Is that a computer in your pocket?

I spent a lot of time playing with the Viliv N5 UMPC supplied by Dynamism for evaluation. The N5 is not available for purchase but will be in a couple of weeks. The best way to describe the little N5 is it is a pocket computer — essentially a netbook in a little clamshell form. I have used pocket computers for years, and the Viliv N5 is as good as any I have tried.

The first thing that stands out while using the N5 is the silky feel of the case. It is not slippery at all, and the covering Viliv has put all around the case feels really good in the hand. It’s the first thing people say when I hand the N5 to them — “it feels good.” I admit I found myself stroking the case more than once, that’s how good it feels in the hand.

A nice covering is not what makes a pocket computer a good gadget, however. That determination lies in the features packed in the small form and how well they work to make the device a productive tool. That’s where the N5 really shines. It has an Atom processor which performs in the N5 as expected — nothing outstanding but good enough to get things done. The little keyboard is better than expected with good key travel and easier to use for thumb typing than I thought it would be. Viliv did make some design choices that I don’t like, likely due to the daunting task of fitting so much functionality in such a small package.

The evaluation unit has 1 GB of memory which is just enough to run Windows 7. It uses a 32 GB SSD for storage to help with performance and battery life. It’s got integrated 3G which works as expected. The performance is good enough, but nothing to write home about.

Using the Viliv N5 is a decent experience, but there are a few design choices that tempers that somewhat. The keyboard is good, but Viliv has packed so much into the QWERTY keyboard that it sometimes creates problems. The “L” and “K” keys are smaller than all the other keys, and this makes typing a little harder than it should be. The problem is there is only so much room to work with, so Viliv had to compromise on the keyboard. Virtually every key has a special Fn assigned to it, and while that makes it easier to control system functions it does get in the way occasionally. It’s impossible to use the Ctrl – + combination to zoom in the web browser, as the “+” key is a Fn key that prevents that.

The N5 takes a special route for mouse control by using a small optical pad located between the keyboard and the screen. This little pad works extremely well, far better than I expected, and it makes zooming around the screen easy. The screen is a touchscreen so it can be operated by touch, but things are so tiny on the screen that is not really practical. Viliv decided to use two standard keys on the keyboard as the two mouse buttons, and while that works most of the time it is a bit different. Most UMPCs have special mouse buttons and I find myself looking for them from time to time.

The display on the N5 looks good, but it is so small it can be difficult to work with. It is only 4.8 inches and displays at a high resolution (1024×600) so things are awfully tiny. That’s why touch is not really a viable method to use on the N5. I could easily forego the touch capability as I find the optical mouse works so well I don’t use it at all.

The design of the screen hinge creates a situation that some have complained about, and with good reason. The display bends back behind the base of the N5, and that makes the unit unstable for typing while sitting on a table. Dynamism is aware of this flaw, and I am told the production units will ship with a special rubber foot to eliminate this rocking. I don’t have one of those so I can’t comment on if that addresses the issue.

I find myself using the N5 in my hands, typing on the keyboard with my thumbs. It’s really the only way I can see the tiny things on the screen anyway, and this method works well. The N5 is a fully functional Windows computer, and I can see this serving as the main mobile system for many. The price of this evaluation unit will be $799, which is pretty expensive compared to cheaper (and larger) netbooks. It may be a worthwhile purchase for road warriors who must have the most mobile gear possible. The model without integrated 3G will be $649, which may make more sense for those always near Wi-Fi. I will shoot a video of the N5 soon as it really must be seen to appreciate how much functionality it packs in such a small case.

Apps of the week

I didn’t spend as much time playing with apps as usual due to circumstances but a on of the of apps I’ve mentioned in the past got a significant update this week. The iPad app iThoughts HD is my mind mapping tool of choice and the developers made a free update that adds some features and cleans up the interface. Don’t miss this update if you use the app.

I also installed the Kindle app for Android on the EVO 4G — I did that the second it was released. I have since been using it and really like reading e-books on the big EVO screen. The app does seamless syncing of books and reading position as do all the other Kindle apps which makes it easy for me to switch between the iPad and EVO for reading. I use the device that makes the most sense given the situation, which is where Kindle shines.

Family stuff

My step-daughter had a baby a couple of weeks ago and while Mom is doing fine baby Taylor has been in the intensive care nursery since birth. Her condition is not life-threatening (thankfully) but requires constant monitoring. Mom and Dad are understandably upset as are the rest of the family as they cannot bring the new family member home. The scary thing is that the specialists are stumped what is causing her problem, and they have been running a battery of tests with no definitive answers so far.

