| Samsung nudges UMPC to 1.3GHz |
Jul. 29, 2008
 Samsung has announced an "ultra premium" version of its Q1 ultra-mobile PC (UMPC). Equipped with a six-cell battery, the new 1.9-pound Q1 Ultra Premium-V runs Windows Vista Business on a 1.33GHz Core Solo, with peripherals that include WiFi, Bluetooth, dual cameras, and a fingerprint reader.
A pioneering UMPC when it first made its debut in 2006, the Q1 line still has a seven-inch touchscreen display, but resolution was upped to 1024 x 600 pixels when Samsung introduced the Q1 Ultra in May 2007. The Q1 Ultra also gained a webcam, fingerprint reader, and a split-QWERTY keypad that allows users to thumb-type text on the left and right sides of the display.
The Q1 Ultra Premium-V again features a unique, split-QWERTY keyboard
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge) |
All of that is retained on the new Q1 Ultra Premium-V (Q1UP-V), but the device now receives dual video cameras. There's a 1.3 megapixel on the rear for stills, and a VGA resolution unit on the front for video conferencing.
More importantly, the Premium-V steps up from earlier models' 600MHz Intel "Stealey" A100 and 800MHz A110 processor offerings to a 1.3GHz Core Solo U1500 CPU. And, a full 2MB of DDR2 RAM should be somewhat better able to cope with the supplied Windows Vista Business operating system.
The Premium-V has a 1.8-inch, 4200-rpm hard drive with 80GB of storage, and now weighs 1.9 pounds -- on par with the new crop of laptop-shaped netbooks. Much of the mass is apparently accounted for by a new six-cell, 57.7 Watt lithium-ion battery that is nearly twice the size of the Q1 Ultra's. Battery life is claimed to be seven hours, rivaling Atom-based laptops like the MSI Wind, which is slated for availability in Sept. with a 6-cell battery.
Features and specifications listed by Samsung for the Q1 Ultra Premium-V include:- Processor -- Intel Core Solo U1500, clocked at 1.3GHz
- Graphics chipset -- Intel GMS945
- Memory -- 2GB DDR2 DRAM
- Display -- 7-inch touchscreen display, with 1024 x 600 resolution and 300-nit brightness rating
- Storage -- 80GB hard drive
- Cameras -- 1.3 megapixel on rear for still photos; VGA resolution for videoconferencing
- Networking:
- LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet with RJ45 connector
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 2.0
- VGA port
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Expansion -- 2-in-one (SD/MMC memory card reader)
- Power -- lithium-ion battery with 57.7wh capacity (claimed seven-hour operation)
- Dimensions -- 8.96 x 4.88 x 1.16 inches
- Weight -- 1.9 pounds
- Operating systems -- Windows Vista Premium
Also announced today was the Q1U-CMXP, described as identical to the Q1 Ultra except for a new HSDPA 3G cellular modem that supports the AT&T Broadband Connect network. For more details of the device, which runs Windows XP Tablet Edition, see our previous coverage, here.
Bret Berg, senior product marketing manager of mobile computing products for Samsung Electronics America said, "The availability of the Q1U-CMXP allows unlimited connectivity and the Q1UP-V delivers the latest Microsoft operating system with the horsepower needed for optimal performance. We anticipate that these Q1 Ultra models will be the most popular and successful additions to our product lineup."
Further information
According to Samsung, the Q1UP-V and Q1U-CMXP are available now, with prices of $1,449 and $1,499, respectively.
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