RSSSamsung's 'Origami' PC Makes Debut
By the Betanews Staff | Published May 2, 2006, 4:14 PM
Samsung on Monday announced the U.S. availability of the Q1, the company's first device to fall under the Ultra Mobile PC platform. The unit would retail for $1,099 USD, just above Microsoft's target of $599 to $999 for the "Origami" line of devices. UMPCs largely resemble a small Tablet PC with 7-inch touch screen, and run a full version of Windows XP with special software.
However, the high price limits the appeal to a small segment, say analysts. "Clearly, the goal is a toy for boys," says Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox. "With Q1 the S isn't just for Samsung, it's for "status symbol." Everything about the Samsung Q1 is uptown." Another company, Founder, will release a UMPC model later this quarter, with a device by ASUS expected over the summer.
First of all...only new 16 and 17 inch laptops, budget laptops and older laptops weigh in at anything over 4 lbs. Nowadays, you can get most laptops weighing in at under 4lbs. Now maybe this is me, but....2 LBS?!!!! So you're going to shrink your screen by 8 inches, use something that has a little more computing power than a laptop made back in the year 2002 and with something kinda like but not exactly the windows xp os for a product a little under 2lbs? Why?
I completely agree with dwaterman - cept I'll do one more to say it's like buying a toyota yaris with the engine of a Honda Fourtrax 90 ATV.
I loved the idea of these things at 599 or so, but now that it's actually being sold for 1099? Nuh uh. Just not a reasonable value for the dollar.
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This would be like buying a smaller lawn mower at the same price because it is easier to push... a waste of time.
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Depends. It beats a blackberry and isn't as hefty as a laptop. A lot of folks who do more walking and less driving with their equipment would probably love this.
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At just under 2 pounds you could buy a laptop that weighs just a bit more and get a keyboard. Oh and 800x480 screen res... yuck.
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Try getting a decent laptop anywhere under 6 lbs. Most are far heavier. Where are you getting your information from?
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I agree most are heavier, but IMO much more functional...
http://www.samsung.com/u...obile/np_q1_v000suk.asp
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This thing is a TOY at best. There doesn't appear to be any serious business application for it other than entertainment on a plane.
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I'll just stick with my laptop
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Ubiquitous cheap PCs and web programs like Gotomypc would make PDAs and the like obsolete if not for one small detail: the fact that 30% of the US has no affordable broadband.
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But it won't fit in my pocket. It HAS to fit in my pocket, so I can whip it out like James Bond. Or the guy in MI3!!
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It's interesting to see the advancements in minaturization, but the high prices are a bit overwhelming.
If these products can successfully present the functionality folks need at a price they are willing to pay, more power to them.
Personally I have little use for the limited 'vanity' products that they have trotted out in the form of the PDAs and sub-laptop market. It would just seem to me that if they are going to charge 'greater then or equal to' laptop prices for less functionality, their market will remain a small niche at best.
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It's a bit harsh to call them vanity products. I have an iPAQ and can't believe I didn't get one sooner. I managed to screw the stereo in my car and the on board speaker allows me to use it as a mobile music player. (great for sitting in traffic). Also I have a 2 gig SD card and can take TV shows with me on the train, work etc. Add to that the calendar, document storage / editing, e-books and address book and they are hugely usefull.
The price is high at the moment because or the 'newness factor'. After about 12 months the prices should start to drop hugely like the PDA or MP3 markets. I use my iPAQ which cost £200 a hell of a lot more than my £800 laptop. (although I may be in a minority finding laptop keyboards irritating in their layout. In my opinion these products, once they have lost that 'newness factor' are much more cost efficient than laptops.
The key thing with all this technonolgy that utilises the huge advances in miniturization is that they fit into your pocket and that seems to be where this will fall down.
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I too have an Ipaq, and have found that its an overpriced toy, I'd much rather have a full version of windows in the sameish form factor, However, not at a $1099 price, you can get an entry level Dell laptop for half that price these days.
I love my Ipaq, but its really not as handy as i thought it would be.
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