Research and Markets updated their reports on Mobile PCs to include UMDs.
Market Watchers are curious if Mobile PCs are successful. Twelve figures in the report are important.
- Figure 1. Asus R50A
- Figure 2. Compal UMD
- Figure 3. LG Prototype
- Figure 4. Nokia N810
- Figure 5. Palm Foleo
- Figure 6. Apple iPhone
- Figure 7. Gigabyte M704
- Figure 8. Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium
- Figure 9. Fujitsu U810
- Figure 10. Lenovo MID Prototype
- Figure 11. Garmin MID Prototype
- Figure 12. Toshiba MID Prototype
Notice the three prototypes listed as well as the inclusion of the Apple iPhone and Palm Foleo? Is this market ready to explode? Absolutely. Regardless of the naming, people want to be mobile. In fact, the UMPC moniker may disappear but the concept of mobility will expand as companies attempt to determine the best products for the consumers and the consumers demand the best products.
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Comments
Re: UMPCs, UMDs, and MIDs: Are They For Real?
What UMPC's OEM's need to do is capitalize on how it can be a functional mainstream computer. To me it seems simple. The advantage with the technology is that with companies like OQO, they proved full windows can be very tiny. What they and all of the 12 companies listed have done incorrectly is make it functional for mainstream users.
How does mainstream input with desktop windows? duh a touch type keyboard. So why are all these companies listening to geeks and are creating device after device that are pen input or thumb input even after NONE are selling very many units?
All they need to do is look at what has worked in the past for form factors with a touch type keyboard. Remember the 1990's? the Psion 5mx and HP Jornada 720? They would easily fit in an inside jacket pocket had a wide 7" screen that was narrow about 3.6" and only about 1" in height. That provided 1/2 vga viewing so documents looked the same as your desktop and they were clamshell in form factor. That shape provided a true touch type keyboard. Guess what compared to the weak 350k worldwide UMPC sales, they sold over 2.3 million per year.
Now think about form factors like that but with full blown windows? Now remember there are over 113 million laptops sold and right now there is no option that provides a touch type keyboard experience that can fit into a jacket pocket. That is how UMPC's can be "for real".