propstm.net » UMPC

Catching up to the iPads

Matt — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:59:39 +0000

I don’t own an iPad. I wasn’t interested in owning an iPad.

I was intrigued by Android. The concept of creating apps written in Java makes MUCH more sense to me than writing in C (but this is another conversation entirely). I own a MacBook Pro and an iPhone, but would prefer to own an Android Tablet mainly because I already have an iPhone and want to see what Android has to offer.

Apple’s announcement yesterday for the new iPad forced the tablet market to shift.

The iPad is a quality product, and the iPad2 only adds to this product. By heightening the specs, that was to be assumed, but to see Apple create the entry price at $499, and announce they are lowering the price of the entry level model of the original iPad to $399 there is NO reason not to get an iPad unless Android based tablets can lower their prices to compete.

Working under the assumptions set forth by Steve Jobs’ iPad2 presentation, and reviews I’ve read of the Xoom and GalaxyTab, in order to remain viable competitors against the iPad, Android tablets MUST slash prices. Here is the scenario that makes sense to me:

A base model WIFI only iPad is $399
A base model WIFI only iPad2 is $499
A base model Android tablet with Honeycomb could come in at $350 — and if it doesn’t have Honeycomb, the user experience will be lacking so drop the price further.

The ease of use provided by Apple at this point makes their iPad products huge favorites over Android. Android’s lack of solid store and ever changing software make many folks seem lost when comparing devices. Also based on current news of compromised Android applications in the Android Market makes me more hesitant to use Android tablets.

If Android wants to compete, tablet makers need to cut prices NOW, and until the software is built to a point that it can fight against able in the tablet form factor it needs to be priced lower. The companies need to take their losses and Android needs to put all tablets on paths to get to Honeycomb soon to stay competitive.

Question of the Day: Does the Origami Experience interface work for the UMPC?

Matt — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:00:08 +0000

In my view, the OE interface is great. For some time as of recently, as i like working at a maxed out resolution, i’ve realized at time it can be hard tapping on precisely the right spot on the screen. I think the oversized icons work great as touchable buttons. Also I don’t use the Q1b as a normal PC. For as much as i “could” per se, i don’t. Normally my uses are restricted to OneNote, IE, Outlook, and Trillian.

So given my not so intense needs, and my desire for a better interface would i be crazy in saying maybe that UMPC UI could be improved by moving more toward a Origami Experience-esque interface. I would say yes. I think it would simplify things quite a bit.

Another look at using the Q1

Matt — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:10:59 +0000

So posts have been lacking here as of recently. I think it goes without saying i’ve been busy. But in retrospect, the Q1b helps quite a bit. Over the past summer I worked at a tech summer camp. I was “on-site” so I stayed with the campers in the college dorm from Monday-Friday, and luckily got to go home on the weekends. Long story short I can’t help but feel like i was kinda living out of a suitcase for about two months there. However the Q1b with Organizer Pack was a great computer to have with me there. Granted there were other computers, it was a computer camp!, but just on downtime to check email or blogs in my room, it worked very well.

Now we get to this school year. Ok, i’ll qualify my busyness… So long as I pass all my classes, I’ll be graduating in April. So yeah, that means i’ve got the upper level CS courses that are left in the Information Systems program, and also a few Management courses also in the mix. But given my sporatic schedule of classes, I have found particularly on Tuesday and Thursday the Q1b seems to be a life saver. My first class begins at 10 and goes until 11:15. Ok, OneNote. then I’ve got a hour and 45 minute break until my next class at 1pm. Then usually just lecture/discussion. I wont lie, i don’t take many notes in that class. Then another hour and 45 minute break and I’ve got class downtown at 4pm. Again, OneNote. But having such a small machine that I can easily throw in my backpack with my books is a life saver. It also helps being able to pull it out on the bus going between campuses and go over notes or read RSS feeds that i’d pulled during the hour.

So my apologies for allowing the posting frequency to become so lax, but the works getting tough, but the Q1b is helping me keep it all together.

UMPC Question of the Day:

Matt — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:26:27 +0000

so is this “iTouch” and AMPC or Apple Mobile PC? it sure seems to me like it’s a quick conversion of a product by apple to combat the UMPC? It sure hits the price point the UMPC seems to be looking for, while it may not have top notch features, it sure seems like it will get into the markets better than the UMPC. Should UMPC’s be scared?

I’ll admit it, the more Apple products I’ve seen lately the more impressed I’ve become with them. Although get the jkontherun kids their iPhone rebates please!

UMPC — Lets say it together “Ultra Mobile Personal Computer”

Matt — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 03:00:26 +0000

I’ll preface this with, yes i’m back. I was teaching at a technology summer camp for the past month and a half and well its hard to keep up on things when working just about 14 hours a day nonstop. Mea Culpa.

Back to the issue at hand. What is a UMPC. Is it a mini-laptop?

I’ll say a mini laptop is such. I miniature laptop. NOT an ULTA MOBILE device.

Sony Picturebook (C1VN)

IS NOT

OQO model 02

My logic is simple. Laptops are mobile yes. Ultra Mobile is implying something more than mobile. Laptop are portable. A Mini laptop is small and portable. I haven’t fallen entirely out of the loop but I would like to challenge Steve, any of the GBM or JKonTheRun gangs to specify what makes UMPC’s special, but I’d beg to ponder the fact that their touch-screens, and full operating systems have a lot to do with it. Also within the UMPC “definition” if we must be so caught up in it, has also to do with the fact that they are full blown computers. Bjorn playing Quake, anyone? My opinions are that keyboards are sometimes a necessary evil. Yes i’ve got an organizer pack on my Q1b, but that’s because when in class i do a bit of typing. Cause and effect. What is it? I’d offer that a tiny laptop is not a UMPC. Size isn’t an issue…. (or its not the only issue… or….)