A new blog entry has been added:

UMPCs, UMDs, and MIDs: Are They For Real?

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They could be a success but due to the wrong form factor they are currently toys for geeks and tech lovers.

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".