Click to Play The AMtek U560 UMPC doing very well in video performance testing. Formats available: Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv) Tags: umpc, video, pmp, h.264

I’ve retro-fitted my TV with a new Internet, streaming media, uPnP-capable, portable device solution. Its not Apple TV or anything big and cumbersome like that, its the device that didn’t make the MID grade. The Archos 605 Wifi . I’ve entered a new world of uPnP and online TV on demand. My productivity has gone through the floor. Its great! I bought the 605 WiFi last November to test its mobile Internet capabilities and it failed miserably. From a MID perspective it was slow, unsatisfying and only had WiFi. It […]

Some people hate them and some love ’em. I confess, I love gadget bag posts and I love building my own gadget bag. I know exactly where this fetish, no wait, this isn’t sexual [what do you call a non-sexual fetish?] where was I? Oh yes, I know where this comes from. A piece of string, a handkerchief and a 2P piece. Scouts! Then it turned into waxed Swan Vestas and then on from there into gadget land. I’ve even started putting my mobile journalists kit together for CeBIT already. Always be prepared I say!

You’ll understand then, why I’m enjoying the latest gadget-bag post from Warner at Gottabemobile. He’s got his ‘Outlets to Go’, his iPod Touch, a cleaning cloth and all sorts of goodies! Actually, this is the second post in a series. A few weeks ago he put together a detailed post about all his hardware and his apps. If that’s not enough for you, James Kendrick outlined his list in Dec and Kevin Tofel listed his too.

Excellent reading…..if you’re a weirdo like me.

As was leaked by Digitimes a while back, VIA have launched a new 64-bit, high-efficiency processor architecture. This is all you really need to know:

The initial products implementing the new VIA Isaiah Architecture will start shipping in the spring of
2008. These processors are built in 65nm technology and provide two to four times the performance of
current VIA processors (at the same GHz) without a commensurate increase in cost and with little—if
any—increase in power consumption.

So is VIA going in the opposite direction to Intel? Keeping the processing power high and retaining their current power-envelope. If that’s the case, we could see some fairly high-end UMPCs with this setup. It’s early days at the moment. I’m looking deeper into it but trying to stay realistic on the availability of this. VIA don’t exactly have the best track record on release dates!

Detailed PDF available here.

Ultramobile Life have posted an interesting video and gallery.

And this time, even HTC have made a statement.

Our friends over at UMPCFever in Hong Kong have tracked down information that the first shipment of the HTC Shift is due on the 4th Feb. The information comes direct from HTC Asia (translation) and interestingly, HTC have created a deal for the first 50 pre-orders through TKEC who I assume is a big retailer out there. The Shift will ship a free additional battery (confirming they the haven’t done anything with the existing 2-hours battery life?) and an external GPS module (confirming that the internal GPS module is not enabled.)

In the forums here, others have also tracked down similar dates in the UK so this is looking real. I can hardly believe it! As for the U.S. market, there’s a worrying silence. We know it’s coming, but ‘when’ and ‘how much’ are still questions in the air.

Source: UMPCFever

More information on the HTC SHift. (UMPCPortal)

Dan, aka Thoughtfix, got a an interview with Nokia when he was at CeBIT CES a few weeks ago and has written it up in his blog today. There’s no breakthrough news in it but its a very good read. One question I would have asked: “How do you feel about Intel developing and pushing X86-based Linux devices right into your target sector.” TabletBlog.com View details of all Ultra Mobile devices in the ultra mobile PC product database. From N800 to Flybook V5, its all there!

The latest customer challenge is from Brazil where ‘reverendo’, a pastor with a good choice of username, is searching for a UMPC. The query came through in the forum and Reverendo tells us how he has bought a wireless Panasonic projector for presentation and interactivity with his audiences but wants a UMPC to drive it. He tried a Palm solution but ended up in UMPC-land:

After accepting defeat with the Palm I started looking out for small notebooks and stumbled upon the Tablet PCs, sth absolutely new to me. To make a long story short I ended up finding out about UMPCs.

Read more after the jump…

Last year we all had a great time talking eating and drinking at our little UMPC Meet-up at CeBIT in Hannover and some of us want to do it again this year. You too?

I’ve already got Mobilx and WiBrain coming along and we’re working on getting VIA drunk too! Rumour has it that there will be a few give-aways and maybe a prize or two.

The problem is that last year we were about 15 people and we just met in a bar. This time, it’s going to be bigger so I need to know if anyone wants to join before I do the final (yes it’s late in the day for CeBIT) planning. I’d like to aim for Thursday 6th of March at 1900 if possible because Mobilx can’t make it until then (and we want them there because they said they would sponsor the event!)
Does anyone, either UMPC-fan or UMPC business-person, fancy joining me, JKK (JKKMobile) , Mobilx and WiBrain for some informal, but possibly heated, exchanges?
Rumor has it that JKK starts telling people his real name after 5 litres of beer

Let me know below or discuss in this forum thread (If you’re not a member, please register so I have your contact details.) Location (somewhere in Hannover, Germany,) time, date to be finalised on 8th Feb.

Looking forward to meeting you all at CeBIT.