What Is New

Currently available in Korea, the Trigem Lluon Mobbit PS400 is another ultra-mobile PC or mobile internet device shown at CES. It has some clever features, such as an integrated camera that you can use like a point-and-shoot.

Here are some profile photos of one running Windows XP Home:

Snap a photo and customize it using the integrated camera software.

Playing a movie.

Integrated camera is on the back of the PC, so you can hold it like you would hold a point-and-shoot.

Camera software has focus target, so you can line up your object then shoot.

Camera button on top, right corner of PC.

Camera software has special personalization options. In this case, a border was added.

Bottom of PC

Right side with left & right mouse buttons along edge.

Trackpad allows for mouse navigation. Display also has a touch screen.

Ventilation along top.

Size compared with iPhone 3G.

During CES, Intel's Mobile Internet Device Group displayed over 50 UMPC, MIDs, and Netbooks in its Intel Atom cafe. Some products, such as the OQO model 2+ you can order now. Other products were on display by ODMs like Compal, and in search of an OEM to produce. Other products, like the UMID M1, may be produced by an OEM - a hint was dropped about Samsung and availability by Q3 2009, but that was not an announcement. Nevertheless, the UMID M1 is an attractive clamshell PC and it is worth sharing its photos and specs.

UMID M1 Specifications

• 4.8" display
• 1024x600 display resolution
• Intel Atom processor Z5xx series
• 512MB and supports up to 1GB of memory
• 16GB SSD
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS option, HSDPA (regional), WiMax / WiBRO option, DVB-H, T-DMB, DAB, DVB-T option
• Windows XP Home or Windows Vista

UMID M1 prototype in red enclosure with white keypad.

UMID M1 prototype in white enclosure with white keypad. The keypad is standard QWERTY with reliance on function keys for extended use.

The UMID M1 comes with a stylus for you to use for navigation. This unit is running Windows XP Home. If it were running Windows Vista there would be access to Tablet technology, such as Microsoft Journal, TIP onscreen keyboard, etc.

Stylus storage area.

UMID M1 is extremely well balanced and can hold with little effort.

Left side

Power on button on far right, top of keypad. Wireless and bluetooth on / off button to the left.

What is the right way to hold and type? Thumbs.

SIM card slot on front, left.

Right side has USB port, audio jack, and power connector.

The UMID M1 has a touch screen (single point). You may navigate with a fingertip.

Pressing the Windows XP Start button with fingertip.

The UMID M1 is slightly larger than the Apple iPhone, yet runs a full operating system - Windows XP Home or Windows Vista.

OQO has been leading the way on ultra-mobile PCs for several years now, with its release of the OQO model 1 in 2004. During CES 2009, OQO officially launched its third version: OQO model 2+. Just like its predecessors, the OQO model 2+ is a full PC, so you can run all your standard Windows applications and be productive anytime, anywhere.

In addition to adopting Intel Atom Z540 (1.86GHz) or Z520 (1.33GHz) processor, the OQO model 2+ features a 5" WVGA OLED display, which offers a beautiful viewing angle and rich colors. It also has a touch screen, which supports stylus and finger entry.

Size comparison of the OQO model 2+ with the Apple iPhone. Though these two products compliment each other, as the OQO model 2+ can run iTunes and be the PC to which you sync your phone, they are also similar in size.

The keypad, which slides behind the display for compact travel, offers full number pad, cursor joystick, and standard QWERTY keys.

  Full specifications on OQO.com

Kevin Huang, Senior Marketing Director at ASUS, and I were talking about how important it is for OEMs to incorporate feedback from end-users. ASUS is known to many as the #1 motherboard manufacturer and they've been working hard to let people know that they are successful with mobile PCs, and want you to join them in producing the first community designed mobile PC.

ASUS is partnering with Intel on WePC.com, where you can send in your ideas about a dream mobile PC. This banner at ASUS's #ces09 booth shows real concepts. Do you see the one you submitted?

ASUS & Intel are partnering to help bring people's dream PC to reality. Submit your ideas at WePC.com.

Current submissions are displayed on this banner. Many have to do with using PCs in new and modular ways.

Creating the book paradigm -- or breaking the PC paradigm is a repeated design concept.

This user submitted concept will look familiar to those who use convertible Tablet PCs.

More multiple screen, slate, or dual screen concepts.

