlashGear

Written: 14th Dec 2007. I’m planing to do a ‘real’ review on the N810 soon but here’s where I stand with the device at the moment. MobileBurn have a brief run-down of the device here but I’ve been getting into some details. read on… As you might have read in my ‘unboxing’ post, I was pretty excited about the N810.  The quality of the device, the look and feel, the size,specifications and software line-up all add up to make something extremely close to what I want to see in my […]

I’m planing to do a ‘real’ review on the N810 soon but in the meantime, I’ve just written my first impressions over at Carrypad. Its not a UMPC so it doesn’t really belong in this channel! Overall i’m a little disappointed. I don’t think it hits the mark for consumers but as an early adopter I’m excited about how it will improve over time.

Nokia N810 first impressions.

New set of images now available in the UMPCPortal gallery.

More info and links on the N810 info page.

‘Market sources’ have told Digitimes that volume shipments of the HTC Shift have been delayed until Jan 2008.

Problems related to the integration of HTC Shift’s hardware and software caused the delay, said the sources.

What more an I say that I haven’t already said before. This is going to cause most private purchasers to cancel their orders and wait for news from CES and other early-2008 trade shows. As I said a few days ago in the forum, I think we should put the Shift on VaporWare Watch.

Source Digitimes. Thanks Nim, for the tip.

I’m a bit gobsmacked by the cheek of ASUS. I wrote recently about the R2E and the possibility that it doesn’t actually have HSDPA installed and yesterday I had it confirmed. Anyone ordering the R2E thinking that it has HSDPA installed should double check!

As I write this, you can buy an R2H for 780 Euros. The R2E is 250 Euros (30%) more. (minimum online prices. Germany) For that you get a slower processor, 20GB more disk (half of which will be taken up by the Vista install) 250MB extra RAM (which won’t be enough for Vista to run optimally) an external DVD writer and the 4-cell battery in addition to the 2-cell battery. No-one has actually tested the R2E yet so I guess it’s possible that they’ve slipped in a LED backlit screen and improved the battery life but I doubt it. I’ll be testing the R2E soon though so we’ll find out the truth then. In the meantime, check the specs carefully before you buy an R2E.

Update: There is an R2E with HSDPA available in Germany but only for ‘projects’ (read: bulk orders.) Contact TheTabletStore if you have ‘project’ requirements in Germany. Thanks TTS.

Update2: R2E appeared naked for the FCC. With HSDPA. See the news at TGDaily. (Thanks JKK)

Our friends over in Dubai have caught word that the Shift will be available very very soon. I hope this is true and will put an end to all the uncertainty that potential customers have experienced.

I have no news from my contacts in Europe unfortunately but I’m certainly increasing my efforts to find out what’s happening here and in the U.S. Expansys still have 11/01 as the availability date but this could be for orders placed today. It’s possible that orders for their first shipment have already been fulfilled. I seem to remember that the Shift was originally due in the third week of Dec.

Other availability news from around the world is being reported by ‘spotters’ in this forum thread. Keep a close eye on it!

Source: UMPCDubai. More HTC Shift info here.

I’m starting to get worried. Its only 3 months until CeBIT and I haven’t got a UMPC for my ultra mobile reporting kit. I sold the Kohjinsha SH6 as the battery life wasn’t good enough and the Packard Bell Easynote XS20 went to someone in Holland and I’m left with a few slate UMPCs and a Nokia N810. Strangely enough, the device at the top of my list now is the old Kohjinsha SA1 F00KS that I took a version of last year. (AKA Vye S18P) Its got the battery life, the form factor and the good keyboard. There isn’t another device on the market that brings in that sort of battery life, screen quality, keyboard and portability and I really doubt that there will be one before March 2008.

The only problem is that I need built-in HSDPA which it hasn’t got so currently I’m looking to see if I can pick up a Vye S18P, get it modded with a 16 or 32GB SSD and then add the Vye CF-HSDPA adaptor. Isn’t it crazy that two years after the launch of UMPCs’ I’m looking at a device based on a platform that wasn’t part of ‘Origami’ at all. Its all about battery life I guess.

So if anyone can find me a 7" convertible touchscreen notebook PC with a good keyboard, Windows XP, SSD, built-in HSDPA, and 4+ hours battery life, let me know! A modded EeePC you say? Yes, its a possibility but I want to have a word with the guys at VyePC first. I wonder if they can do me a special version of the S18P with SSD and a UMPCPortal logo!!

One bit of related news: The Vye S37 is now being offered with XP and a ‘no-os’ option in the U.S. Thanks to Neal for that tip-off.

Info on the Kohjinsha SA1

Info on the ASUS eee PC