CNET previews the Sony UX180P
CNET has published a preview of the Sony UX180P and surprisingly there is not much information that hasn’t already leaked. They claim it has a 4.5 inch screen running natively at 1024 x 600 which we have heard before but that is going to be too small to use for any length of time I’m afraid. Text is going to be extremely tiny on this screen so I will have to see it for myself to see how usable it will be. The CNET article also says the screen is 3.5 inches in one place so who knows what the final dimension will actually be. There is a stylus as I figured there must be even though some have reported there is no stylus which makes no sense for a touchscreen. All in all this device looks really sweet, although the EDGE integration is not going to be fast enough for true power users. Other than that the specs are very impressive and match what has already been reported. I should point out though that contrary to what CNET is reporting with Windows XP Professional this is NOT an Origami/ UMPC. This is going to get confusing very quickly.
Okay. So what the hell is this thing and who is it for? Looks like a new style PDA to me with a fingerprint reader. Not that that would be a bad thing. PDAs could use a little more style.
Posted by: Aaron Walker | May 15, 2006 at 11:24 PM
Great movies of the device to play here:
http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Style-a/Special/U/Movie/movie.html?param=27
Posted by: scoobie | May 16, 2006 at 02:38 AM
Sorry,
don't like the look of this at all. The new Origamis (is that what we are calling them now?) look much sweeter. Fair enough they don't have a keyboard but the screen is much more usuable and to be honest I don't think every reviewer has grasped that these machines probably won't be used for typing huge text documents. I envision the UMPCs being used for their media capabilities and wireless web browsing. This device from Sony seems neither here nor there and by that I mean the screen is two small to watch a movie or to type.
For me the UMPCs are much closer to James' original concept for a mini-tablet.
Posted by: JonGh | May 16, 2006 at 05:36 AM
On one of Sony's Japanese sites, there are a dozen or so short flash videos showing this thing in action. JK will be happy to learn that one of the videos shows them setting up the built-in stand on the back.
:)
Posted by: Scott_H | May 16, 2006 at 06:19 AM
JonGh, I watch movies on my Palm TX -- which works great, much better than an iPod video -- and it only has a 4 in screen.
Posted by: Scott_H | May 16, 2006 at 06:22 AM
Scott, I have a Dell Axim x50v and did give it a go to watch movies bbut didnt enjoy it, I prefer a larger screen. I also use a Toshiba M200 which has a great screen. To me the UMPC sits snuggly between the two but its probably assmall as I'd like to go.
I have to admit to changing my opinion slightly having seen the new Sony and OQO pics. They seem a very similar size so perhaps I was a little too hasty.
Posted by: JonGh | May 16, 2006 at 11:16 AM