Phil McKinney, CTO of Personal Systems Group at HP, spent time with bloggers at CntrStg.

Unfortunately, my phone rang so I missed the much of the session. The bonus is that someone used my camera and I just found photos on the SD card. 🙂

HP introduced Misto concept in 2005 as a family PC center that blends in like the coffee table. Some of these photos show how it incorporated touch as well as how the software focused on family entertainment.

Central Hall main entrance, pointing toward Microsoft's exhibit area. The exhibit was very consumer electronics oriented, with focus on Xbox, Zune, with Windows 7 Touch Technology demonstration in the "Nucleus".

Central Hall main entrance, pointing toward Intel's exhibit area. People gathered to see products using Intel Atom processor, such as MIDs, Netbooks, and UMPCs.

People lingered in two areas of CES' Central Hall: 1) Microsoft's nucleus of Touch demos and 2) Intel's cafe of Atom based products. Both sections displayed future direction versus products that are already available today, and this captured people's attention. These trends echoed throughout other PC vendors' exhibits:

1. Addition of touch technology to PCs of all shapes & sizes. Clear understanding that this has major impact on software, especially operating system.
2. Mobile PCs take the lead.
3. Stylish, all-in-one PCs dominate over classic, stationary PCs. Merger with TVs. Bye-bye rectangular, beige box. Didn't see a single one. Did see black or see-through, building-like towers.
4. Ultra-small PCs with full operating system. Intel calls them Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and included netbooks as subcategory.
   Photo: UMID M1 runs Windows XP / Vista, 512MB, 16GB SSD, 4.8" display with 1024x600 display resolution.
5. Under 1" thin is "in".
6. Personalization, more color options, & fashionable designs. No standard yet.
7. Intel continuing to assist vendors with reference designs for mobile PCs, components. Vendors are appreciative of this and mentioned it repeatedly.
8. Still don't have standardization of mobile PC components, i.e. case, display, battery, motherboard screw hole mounts, etc.
9. Incremental advancement of longer battery life by end of 2009. 8 hours marketed as "all day," referring to standard work hours.
10. Sustainability. Sustainability. Sustainability. Majority of PC vendors had section on environmental impact and changes they are making to improve over previous years.
11. Concept PCs built around extremely thin, flexible displays. 5+ years out before mass, but generated excitement.  
    Photos: Sony flexible display concept. (left) ASUS origami concept of foldable PC. (right)
12. Major migration to Intel Atom processors, with various prices and not all "low cost". The lower performance has implications for operating system.
13. Discussion around Intel Moorestown, but not demos. Heard several buyers asking about what it'll run and there weren't answers. Hope is that Moorestown will help with achieving real, all-day battery life.
14. Still no WiMax, 3G industry wide solution. Hodgepodge of get a 2-year contract for every computer, which doesn't match 6-mo or 1-yr lifetime of entry-level PCs.
15. $750 seemed to be the generally used dollar amount for "early adopter" PC price for small PCs vs $450 for entry-level, consumer netbook. Very little discussion about $299 and lower.
16. "This PC will work in these countries...," and the United States is not one of them. Partly because of lack of SIM card flexibility in United States.
17. TV functionality in small PCs. (Korea, Japan, etc.)
18. Blu-ray was not a big deal on PCs.
19. Higher proportion of Linux used in products than in previous years. Open source didn't need its own section to be promoted, as it is now being adopted.
    Photo: Sony Vaio VGN-P500 has an Instant Mode to have access to files in a few seconds of boot. Instant Mode runs Linux.
20. PC vendors mentioned "Available in Windows 7 timeframe," but they didn't have PCs running with Windows 7 on display.
21. PC vendors expressed concern and embarrassment about showing Microsoft Windows XP on PCs. Stated that it was because of lower price than Vista.
22. "Can you read that?" response to people picking up PCs with extremely small displays. Youth market may be attracted, but aging population (of buyers) appear to have a tough time seeing.
23. "What happened to AMD?" referring to its ultra-low power, mobile PC CPU line-up and that they are out of the running.
24. Mid-price and high-end, future mobile PC models use LED backlights for lower power consumption.
25. Mid- and high-end mobile PC lines to be offered with 256MB and 512MB solid-state drive options. This should help increase volume and make SSD more affordable in 2009.