UMPC Explorers! | Ultranauts.com » 2006

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Can’t wait to get your hands on a UMPC? This might help tide you over…

Our good friends over at the FCC have seen fit to host the complete Q1 maunal in glorious PDF format.

You can download part 1 here and part 2 here. Enjoy! It really is good reading.

{Thanks to Umpcfun.com for the heads-up!}

Prediction #6: The UMPC will have limited penetration into vertical markets/applications

Plenty is being written on the topic of the UMPC’s potential play in different vertical markets — from education to hospitailty to healthcare. And, sure, the system seems tailor made for certain applications. In retail, it would make a great point-of-sale device where cashiers could ring you up as you shopped instead of waiting in line. It would seem a natural for caregivers to boost their productivity by utilizing Ultra Mobile PCs that are loaded with mobile rounding applications from the likes of PatientKeeper or Mercury MD.

But, the spec that Microsoft and partners have developed for Origami isn’t going to allow for too much verticalization or specialization with the platform (beyond what some very creative consumers will come up with). The platform is capped at around two-pounds… this is the major bottle-neck for it’s success as a vertical workhorse.

The options for tough, ruggedized casings are extremely limited at that weight. Extended life and double-pack batteries are also limited due to this weight cap. No medical facility, school system or retailer is going to invest much in a platform that may begin showing some wear-and-tear after a few mis-handlings. And few businesses are going to rely on a device with such limited power reserves for mission critical processes such as medical applications or payment transactions.

It’s just not worth the risk or the cost.

eo™ represents the new generation of mobile computing. Measuring 9”W x 5.75”H x 1”Dand weighing just under 2 pounds, eo™ is the most portable and convenient Tablet PC device for taking handwritten notes, accessing the internet, instant messaging, listening to music, viewing movies and playing games. eo™ enables you to connect, communicate and accomplish any task anywhere, any time, and be entertained and informed wherever life takes you.

eo™, named for the Latin word meaning to go, advance, or progress, was developed tomeet the ever-changing needs of today’s highly mobile individuals by combining the power and compatibility of the full version of Microsoft® Windows® XP with a lightweight“carry-everywhere” hardware design. As part of Microsoft’s Ultra Mobile PC initiative, eo™ features enhanced touch-screen capabilities with handwriting recognition and a revolutionary new, on-screen keyboard. For convenience and efficiency, eo™ also offers a wide range of other input options including the enhanced touch-screen via stylus, stereo microphone with voice recognition, and hardware controls that are easily adaptable for left or right handed users.

eo™ comes equipped with Microsoft® Windows® XP Tablet Edition as well as with the new Microsoft® Touch Pak, mobile-ready technologies that make it easy to access and use your software on the go. In addition, eo™ sports USB 2.0, wireless networking, and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, a full range of custom accessories are being developed to enhance the eo™ experience.

“We are excited to have partnered with TabletKiosk™ on the eo™ UMPC and are confident in the value it will provide to a wide range of audiences,” said Bill Mitchell, Vice President of the Mobile Platforms Division at Microsoft Corp. “With new touch screen functionality and the power of the Windows® XP experience, as well as the small, portable design, eo will be a great choice for many consumers who rely more and more on mobile technologies to accomplish their daily tasks.”

We can’t wait. Welcome to the club, eo!

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This has been around for about a week now, but we apparently managed to miss it during the first go around. We’ve embedded it here for your hassle-free viewing pleasure.

But the real reason we’re posting it (albeit, a bit late) is that this is some pretty clear evidence that:
1. Prediction #4 (kids love it) of out Top 10 UMPC Predictions is 100% correct
2. I’m a genius (for making prediction #4 in the first place)

Or something like that. At any rate, it’s an entertaining and slightly informative video.

Ultranauts unite!

We’re right in the middle of our Top 10 UMPC Predictions series this week. We hope you enjoy reading the predictions as much as we enjoy pulling them out of our hat at the very last minute.

As we head into the home stretch with our last few predictions, we’d like to hear from you. What do you think is in store for the UMPC? What are the hurdles it will face? What are the unexpected successes it will have?

There isn’t an audience smarter than the Ultranauts.com audience. So, make yourself heard.

If we get enough reader submissions in, we’ll publish a special article with the best predictions of the bunch. Just imagine the fame and glory that could be yours! And, remember, Microsoft is listening.

Prediction #5

Prediction #5: The UMPC will not be an ideal gaming platform

As a gaming machine goes, the UMPC will leave something to be desired (sorta like how the PSP leaves something to be desired). Oh sure, the Origami will play Solitaire just fine and will likely even run most of yesteryear’s powerhouse games at a decent clip. The real problem here is not with the system’s power or its small size, it’s the UMPC’s lack of adequate control mechanics. We could be wrong here, but playing Doom 3 or FEAR on this thing doesn’t look like a satisfying proposition.

With a touchscreen to help out, some games may translate over ok, but most will prove too complex for the UMPCs self-imposed, on-the-go limitations (unless you atrted adding in keybaord and mosue peripherals). A notable exception to this rule (and, really, one that could totally blast the doors off of this prediction) is the MMORPG. Most of the current generation MMORPG’s are click driven games and a UMPC would suit this type of play style rather well. Sure, easy analog control would be ideal, but an MMORPG could make due and adapt to the rogors of an Ultra Mobile PC.

Imagine World of Warcraft or D&D on-the-go. I know plenty of game-geeks who have that exact dream. I don’t think the UMPC will make this a reality, but it is capable.

Besides, we know that Micosoft has its own, true portable game machine in development. The UMPC won’t be competing with it. Micorsoft will make sure of that.

The new week brings the new Ultranauts poll. This week’s poll is short and sweet:

Do you own a PocketPC or a TabletPC (or both)?

After you’re done answering the question (the poll is in the upper left hand column), please leave a comment or two regarding how your potential UMPC ownership will or will not effect your Pocket/Tablet PC usage/habits.

We want to hear from you!