DailyTech - OQO Now Shipping its Model 02 UMPC

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Gadgets OQO Now Shipping its Model 02 UMPC
Brandon Hill (Blog) - March 27, 2007 3:02 PM

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12 comment(s) - last by mkrech.. on Mar 28 at 9:47 AM

OQO model 02 starts at $1,499 USD

OQO has announced that it is now shipping its tiny model 02 UMPC. The tiny device is capable of running Windows XP or Windows Vista and can serve as a communications center thanks to a number of wireless technologies built-in to the device.

The model 02 is based around a VIA VX700 chipset which features a UniChrome Pro II IGP graphics core with the Chromation Video Engine. Processor choices include a 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz VIA C7M ULV processor while the device can be had with 512MB or 1GB of DDR2 memory. Storage can be had in the form of a 30GB or 60GB HDD.

The 5" display screen has a native resolution of 800x480, but can be bumped up to 1000x600 or 1200x720 interpolated with the zoom mode. The model 02 can also support external display resolutions of up to 1920x1200 via DVI, HDMI or VGA.

When it comes to connectivity, the model 02 manages to cram Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and 802.11a/b/g (provided by Atheros) into the tiny frame. Integrated EV-DO broadband is available as an option.

The model 02 measures 5.6" x 3.3" x 1.0" and weighs just under one pound with the standard 4500 mAh battery (3 hours battery life). The optional 9000 mAh battery provides up to 6 hours of run time.

The model 02 is shipping now with a base price of $1,499 USD. For first-hand impressions of the model 02, you can check out reviews from PC Magazine and LAPTOP Magazine – both publications gave the device 4 out of 5 stars.

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Too expensive

By cochy on 3/27/2007 3:12:30 PM , Rating: 2

UMPCs need a price revolution. Where's the market for something like this? Especially when you can get a 12'' notebook for around the same price. Nokia is doing things right with their Internet Tablet priced around $500. Now that's a piece of useful mobile hardware at a good price point.

RE: Too expensive

By Ralph The Magician on 3/27/2007 3:42:56 PM , Rating: 2

Price is reasonable considering what you get in that size. The mistake they made was a Via CPU & GPU. If they could get something even like an Intel X3000 IGP in there then you could run WoW...and well you just found a few million customers. $2k for WoW anywhere anytime? That sell.

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RE: Too expensive

By h0kiez on 3/27/2007 4:03:49 PM , Rating: 5

2k for Wow anywhere seems like quite a lot considering that people who play don't leave the house anyway ;-)

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RE: Too expensive

By Ralph The Magician on 3/27/2007 5:43:42 PM , Rating: 2

Touché salesman. Touché.

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RE: Too expensive

By Chris Peredun

on 3/27/2007 8:53:09 PM , Rating: 2

Actually, WoW will play on the current GMA950 and GMA900 Intel IGPs - not at high speeds or with retina-scorching detail, mind you, but it will play.

I wish I could find the link, but there's a WoW player with a Sony Vaio UX "Micro PC" who's playing via the integrated WWAN connection, and posting photos of every place he levels up.

But I digress. h0kiez deserves a +6 for that comment.

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Typo

By Flunk on 3/27/07, Rating: 0

RE: Typo

By Flunk on 3/27/07, Rating: 0

RE: Typo

By h0kiez on 3/27/2007 4:27:03 PM , Rating: 4

You also missed that it's 6 hours of run time, misspelled apostrophe twice and didn't capitalize the "there" at the beginning of your sentence. Me thinks you are unqualified to be the grammar police.

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RE: Typo

By mkrech on 3/28/2007 9:47:30 AM , Rating: 2

prevew - should be preview

pot, meet kettle.

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What's the point?

By Domicinator on 3/27/2007 5:12:45 PM , Rating: 1

I guess I still don't see the point in these things. As someone above said, you can get a pretty decent laptop for a little more money and that gets you a lot more functionality. If I want internet/e mail on the go, I'd rather just do that on my phone, but I'm sure as hell not going to sit and type documents on something that small.

With free wi-fi hot spots (or completely unsecured networks) getting more and more commonplace, I'm much happier on my laptop. Now that I finally have one, I don't know how I ever lived without it.

RE: What's the point?

By Johnmcl7 on 3/27/2007 6:55:34 PM , Rating: 2

I can see the point - I'd like something that has a larger screen and bit more power than a PDA but not as large as a laptop. Getting something usable that doesn't seem to compromise too much on either side seems to be a big problem though, I've not seen any of these devices which would actually properly fill that gap.

I picked up a Sony TX laptop a while back and despite the fact I don't like Sony it's a great mobile companion - it has an 11.1 inch screen, 1.25kg in weight packs in a 7800Mah battery with 6-8 hours battery life (there's an optional battery with a whopping 13,000mah battery) and it has an onboard optical drive. The keyboard is perfectly usable for typing at speed and it has all the other expected ports and connectors you'd expect. For practical use, I don't think you can really go much smaller or lighter than this but the main problem is the price - I think if someone could produce a similar device at a much lower cost they would be onto a winner.

John

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