It’s going to be an atypical holiday weekend for our family as a result, and we hope to have some good news soon. Please keep them in your thoughts.

e-Book of the week

I am reading a great thriller this week that is highly unusual. Imagine if all of your favorite mystery writers got together to write a novel. That’s how Watchlist came about. It is started by Jeffrey Deaver and each of the 22 writers pick up with a chapter after the beginning. We’re talking real heavyweight mystery writers: David Hewson and Lee Child to name just two of them. The story moves right along, with each author bringing his own flavor to the novel. It is breathtaking to experience this collaboration, and I am anxiously turning the pages. Well, tapping the screen, to be more exact.

Wrap-up

That’s the week as it happened at the Manor. It was a busy week made even more so by the family stuff. I’ll do this again next week, same time, same channel.

• Intel® Atom™ processor Z520 (1.33 GHz)
• Windows™ 7 Starter
• 4.8” WSVGA (1024×600) Touch screen
• 32GB SSD
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM 533Mhz
• Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• HSPA/TD-SCDMA/EVDO/WiMAX Connectivity
• GPS
• 1.3M Pixel Camera
• Optical Joystick Mouse
• 1 USB Host
• Micro-SDHC, Headphone-out, Mic, Speakers
• QWERTY keyboard 63 keys total (Function 34 keys)
• 6 hours max battery life (4 hour movie playback), 15W
• Dimensions:  172(W) x 86(L) x 25(H)mm / 6.77(W) x 3.38(L) x 0.98(H) inch
• Weight:  0.85lb / 388g

Thanks to Dynamism for providing this evaluation unit.

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The Dell Lightning is the first look we’ve gotten of a real handset running Windows Phone 7, and it looks like a dandy. The Snapdragon processor, which seems to be rapidly becoming the standard against all other are judged, is running a 4.1-inch OLED screen that looks gorgeous in the leaked photos. The Lightning is a portrait slider with a QWERTY keyboard which will make quite a few folks happy. In addition to all of the hardware goodness packed in the Lightning, leaked details indicate it will get an LTE upgrade in the last quarter of this year. Oh my, the Dell Lightning is looking mighty tasty.

Several Android phones are in the works by Dell, including the Thunder which has a hardware design that looks similar to the Lightning without the slider and with Android on board. The Thunder is reported to also have a 4.1-inch display, and Dell is following HTC’s route by putting its own shell on top of Android to make it distinguishable from the competition. The “Stage” UI follows a familiar route by integrating social networking into the UI, in a very attractive package. The Thunder is also reported to be coming in an LTE version late this year.

Dell is not forgetting those looking for a cheaper, simpler phone, as the Flash proves. This handset will have a slower processor and more sedate design, but with the same Android and Stage UI as the Thunder. There will be a smaller 3.5-inch screen on the Flash, and all of the standard features one expects in a smartphone. The Flash is expected in early 2011.

We have been teased by Dell with handheld Android tablets for quite some time, but haven’t seen any hit the market yet. That teasing has been cranked up to a high level with new information about the Dell Streak, the 5-inch handheld tablet that is now reported to get the latest version of Android in September. This news is exciting as it may mean we’ll actually be able to buy one of these puppies soon. The Streak is looking mighty fine with its dual cameras hinting at video conferencing. There is also a 7-inch Looking Glass model mentioned in the Dell documents.

A big shout out to our friends at Engadget for getting all of this “secret” information about Dell’s mobile roadmap. We understand no German beer was involved, which is no small feat.

Image credit: Engadget

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Apple Wireless Keyboard. Apple is touting its wireless keyboard for use with the iPad, and reports are it works well. It is fairly small and fits in most gear bags, but it is not the smallest option on this list. $69.

Apple iPad Keyboard Dock. This is a dock and keyboard all in one, and is designed for the iPad. It is a bit bulky to carry while mobile, but some are doing that and loving it. $69.

iGo Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard. This keyboard is no longer made by iGo, but is still available in quantities online. The iGo keyboard folds up to a pocketable size, yet opens to a full-sized keyboard that works with PDAs, smartphones and PCs. The small size is due to the lack of a number key row, which some will not like. It works well with the iPad. Around $150.

Freedom Portable Keyboard. The Freedom is a Bluetooth keyboard that folds in half for transport in a small form. $80.

