| Convertible UMPC includes GPS |
Nov. 04, 2008
 Fujitsu announced a new convertible UMPC (ultra mobile PC) that uses Intel's 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor. The LifeBook U820 includes a pivoting 5.6-inch touchscreen, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, hard drive or SSD (solid state disk) storage, an integral fingerprint sensor, and Windows Vista, according to the company.
(Click here for a larger view of Fujitsu's LifeBook U820)
Fujitsu's new LifeBook U820 UMPC resembles a convertible laptop that shrunk in the wash. The device weighs just over 1.3 pounds and measures approximately 6.7 x 5.3 x 1.5 inches.
Along with its miniaturized QWERTY keyboard, the U820 sports a 5.6-inch touchscreen display that packs 1280 x 800 pixels. The screen folds down over the keyboard, and allows the device to be used as a stylus-driven tablet (below), Fujitsu says.
Fujitsu's U820 in tablet mode
(Click to enlarge)
In addition to a "Glide Point" pointing device, the U820 has a fingerprint reader on the right-hand side of its screen bezel. The reader is designed to operate with the bundled Softex OmniPass software, letting users enter securely stored IDs and passwords with a single touch, the company says.
The U820 employs Intel's 1.6GHz Atom Z530, along with the chipmaker's "Poulsbo" SCH (system controller hub) companion chip. Fujitsu says these power-saving components let the device operate on batteries for more than seven hours, at least when equipped with SSD (solid state disk) storage and a four-cell 5200mAh battery. The standard two-cell 2900mAh battery provides up to 3.5 hours of use, according to the company.
The U820 has a non-expandable 1GB of DDR2 RAM -- the maximum amount supported by Intel's SCH. Purchasers can select either a 1.8-inch, 4200rpm hard drive in 60GB or 120GB capacities, or a 64GB SSD. Flash storage can also be added via the device's CompactFlash and SD slots.
Wireless interfaces include 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth 2.1. The U820 has a 10/100 Ethernet connector and a VGA output, both provided via a special LAN/VGA cable adaptor. The UMPC includes two USB connectors and jacks for audio line/mic in and line out.
The U820 comes with a GPS receiver and Garmin software
According to Fujitsu, the U820 also includes a GPS receiver, using an undisclosed chipset along with Garmin's Mobile PC software (above). And, although there's no mention of it on Fujitsu's data sheet or website, the UMPC will reportedly be available with a built-in cellular modem for broadband connects on the AT&T network.
Finally, in addition to the Windows Vista operating system, the U820 sports Microsoft's Origami Experience 2.0. This is a Windows Vista UI (user interface) add-on for UMPCs that, per Microsoft's description, "brings together favorite media experiences -- music, videos, pictures, programs, news feeds, and the Internet -- in one location."
Microsoft's Origami Experience is an addon for UMPCs
"Origami Now," pictured above, gives one-touch access to email, calendar, RSS feeds, weather, and to-do lists. Content is organized into a single screen that changes according to the time, the date, and the user's current location.
Features and specifications listed by Fujitsu for the U820 include:- Processor -- Intel Z530 clocked at 1.6GHZ
- Memory -- 1GB of DDR2 RAM
- Display -- Pivoting 5.6-inch touchscreen, with 1280 x 800 resolution and 300-nit brightness rating
- Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
- Storage -- 60GB or 120GB hard drive, or 64MB solid state drive (SSD)
- Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet
- Wireless:
- WLAN -- 802.11a/b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.1
- GPS
- Other I/O:
- 2 x USB
- Audio line in, mic in, line out
- Docking connector
- Expansion:
- Battery type/life:
- Four-cell, 5200mAh battery offers up to 7.5 hours or operation
- Two-cell, 2900mAH battery offers up to 3.5 hours of operation
- Size:
- 6.73 x 5.31 x 1.46 inches with two-cell battery
- 6.73 x 6.14 x 1.46 inches with four-cell battery
- Weight -- "Starting at approximately 1.32 pounds"
Background
Fujitsu's LifeBook U810
was just 6.7 inches wide
(Click image for details) |
Along with Samsung, Fujitsu has been a stalwart supporter of Intel's UMPC format, which faces considerable market pressure from lower-priced alternatives such as MIDs (mobile internet devices) and netbooks. The LifeBook U820 is an update of the company's previous LifeBook U810 (right), which had a very similar form factor, but used an Intel A110 processor clocked at 800MHz. The U810 also had a lower 1024 x 600 screen resolution.
In a review of the new U820, PC Magazine reviewer Cisco Cheng notes the device's increased screen resolution, GPS receiver, and claimed battery life improvements compared to the U810, but says these "aren't enough to stop the bleeding."
The U820 "would still be a treat for frequent flyers to carry around and takes up very little space in a backpack," Cheng writes. However, he adds, the device costs more than twice the price of a netbook, and "its features and processing parts don't come close to justifying the price differential."
Availability
The Fujitsu U820 is apparently available now, priced at approximately $1,000 with a 60GB hard disk drive, or $1,300 with a 120GB hard disk drive. More information may appear on the Fujitsu website, here.
To read Cisco Cheng's PC Magazine review of the U820, see the publication's website, here.
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