The Samsung Q1, ASUS R2H and Founder MiniNote ultraportable tablets get their first showing at CeBIT 2006, powered by Microsoft's Touch Pack add-on to XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 - aka Origami.
Following rampant rumours online, the first ultraportable tablets running Microsoft's Touch Pack for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 have been unveiled at the CeBIT 2006 consumer electronics fair in Hannover. Perhaps best known as Origami, the Touch Pack is a software suite which enables improved touch and stylus control of the Tablet PC interface, including a concept dubbed 'DialKeys' which places thumb wheels in the lower corners of the display for text input by finger and a Windows Media Player skin similarly tuned for touch input.
Samsung Q1 hands-on impression
Revealed as the first Origami device, Samsung's Q1 is roughly similar in size to the Toshiba
libretto U100 ultraportable, albeit thinner and with a wider form factor due to its widescreen display and lack of a built-in keyboard. A 7-inch touch screen with a 800 x 480 pixel resolution enables interaction with the system, but is in need of a brightness boost - an improvement Samsung says is in the pipeline.
Powered by a 900 MHz Intel Celeron M processor the Q1 is fitted with 512 MB of RAM and a 40 GB hard drive, and also offers wireless connectivity courtesy of Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth support. An SD card slot is also present along with USB connectivity, all in an attractive and highly fingerprint-conducive package weighing in at 780 g.
ASUS R2H hands-on impression
To be available in two versions, ASUS' R2H easily competes with the Q1 on style - although the higher-end version's inclusion of a fingerprint reader and built-in GPS looks to be something of an afterthought. Similar to the Q1, it offers a 7-inch display with so-so brightness, but adds an additional ASUS-developed interface to further simplify navigation around the system. Impressively, ASUS has also managed to find room for a front-mounted 1.3 Megapixel for video conferencing.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR connectivity are also included, as is an SDIO capable SD/MMC card expansion slot and, again, USB for expansion purposes. A hard drive is also present, although ASUS declined to comment on its size as specifications for the device have yet to be finalized. According to an ASUS representative, the R2H is expected to go into production in the May time frame, although this is subject to change.
Founder MiniNote hands-on impression
Closely following the formula established by the Samsung and ASUS contributions to the initial Origami line-up, the MiniNote from Chinese maker Founder revolves around a 1 GHz Pentium M processor, a 30 GB hard drive and a 7-inch touch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. At 830g, it's slightly heavier than the Samsung Q1, but also includes an added 1.3 Megapixel camera alongside Wi-Fi connectivity and a bundled folding keyboard.
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|