Palm Wireless Keyboard. Palm made a keyboard for use with the Treo, and it is still sold online. The Palm keyboard is a portable keyboard that works with Windows PCs, so it should work with the iPad. $66.

Fentek Portable Keyboard. Not much is known about this keyboard but there are both Windows and Mac key layouts available. It’s not the smallest keyboard but it folds in half for transport. $95.

These are by no means the only portable keyboards available, but the list is a good place to get started when looking for a wireless keyboard. These keyboards should work with any computer as well as the iPad, but there are no guarantees.

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What users of the Project Origami UMPCs discovered was the same shortcomings that Windows Mobile owners dealt with for years — once you get past the touch interface and have to deal with the OS underpinnings, things fall apart quickly. The user ends up getting completely frustrated, as he or she leaves the comfort zone of the touch world and enters the big, bad non-touch OS. The HP Slate looks really nice and I can’t wait to see one, but it had better nail the interface.

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Best Buy will be offering two different configurations of the S5 handheld, the X70EX slate and two configurations of the 7-inch S7 convertible netbook. I have evaluated all three of these devices and found the Viliv build quality to be quite good. If you wish to see these in action before heading to Best Buy take a look at these reviews of the devices offered:

• Comparing the Viliv S5 and X70 on video
• Mobile Tech Minutes — Using the Viliv S5 UMPC
• First Impressions of the Viliv X5 Premium UMPC
• Mobile Tech Minutes — First look at the Viliv X70 UMPC
• Further Impressions of the Viliv X70 UMPC
• Mobile Tech Minutes — Viliv MID Touch Interface
• Mobile Tech Minutes — Hands-on Video with Viliv S7 UMPC

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The first video is more promotional than anything else, but for me it does raises the following question: Will the device be this peppy in terms of performance? My concern is that it won’t, but that’s purely speculative on my part. Well, maybe not “purely” speculative — I’m basing the thought on several years of UMPC ownership as well as on the performance of today’s netbooks.

Why compare the HP Slate to a netbook of today? While there’s no official announcement on what’s powering the HP Slate, we know several things that tell us what’s likely powering it. Given that the device runs on Microsoft Windows 7, I’d guess that like new netbooks, it runs on an Intel N400-series Atom CPU with integrated Intel graphics in addition to a hardware accelerator solution — that last bit is mentioned in the second vid, as pointed out by Engadget. Could HP surprise me and use a different x86 processor? Sure it could — at the cost of battery life — something I don’t think will happen.

The second video focuses on a key differentiator to Apple’s iPad — the ability to run Adobe Flash. I’m still wondering if Microsoft is skating to the puck while Apple skates to where the puck will be on this one. I believe that Flash and HTML5 can easily co-exist in the world, but Flash won’t control nearly as much of the video and gaming web that it does today. And Flash isn’t the only big function difference here — Apple’s iPad won’t natively handle inking and handwriting recognition, although some third-party apps can help out that deficiency.

I’m excited by the HP Slate simply because it appears to be the closest product yet to the exciting and original Project Origami vision from 2006. Once the device hits the market later this year, there’s bound to be plenty of buyers who need that full desktop computer compatibility with a mobile device. I’m just not sure that I’m one of them, given my reliance upon the cloud for nearly all of my work activities — a full desktop operating system on my mobile device adds overhead that I don’t think I need for a device in this class. I’ll have to ponder that a little bit more though. Thoughts?

Image courtesy of HP

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What is the UMID?

Ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) take different forms, and the mbook bz is basically an itty-bitty netbook. The hardware components are those of many netbooks, and the clamshell form leaves no doubt it is a close cousin to larger notebooks. The full QWERTY keyboard is not big enough for touch typing, but it has the full complement of keys you will find on the bigger keyboards. The UMID has just the right compromises to make this the most mobile notebook I have used, without creating undue hardships during that use.

What’s in the Box?

The mbook bz ships in a box as small as you’d expect, but they’ve packed quite a bit in the small package. Inside is the mbook device, the battery, wired headset, Quick Guide, VGA dongle, power adapter and the Miccrosoft Windows XP Home Edition CD. A neoprene case from UMID was also in the box but I am not sure if the base package includes it. The packaging is well designed, and impart attention to detail that good things are about to unfold.

