We’ve talked before about the Archos 9, a 9” Windows 7 slate which should be available this Fall. Still not a lot of details. But UmpcPortal pointed me to this YouTube video of the Archos 9. Watch how the presenter holds it. He seems to need to use 2 hands more than other presenters have on the smaller Viliv X70 (7”) and S5 (5”). It’s hard to tell how easy it will be to use the 9” form factor while standing or walking about. On a tabletop, it will be great, especially with the integrated stand.
While I’m waiting for my Viliv X70, I’ve learned from Chippy at UMPCPortal that the X70’s 3G modem supports voice calls as well as data. I’m not just talking about VOIP. I mean regular voice calls. See Chippy’s YouTube video.
This is exciting news. Now, I wouldn’t use my X70 as my regular phone. But for conference calls, and the X70’s speaker, its voice calling capability could come in handy.
I sprang for the Viliv X70 Premium 3G with a 128GB SSD at Dynamism’s July 6 online pre-order event. The 128GB SSD probably was overkill (and over-priced). However, I’ve learned the hard way through other devices that a 32GB SSD is not large enough for my usage. A 64GB SSD would have been perfect. But that wasn’t an alternative.
Since I was one of the first 777 to order, Dynamism threw in a free standard battery, car kit, leather pouch, and protective film. That softened the financial blow somewhat.
The X70, the “free” accessories, and a few other accessories I ordered (extra charger and stylus and some cables for video and TV out), have a scheduled ship date of July 28. Once I receive the X70, you can be sure I’ll put it to use right away and start posting about it.
Of course, as soon as I pressed the order button for the X70, Viliv announced another 7” device …
I’ve had my eye on the CrunchPad for several months. It’s supposed to be a low cost (< $300), thin (16mm), 12” touchscreen with a single purpose: accessing the Internet. This apparently includes the full Internet, including video and Flash, as well as the more mundane like GMail and other web email apps.
Little else is known about the device. But we should know more soon. Its availability will be announced this month or next. While waiting, you can guess the specs, as UmpcPortal did several months ago.
I could see such a device on my night stand, so I can check my feeds and news and sports websites without leaving my bed.
Source: CrunchGear,
My work and home offices have powerful desktop computers. I use these desktops to perform my important daily tasks; email, PIM (contacts calendar, tasks), web browsing, and viewing documents (usually PDF or MS Office). But often I’m not in the office. I’m the Mobile Barbarian after all. Lugging my desktop (and monitor) with me isn’t very practical. So I need a mobile device to take my office with me, unfortunately to more boring places than shown in the picture (credit).
My ideal mobile device needs to be small and light enough to carry around easily, yet capable of performing the key tasks handled by its far more powerful (and larger and heavier) desktop brethren. There are many choices. I wrote this post because I thought some of you, like me, have to make up your mind, and my thought process, however imperfect, might help you with your decision.
Viliv Choices is my most recent post of my recent love affair with the Viliv X70 and the Viliv S5. Unfortunately, like most of my past love affairs, I’ve been admiring from afar. You see, I don’t have either device. So I’ve been living vicariously, through JK of jkOnTheRun and Chippy at UMPC Portal, both of whom have both devices. Both have posted reviews and videos of both devices. The most recent is Chippy’s Viliv X70 EX UMPC Full Review with Videos. Viliv X70 + Streetdeck = great navigation [video] also shows another use of the X70.
I really like both devices. However, I was hoping that Archos, at its June 11 press conference in Paris, would announce an Android MID, perhaps even one with a capacitive screen. Had it done so, I may have gone that route instead. Alas, that didn’t happen.
Viliv X70 told you about this interesting new MID and jkOnTheRun’s extensive coverage of it. Since then JK has posted Further Impressions of the Viliv X70EX UMPC. Additionally, Chippy at UMPC Portal has posted Viliv X70 EX Air is in the bag! and Viliv X70 EX Model Details Revealed. Starts at $599.
As usual, I’ve been dithering over the Viliv X70 vs. the Viliv S5. Both JK and Chippy have both devices, so I’ve been reading their reviews and comparisons, particularly JK’s Comparing the Viliv X70 and S5 UMPC on Video.
