A question I keep getting asked since my coverage has ramped up of the Viliv S5 UMPC I am using has to do with a future product by Viliv. The Viliv X70 UMPC will be released later this year, according to the information I have, and while it’s often risky to talk about unreleased products, I feel I should touch on it briefly.
Viliv has done a very good job with the S5, no question. The build quality is outstanding for the price of the handheld PC, and that has already garnered them a good reputation for the UMPC. I am hearing from many folks who have purchased and received the S5. The attention to detail that Viliv has put into the S5 impresses everyone who gets one, based on this correspondence. This fast-growing reputation has gotten many to consider the upcoming X70, and I am asked a lot if I would recommend the X70 over the S5.
This question has no proper answer for several reasons. First, the X70 is not available yet, so it’s impossible to recommend it as it is still somewhat an unknown. Secondly, it is a totally different beast. The X70 will have a 7-inch screen, making it more of a slate-type of computer as opposed to the purely handheld nature of the S5 with the 4.8-inch screen. They are totally different devices as far as size goes, and that will make a difference to many for field use. Lastly, a big reason the S5 has been so well-received by consumers is due to the relatively low price for a handheld computer. The X70 almost certainly has to be priced higher than the S5 as it’s a bigger device, and until the price is fixed, it’s hard to make a call in this regard.
The X70 looks to be a thin, smaller version of the 7-inch Samsung Q1, which has been a very popular line of devices. Kevin still has one, and it must be his third or fourth one. The X70 is expected to have the same hardware components (Atom processor and SSD/ HDD) like the S5, so the form factor is the primary difference. Some folks will prefer the larger 7-inch screen and others the handheld nature of the S5. It depends on expected usage, as is usually the case with mobile gadgets.
I suspect that, ultimately, the reception of the X70 will come down largely to price. The S5 has a good price point for such a capable mobile computer, and if the x70 can come in near the same price I think it will be well-received, too. Let’s hope Viliv can bring this baby in as cheaply as possible.
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