Hardware

The UMID mbook bz has I am reviewing is configured with typical first generation netbook components:

• CPU: Intel Atom Z515 (1.2 GHz)
• Memory: 512 MB (DDR2)
• Storage: 16 GB Solid State Disk (SSD)
• Display: 4.8-inch resistive touch screen (1024×600)
• Radios: Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Webcam: 1.3 MP
• Ports: USB, 3.5mm headphone, 10-pin VGA (dongle included), microSD
• Battery: Li-Ion, 7.4v, 2600 mAh
• Dimensions: 6.33 x 3.79 x 0.75 inches
• Weight: 0.8 lbs.

The unit feels very solid in the hand, with no loose parts. The display hinge is nice and tight, and stays solidly closed without a latch. Opening the screen exposes the 4.8-inch touch screen with a large bezel to accommodate various controls. On the left of the screen is a mono-speaker and the two tiny mouse buttons. On the right of the screen is the 1.3 megapixel web cam, with the optical touch pad below.

The touchpad is an interesting feature for such a small laptop, and with practice serves well. It is hyper-sensitive until adjusted to preference in the control panel, and I find I usually reach for this tiny touchpad before touching the screen to move the cursor. The mouse buttons are too small, making them very hard to hit in a hurry. They must be pushed very deliberately to make sure the click is registered.

Moving down to the keyboard finds 56 keys, with a few keys not positioned where expected due to space constraints. The keyboard is too small for touch typing with even the smallest hands, so it’s a matter of practicing the hunt and peck technique to get used to the key placement. There is a Windows key as expected, and four arrow keys.

Almost every key on the keyboard has an alternate function triggered by holding the blue Fn key. There are the standard functions for F1 – F12, Caps Lock, PgUp/Dn, Ins, Del, Home and PrtScr. UMID has also included controls for the device with Fn key triggers: Brightness Up/Down, Volume Up/Down/Mute, Standby, Battery Status, Web Cam On/Off and a browser home key. There is also a Fn key that fires up the AudioRecorder for recording quick voice notes.

Above the keyboard there is a touch control that fires up a system control panel when touched while holding the Fn key. This control panel gives touch access to change screen resolution on the fly, and even allow for saving of profiles for two different users. You may not want to share your mbook, but you can.

There are two buttons just above the keyboard: Radio On/Off and Power button. To the right of that are two LED indicators: Power and HDD activity. Below the keyboard is one big LED that indicates radio activity (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi).

Included Software

UMID is trying to create a productive device right out of the box, as indicated by the preinstalled software on the mbook.

• ThinkFree Mobile (office suite)
• LogMeIn Ignition
• ThePot (mbook touch interface)
• Bluetooth Soleil (control software)
• USBC Client Utility (mount mbook as USB drive to other computers)
• Touchside (touch screen settings)

ThinkFree Mobile provides word processor, spreadsheet and presentation programs that are compatible with Microsoft Office 2007. The programs are easy to use and work well on the mbook for document creation and editing. The inclusion of ThinkFree goes a long way to making the UMID productive from the first power on.

I am a frequent user of LogMeIn for remote access to my various computers, and the LogMeIn Ignition included on the mbook is a wonderful tool. I have used it to run my MacBook from the little mbook, and the speed is simply amazing. LogMeIn Ignition is optimized to make working with larger screened computers easy to do on the little mbook. This program on the portable UMID makes for a powerful support tool for the IT professional.

ThePot is a special interface included on the mbook to provide touch-friendly control over the system and various functions. There are buttons for playing media, changing settings and accessing the web. The interface can be minimized to an icon on the screen for doing normal work, although the icon always stays on top of other windows negating the usefulness of doing so. The interface has controls for the media player on the bottom of the screen, and user programs can be added to the launcher.

The Bluetooth Soleil is an interface for working with the Bluetooth, facilitating finding new device for pairing. It is a bloated piece of software and I never use it.

The USBC Client Utility is designed to facilitate connecting the mbook to another computer via a USB cable. Files can be copied back and forth, and folders can be synced when connected. I have not used this so can’t comment on the features.

Hands-on Impressions

When I first heard about the UMID mbook bz, my reaction was “why would anyone want a little notebook?” I still had that impression when the evaluation unit arrived, but I admit it has grown on me quite a bit.

I frequently head out the door for short trips, and while I don’t want to bring a laptop along (and the gear bag it requires), I like to have a fall-back position should some unexpected free time present itself. The smartphone is not quite enough for these moments, yet a notebook is overkill. These trips are perfect for the UMID.

The mbook nestled in its form-fitting neoprene case is not much bigger than a phone and it’s great for these outings. I can grab it on the way out the door, and rest easy knowing if I am confronted with time to kill, I can do so with a full computer in my hands. The case has a little pocket on the front just perfect for my Verizon MiFi so I can get online no matter where I am.

