CNET Crave notes a newcomer into Internet tablet world: Wibrain B1 from Korea. No relation to Nintendo Wii, the $699 product features an impressive (4.8″ WSVGA Touchscreen, 1.2GHz, 30GB HD, 512MB RAM, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Webcam, and Windows XP Home. Upgrading that to a 60 gig hard drive and a gigabyte of RAM would set the price at $850.
Straight from Korea, there’s this ultra-portable PC Raon Digital Everun L30H, trying to win the market over on price, if nothing else. PC Magazine reviews the $799 device, giving Raon Digital Everun L30H 2 stars out of 5:
Mouse buttons and touch sensor aren’t placed in the same orientation as the keyboard. RAM is maxed out at 512MB. Performance is crippled by very low-powered components. Keys are too small and impractical.
The OQO model 01+ ultra personal computer, a fully-featured Windows XP computer, has been repriced to $1,199. The OQO has a 1GHz processor, a 30GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, a color transflective display, and integrated wireless, as well as FireWire and USB ports.
Nokia 770 is getting what looks like a heavier competitor, as Google announces support for upcoming Sony mylo. Never a leader in the Internet space, Google seems to push its client heavily on every portable client that’s WiFi-compatible, which might play well with the rumored nationwide WiFi coverage that started off recently in Mountain View, CA. Om even suggests a competition where Google Talk would be ported to Symbian platform, which would suddenly make an entire family of devices compatible with one voice network. From the Google announcement:
The mylo comes with built-in Google Talk IM support so you can see who’s online and available, manage your contacts, and hold multiple chat conversations at once. It also features quick access to Gmail.
Business Week and Associated Press are both reporting on Sony launching a WiFi tablet.
The Sony mylo, slated for availability in September at a retail price of about $350, is a first-of-its-kind product that uses Wi-Fi networks, analysts say. It is not a cellular phone and thus doesn’t carry monthly service fees. And though it could handle Web-based e-mail services, it doesn’t support corporate e-mail programs.
An interesting review of the upcoming Origami tablets from The Inquirer:
My impression of each of these mobile tablet PCs was the same: they’re a bundle of compromises. They try to fill a lot of different roles, but are second best at all of them. The manufacturers have made a valiant first effort, but Microsoft’s UMPC blueprint is not ready to be turned into a viable product.
Intel is preparing to launch its ultra-mobile handtop PC, TGDaily says:
According to Paul Otellini’s keynote speech at IDF Fall 2005, UMPCs will integrate a new category of processors that will consume as little as 0.5 watts. Intel executives also mentioned that UMPCs will achieve a continuous operation time of about eight hours. Our sources now tell us that at least the first generation of UMPCs may not include such a new processor, but rather rely on a proven platform, which will consist out of ULV Pentium M processors with 90 nm Dothan core as well as a 915GMS chipset. Intel is also very aggressive in extending the wireless feature set of UMPCs. Wi-Fi capability is a standard feature by now, but Wireless WAN - such as EVDO and HSDPA - as well as integrated GPS capability will be able to draw some attention to those devices.
Sean came around the other day and pointed to new strategic licensing agreement between Pepper Computer and HANBiT Electronics Co. Apparently we’ll be looking at a new price point for PepperPad some time soon, so the battle intensifies.
It’s tempting to root for one winner in the battle of Internet tablets, but hey, the cheaper they are, the more benefits there are for the final users and software development community around mobile tablets.
PepperPad issued a new press release today touting a new e-book reader from MobiPocket (an Amazon company) and photo-sharing app for Flickr (a Yahoo! company).
They seem to target the digital home concept heavily, introducing a software TV listings reader as well (although one could always browse to Yahoo! TV or numerous similar sites, one would assume):
The eBook reader from Mobipocket, an Amazon.com company, enables users to browse and download books, magazines or newspapers and read them on the Pad’s 8.4-inch SVGA TFT screen. Publications can be easily organized and stored for future reading on the portable Pad. Decisionmark’s TitanTV offers the only real-time household-level online programming guide available to consumers. It provides household-specific program listings of all sources of programming, whether off-air, cable, or satellite, with high-definition programs highlighted. TitanTV allows viewers to sort, filter, customize and search listings with unmatched ease. On the Pepper Pad, the listings information is available through the Pad’s built-in Wi-Fi. With TitanTV’s Watch Now feature, consumers can simply select the program they want to watch and via IR the Pepper Pad will select the proper channel.
There’s also a bunch of free e-books available for MobiPocket.
What do you think of the new Itronix Internet tablet?
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Spokane, but generally Itronix products, generally sold to defense contractors and what not, are selling for thousands of dollars, since they use those Tablet PCs in the battlefield, etc.
Mid-sized, lightweight and ergonomic, the Duo-Touch boasts the rugged and weatherized features you’ve come to expect from Itronix. With up-to-four integrated wireless options in the same device, including GPS, the Duo-Touch is ready for any wireless network. It offers the performance and flexibility needed to keep field-deployed, mission-critical workers productive. The Duo-Touch combines the features of an active digitizer with the flexibility of a passive touch screen. Never fear losing your tablet stylus again!