CeBIT 2008: Hands-On With the 2nd Generation UMPC from Samsung

Samsung's second generation of ultra-mobile PCs is surely promising a lot, but only if you're a rocket scientist. The reworked Q1 Ultra is everything but intuitive, and would easily make a new-comer call it quits. However, if handled by experienced hands, it can perform miracles. We don't know whether the Q1 ultra liked us, but if it did, then it's reciprocal.

The Q1 Ultra is a 544-gram ultra-portable system powered by Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system. The device can support mobile video conferencing, but it will run flawlessly everything you would expect from your PC. It is extremely suitable for PowerPoint presentations, mobile messaging, and entertainment.

The Q1 UMPC is powered by an Intel Core Solo "McCaslin" processor especially designed for ultra-low power consumption (U1300-U1500). The 7-inch WSVGA glossy, super-bright display is capable of rendering resolutions up to 1024 x 768. It is LED backlit with enhanced brightness and contrast ratio. However, the model we laid our hands on was full of fingerprint smudges and this dramatically affected the screen's visibility.

The QWERTY keypad has undergone significant improvements. However, the split keyboard will prove pretty tricky for thick-fingered persons, given the fact that the keys are crammed together. They are also raised, which makes it impossible to press a key without accidentally pressing the adjacent one. And, let's be realistic, unless you are a Blackberry fan, then writing e-mails using your thumbs only must require quite an unexplored skill.

The wireless connectivity has been tremendously improved, and the device now comes with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as support for the 3.5G cellular-based wireless connectivity, that unleashes the power of video conferencing. If you plan on going on a trip, then Samsung can provide an extra battery pack for the Q1 UMPC, that touts an autonomy of 11 hours of functioning. However, if you plan on using all the add-ons (Q1 Ultra notebook-sized QWERTY keyboard and the expandable DVD-RW drive), you might re-consider your option and take your fully-fledged notebook instead.

Live report by Bogdan Popa and Alex Vochin from CeBIT 2008 Hanover, Germany.

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