The little keyboard on the mbook precludes a lot of text entry; I wouldn’t even consider doing this review on it. But it’s a good way for inputting a modest amount of entry, far more than I’m comfortable doing on a phone, and in a pinch I can do anything on the UMID that I can do on a bigger laptop. That’s pretty liberating for something that fits in a jacket pocket.

I find the performance of the mbook to be as good as most netbooks I have tried, not surprising given the same components are on board. The 16 GB SSD is not very big but it is pretty fast, so things move right along. The screen is very easy to read in most lighting conditions, and the touch screen is nice to have when needed.

I often wish the screen would swivel around into a true slate configuration. I think UMID missed the boat in this one area. The device is the perfect size to use as a slate in the hand, yet it’s stuck with that clamshell form. The screen does go almost all the way back to a flat form, but it’s not the same.

Pros and Cons

Mobile devices are highly personal in nature, and no two people will usually have the same impressions of a given device. With that in mind here are my pros and cons of the UMID mbook bz:

Pros

• Highly portable
• Good performance
• Outstanding remote access via LogMeIn Ignition
• Good software selection included

Cons

• No swivel screen
• Touch screen is too small for easy finger control (stylus is fine)
• Price- the mbook is only available through importers such as Dynamism and is $549.

Thanks to the folks at Dynamism for supplying this loaner device for the evaluation.

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By way of a refresher, the Viliv S7 is a 7-inch convertible netbook, with a swiveling touch screen that goes from a laptop configuration to a slate tablet. The device is very small and easy to carry, and while the keyboard is not adequate for touch typing, it is perfect for short online sessions with a minimal amount of expected typing. What makes the S7 so versatile is the dual configurations, a perfect fit for my expected needs for this trip to Denny’s.

I had no desire to take a “real” notebook with me, that was overkill and simply too big. I could have taken a smaller pure slate UMPC for the portability, but I wanted a better input scheme should I need it. The Viliv S7 combined the best of both worlds so that’s what I grabbed on the way out the door.

When I got to Denny’s I spun the screen around into slate configuration, and fired up the book reader. I have both Kindle for the PC and eReader Pro installed, so I was covered for handling content in either format. The 7-inch screen is an awesome display for reading e-books, as it can display a full page the equivalent of a paperback book. I simply tap the screen to turn the page, it couldn’t be easier. I ate my salad, a very nice one BTW, and read a good book with the slate sitting on the table in front of me. It was a wonderful experience, with a great leisurely pace to enjoy both the meal and the book.

Once the meal was done I decided to go on the web and catch up on things that happened during the day. I swiveled the screen around into laptop configuration and fired up the Google Chrome browser. I am finding Chrome to be the best browser on netbooks with the limited hardware they have; Chrome is just as fast as can be for handling multiple tabs. The 1024×600 screen was a joy to use in the browser, and it was nice having the keyboard for inputting key commands in the browser.

I also fired up TweetDeck to catch up with my Twitter friends, and switched back and forth between it and the browser. I caught up on my email for the day (inbox zero, in fact), and generally had a fun session on the web. The S7 was a joy to use and I was so glad I brought it to Denny’s.

The point of this is not to prove how good it is to have a big stable of gadgets to choose from. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but the point is to get folks thinking about intended usage scenarios when considering what device (or what type of device) might fit the bill. I’m confident a bigger device would not have been as enjoyable, in fact I probably wouldn’t have even carried a bigger slate with me. I didn’t want to be compromised in how I could use a gadget during my meal, and this 7-inch device was perfect. Easy to carry, easy to use.

Truth be told, I could have taken a smaller slate device, or even one of my smartphones would have worked. But the S7 made everything I did much easier, and more importantly more enjoyable. The bigger screen and real keyboard was nicer to use, and made all the difference in the world. The entire session was a real joy, and that’s priceless.

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Joking aside, there’s no reason that iiView couldn’t, or shouldn’t, offer a CPU refresh in the Vpad. The newer Atoms offer a wee bit of performance boost, but more importantly, offer longer run-times on a single battery charge. That $499 price tag is for the lowest end model, which includes a 160G GB hard drive and a single GB of memory. Bumping the storage, memory and adding integrated 3G marks up the price to $699, which still isn’t bad. If the guts were more up to date, I could see the Vpad competing well with the upcoming slate from HP, although there’s still ongoing discussion about the pricing for that device.

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