April 20, 2007

Medion Does Ultra-Cheap UMPC April 20, 2007

Read more Gadgets , Gizmodo UK , Laptops , PC , Portable Media

rim 1000 2.jpg Medion, the German PC giant, is entering the ultra mobile PC (UMPC) space next month. The company that likes to build high-end PCs, pile ‘em high and then sell them cheap through the supermarkets, is hoping there may be a wider audience for UMPCs which, to date, are very niche and massively overpriced.

Medion will change all that next month by launching the good looking RIM 1000 for £799.99 online. So what’s the hitch? That’s just it, the specs look decent. Here you go:

* Genuine Microsoft® Windows VistaTM Home Premium with Touch Pack
* VIA C7-M 770 ULV processor (1.0GHz, 400MHz FSB)
* VIA UniChrome Pro II GFX
* 6.5" WVGA TFT Touchscreen with LED backlight (800x480px)
* High definition audio with integrated loudspeaker
* 30GB hard disc
* 768MB DDRII RAM memory
* Wireless LAN 802.11b/g with up to 54 Mbit/s
* Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR module
* Integrated webcam & microphone array e.g. for video over IP
* SD/SD-IO/MMC card reader
* External AC adaptor & lithium polymer battery VDE/GS approved
* Synchronise your UMPC with you desktop pc or notebook
* Transfer data from your MP3 player or digital camera via an SD or MMC card using the memory card slot
* Connect your mobile phone via Bluetooth
* Connect to a projector via the VGA port
* Share files via the USB port

Check out the connectivity options, software and another photo after the jump. –Martin Lynch

Continued...

medion rim 1000.jpg

Connections

* 2 x USB 2.0
* 1 x DC-in
* 1 x Docking
* 1 x IEEE 1394 Firewire
* 1 x VGA out
* 1 x SD/MMC card slot
* 1 x Audio out
* 1 x Microphone In

Software Included

* Genuine Microsoft® Windows VistaTM Home Premium
* Microsoft® Works 8.5
* Nero Burning Rom & Recode SE

Weight & Dimensions

* Dimensions: width 190mm x height 121mm x depth 28.3mm
* Weight: 740g including battery

Accessories Included

* Lithium polymer battery
* External AC Adaptor

Warranty

* 12 months

UMPC portable laptop vista

Comments

It’s too large to carry around everywhere, but too small and too hobbled to work on efficiently. In effect, it falls awkwardly between two established form factors (i.e. smartphones and ultra-portable laptops), acquiring none of the positive points of either platform, but suffering all the deficiencies of both. There's an intriguing article about it here:

posted-by shandy1948 | April 20, 2007 3:38 PM

*Waits for UMPC-dedicated Linux distros to surface*

posted-by Cal | April 20, 2007 5:34 PM

Why is Nero Burning Rom included?

posted-by Tom | April 23, 2007 8:09 AM

LMFAO. Best just wait a while longer & get a decent UMPC for well under £400 - $800. One with a usable keyboard & 7" screen.

My £'s look as tho they're going to going on the new Asus EEE.

Oh yes baby, a wicked laptop that runs Windows XP for around the £200 - $400 mark.

posted-by Minjeeta | November 4, 2007 12:27 PM