In my youth, the other guy got the girl. Now older, my focus has shifted (somewhat) from girls to gadgets. But sadly, the story doesn’t change. Now the other guy gets the gadget.
In this case, the other guy is James Kendrick, the JK in jkOnTheRun. I’ve written a lot recently about the Viliv S5. James laid his hands on a S5 with an SSD and 3G. See Viliv S5 With Integrated 3G is Here and Viliv S5 3G Confusion: When is a SSD Slower than HDD?.
Now the lucky dog has a Viliv X70. The X70 is similar to the S5. The main difference is the screen is 7” rather than 5”. This larger screen size of course results in larger overall dimensions. Other hardware differences are the X70 has an SD slot, integrated microphone and webcam.
Check out Mobile Tech Minutes: First Look at the Viliv X70 UMPC. It includes a video and a number of comments, the first by yours truly.
Almost one month ago James posted Viliv S5 UMPC vs. Viliv X70- Which One For You? At that time he didn’t have the X70. Now he does. Hopefully he’ll post a follow-up comparison.
Viliv S5 MID and MID Watch told you about the Viliv S5. jkkMobile now reports in New UMPCs and a netbook coming from Viliv that Viliv will be showing at Computex in Taipei (June 1-6) additional S5 (and S7) models:
- S5, X70 EX and S7 MID with WiMAX modem and the Intel Atom Processor.
- S5, X70 EX and S7 MID with 3G HSPA modem and the Intel Atom Processor.
- S5 MID supporting the beta Window 7 at the Microsoft booth.
- S5, X70 EX and S7 MID with TD-SCDMA.
Not clear which if any is the Premium Air version with a SSD and 3G.
jkkMobile also reports Viliv will show 2 additional models at Computex:
- 10” screen MID (or netbook)
- 4.8” screen MID with keyboard
New MIDs and XP phones expected at Computex 2009 reports that Viliv is not the only company displaying new models at Computex. The so-called xpPhone looks interesting. It features WiFi, GPS, 64GB SSD, and a QWERTY keyboard that includes mouse buttons, a touchpad, and a number pad. Update: Tracking down the XPPhone (includes more specs)
The first half of June will be exciting for my MID watch. First, the details from Computex on the new Viliv models. Next, as reported in MID Watch, on June 11, Archos’ press conference on June 11 in Paris, when Archos may announce an Android MID based on Texas Instruments’ OMAP 3 platform and … dare I hope … a capacitive screen.
Viliv Press Release
Update: Some Viliv S5 MIDs shipping with viruses
The two leading MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) currently are the Viliv S5 (pictured left) and the UMID M1 (pictured right). I recently featured the S5 here. jkkMobile has a number of posts on the M1.
The form factor is the obvious difference. The S5 is a slate. The M1 is a clamshell.
Preference between these two form factors is subjective. A hardware keyboard usually is easy to type on than a software keyboard. However, the hardware keyboard adds extra weight and thickness. Since the hardware keyboard on the M1 cannot be swiveled to the rear as on a Tablet PC, it also can make it more difficult to interact via touch with the screen. My preference (bias) is the slate. But that’s me.
There are other differences. The S5 has 1GB of RAM, the M1 512MB. But the M1 has a Micro SD slot, whereas the S5 has no removable storage. The M1 has a SSD, whereas the S5 has a HDD, though the S5 supposedly will be available soon in a Premium Air version with a SSD and 3G. The M1 also will be available next month in a 3G version per Pocketables.
Both are available from Dynamism. So which one will I get? Umm … maybe neither.
My readers know that I have a strong preference (bias) for capacitive screens. Both my phone, a Blackberry Storm, and my Tablet PC, a Dell Latitude XT2, have capacitive screens. The screens on the S5 and M1 are resistive.
Archos, which makes MIDs and PMPs (Portable Media Players) has announced a press conference on June 11 in Paris. The speculation is Archos will announce an Android MID based on Texas Instruments’ OMAP 3 platform. Back in early March, my TI Joins the (Phone/MID/Netpad) Party discussed this platform and the possibility of its use in an Archos Android. Android is a very interesting platform … and there is speculation (hopefully informed speculation) that the screen will be capacitive.
So as usual, I’ll wait a little longer. In the meantime, I have my HTC Advantage to tide me over.
