Jkk has pointed out that according to Aving, the new Wibrain M1 ultra mobile PC has left the prototype stage and will now get built for production. The new device is a handheld slider form-factor with a thumb keyboard. It’s great to see a new ultra mobile PC using this sliding form-factor, though the specs aren’t too impressive.
- 4.8 inch 1024×600 touchscreen
- 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU
- 512MB/1GB of RAM
- 8GB/16GB SSD
- WiFi/HSDPA/Bluetooth
- Touchpad
- Linux or Windows XP OS
From what we can see in the images, it looks like there may be a fold-up camera on the top of the unit like the one on the original Wibrain B1 [Product page]. There is also a USB port which has ‘Host’ written over it, so it can be assumed that you’ll be able to plug it into another computer and use it as an external HDD, though with only 8/16GB it would make for a very bulky flash drive! It looks like the unit will use a tiny trackpad to operate the mouse instead of a nub-mouse which would probably be preffered. The Wibrain M1 definitely has some tough competition in the space, going up against the entire UX series. Hopefully it will have good battery life and a quick SSD. The keyboard will probably be the deciding factor for many people, so let’s hope that it’s good as well! It doesn’t look like it in the pictures, but I’m hoping that the final production model will have a backlit keyboard. The Aving article says its for Korea but that could always change, and if it doesn’t see an international release but is still popular, I’m sure it’ll still be available through importers. Head over to jkkmobile for some more images.
New article: New Wibrain M1 UMPC becoming a reality http://cli.gs/SQeGHN
>going up against the entire UX series.
Except that hasn’t the UX series essentially been discontinued (UX490 no longer offered for sale at sonystyle.com)?
And hopefully Wibrain will release it at a competitive price with other similar spec’d UMPC’s… when compared to the typical $1800+ price tag for a UX (in it’s day), the Wibrain is competiting in a different field.
Or are you talking competiting against ebayers selling off used UX’s?
Membrane keyboard…. ughh! What are they thinking… hopefully that is just a prototyping stage. OW, nobody will be buying them unless they are in the $200 range. Kind of disappointing, since Wibrain has been a company pushing function over form… and a membrane keyboard is not the answer.
Yes Sony has stopped directly offering the UX series, but they are still widely available and are even cheaper now do to that fact. They are, in my opinion, still the best handheld UMPC to date in terms of performance/portability, but they do have a few problems which kept them from being very popular. Keyboard, battery life, and a screen that had a fairly high pixel density.
If a consumer is looking for a device similar to the Wibrain M1, they are bound to come across the UX unit as well; the M1 won’t be able to match the UX’s power because of its Atom CPU, but if it can capitalize on the lower power of Atom to provide good battery life (at least 3 hours, hopefully more), and provide a good thumb-board typing experience, it has the potential to win people over. Integrated 3G will also help it as that is something that isn’t available in the UX series, only slower EDGE connectivity.
I can’t believe that a membrane keyboard will provide a “good thumb-board” experienced, but maybe I am a bit biased.
I am assuming that they will price it well below the OQO2+, because otherwise it won’t have much of a prayer. If somebody is willing to pay $1400+ for a UMPC, then OQO 2+ looks like the better choice.
Looks a bit like an O2, or that MUI HDPC.
I wish they would focus on the i1. Sure its a bit of a brick, but its got a nice split softtouch keyboard and a mousepointer all in a comfortable thumbrange.
http://www.umpcportal.com/products/Wibrain/i1
This one looks somewhat awkward to hold-and-type, because of the fat ridges on the side.
And I dont quite get why everyone is so hyped about SSD drives. They are still very expencive, and to be frank, for a windows XP system, 8gb is rather crappy. Even 16gb is very flimzy for video fanatics such as myself.
I just think wibrain wants to ride sony’s pony..
I read there was speculation that Wibrain had gone bankrupt and they couldn’t afford to carry on with the i1.
This “M1” must prove something about the “i1”
What does it prove then? That this company takes aesthetics over functionality?
And that membrane keyboard… *facepalms* Like putting shoppingcart wheels on a racecar. That BETTER be just a mockup chassis, because if youre going to bother with a flipscreen, you sure as hell wont bother with this one.
Also dont expect to see this one anytime soon outside of asia. Ive seen talk on wibrain fussing about finding international distributors, starting their own shoestring budget attempt with banktransfer/DHL direct shipping instead.
It even seems they sold the I1 and the M1 to a company named eking, but im not sure what thats all about.
Neat device. The keyboard blows! Needs real keys.
While I’m reluctant to criticize something I haven’t tried personally, the membrane keyboard gives me a really bad feeling.
I hope WiBrain reads these comments.
My sentiments exactly!
Wibrain B1 i love it. Quality. M1 is a model like toy telephone! Many blogs reported as the second more hugly of all UMPC’s! And keyboard will come fast as marked and bubbles membrane, as when you go to bank, some money machines are bubled or teared membrane for the keyboard. EKING i1 is the most best! This cheapWibrain had QUALITY Wibrain B1, now they gone cheap and i comunicate with Eking directly by phone, i want to be a resaler of i1. YES, Wibrain is shaking bankrupcy as i know from an ex employee. Wibrain, they always were slow to responds emails, also their web site is like cheap rapid made web site and empty store. Eking respond the same or the next day and are precises to responding. I had Q1 too big. OQO (too expensive). Wibrain B1 i love it. Quality, i want to get i1 for the GPS inside and 3G simm card slot inside. I had the buggy Asus. I hate eee…freezing and too big.
Are you Asian? Great that you take the time to post here on an English-language blog. Thanks.
I don’t like the M1 at all, it looks loads of crap, The B1H is the best model which has 1gb ram and 60gb hard drive which is way better than having 16gb hd.
If you are into pc emulator or pc games Wibrain B1H is the best for gaming, the M1 has keyboard below will make games hard to play not very good for gaming, landscape design are best for playing games and they are widescreen.
I’m buying a B1H very soon,
Hi! The Great Chippy, the UMPC Guru! I’m not Asiatic, I’m Québécois, Canada, my wife is from Mexico and my Grand Mother was Irish! And the Eking i1 is the best, you have it…can you hurry them to produce soon to get it for the summer holidays…when will rain every 2 days! An UMPC is a must. Thanks Chippy you can push them to get on shelves. The M1 have a big handicap, see the keyboard slider, i saw it at the CES it was going crooked or jamming a little!
Oh! I called directly to Eking about the M1 it will be on the market date 20 of May WITH 3G for SIMM card slot onboard & GPS integrated inside plus TV digital onboard. Wait, it will be there, and also the keyboard will be as real keys. Oh! It worth to get that Swiss Knife, i mean with all possibilities like scout. Wow! That one will be for the most, awsome! Let me the first to buy it, it’s my turn!