| Windows MID for under $500? |
Dec. 04, 2008
 Trigem announced a Windows XP MID (mobile internet device) that reportedly will sell for under $500. The "Lluon Mobbit" offers a 4.8-inch screen, Intel Atom CPU, WiMAX, 1GB of RAM, a 30GB hard disk drive or 16GB solid state drive, and a television receiver, says Trigem.
(Click here for a larger view of Trigem's Lluon Mobbit)
The Lluon Mobbit's putative price of around 600,000 Korean won (around $406) is not Trigem's claim, but stems from a report by CNET Asia, which also says the unit will go on the market in January 2009. But, one way or another, the feature-packed device does appear to represent a breakthrough in the MID market -- held back, analysts have noted, by limited product availability and unexpectedly high pricing.
 Actual shipping MIDs have been few and far between, but include the Asus R50A, which runs Windows Vista, and the Aigo P8860/Gigabyte M528 (right), which ships with Linux. For price comparison, the Aigo P8860 sells from the specialist importer "DFJ Store" for approximately $700, but those who want to run Windows must purchase the OS separately and hunt down beta drivers.
Trigem's new Lluon Mobbit, in contrast, comes with Windows XP Home from the get-go, along with a finger-friendly GUI (graphical user interface overlay). Apart from this advantage, the device also is said to include WiBro, the Korean name for mobile WiMAX. WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 are also on board, according to the company.
Trigem's Llluon Mobbit
The Lluon apparently lacks a built-in keyboard, including only the 4.8-inch touchscreen display, two prominent function keys and an "optical mouse" that's actually a small trackpad. The MID also has a two megapixel camera and a button dedicated to activating its shutter, a stylus holder, a flip-out leg that stands the device at an angle, and an extensible antenna for the T-DMB (terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting) TV receiver.
Like the Asus and Aigo devices mentioned above, the Lluon Mobbit uses Intel's original "Silverthorne" Atom and the accompanying "Poulsbo" chip. In other words, it has a 1.33GHz Z520 CPU, plus an SCH US15W companion chip, with integrated northbridge/southbridge functionality.
According to Trigem, the MID comes with 1GB of DDR2 RAM -- the maximum supported by the Pouslbo -- plus either a 16GB SSD (solid state drive), or a 1.3-inch hard disk drive with 30GB of storage. We couldn't find any sign of any expansion slot that would accept SD or microSD cards, however.
Behind a flap on the right-hand side of the Lluon Mobbit, there are dual USB ports (one full-size host port, one mini-USB device port). The device also incorporates an earphone jack, plus a 14-pin connector that's said to offer audio I/O and a VGA output.
Features and specifications listed by Trigem for the Lluon Mobbit include:- Processor -- Intel Atom Z520 clocked at 1.33GHz
- Memory -- 1GB of DDR2 RAM
- Storage -- 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of SSD (solid state disk) storage
- Display -- 4.8-inch touchscreen display with 1024 x 600 resolution
- Keys -- Dual function keys, optical mouse, shutter release
- Cameras -- Rear-facing two megapixel camera
- Wireless interfaces:
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth
- WWAN -- WiBro (WiMAX)
- Other I/O:
- Headphone jack
- VGA output, mic input, and audio output, via 14-pin connector
- 2 x USB 2.0 (one host, one device)
- Battery type/life -- n/s
- Dimensions -- 6.53 x 3.46 x 0.82 inches (166 x 88 x 21mm)
- Weight -- 13.2 ounces (375g)
Further information
Availability and pricing were not specified by Trigem, but more information may appear on the company's website, here.
For the CNET Asia report, which includes further images, see the news service's website, here.
Related Stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news feed
