[mobilesalesman]

Originally Posted by Azayzel

Hmm, guess I was under the impression they all used the 4-5" screens since I own a couple OQO's and have played around with the Sony UX models. I haven't had a hands-on with the Samsung models, but they looked to me to be the same size as the others. I guess the Japanese aren't too interested in any other of the UMPC models, as the only one you can really find is the Sony and it's sales have been super-slow. I've seen a few other small PC's, like the Toshiba mini-Tablet and the Kojinsha, but I'm not overly impressed with the amount of wasted space around the screens on either. I just can't understand why laptop/PC makers ruin a perfectly good laptop by putting in a tiny LCD when a larger one could fit som much better and still maintain the form-factor.

Man, I sure do miss Best Buys, CompUSA, and Circuit City since they carried such a wide range of electronics. Just the same 'ol tired stuff here. Guess it all boils down to cultural preferences.

The majority of the first and second generation UMPC's all have been bulky 7" devices. Only the OQO is jacket pocket size but it has a poor thumb input not a touch type and if you add the add on keyboards, etc. to make is functional it takes up more than one can carry and the price adds up to $2-3000. The Sony is not pocket size at all nor is the Toshiba nor Fujitsu either.

A well thought out small 4-5" device with touch type keyboard is needed. You are right about wasted space, thus far most of the designs have wasted a lot of space. What they should model is after the old Psion 5mx or Revo which had a touch type keyboard easy to use where absolutely zero milimeters was wasted yet it fits easily into a jacket pocket.

The industry realized that pen only input does not sell, nor does devices one can not carry in a pocket. Hopefully the next batch of devices will get it right? A simple pocket touch type keyboard laptop is what would sell and the technology is there to enable it but so far the form factors have been all wrong. A good form factor that focuses on the largest keyboard and easiest to read 4-5" screen can work very well if designed right. The keyboard should not waste a milimeter and be focused for the best touch type input. The screen can be as long as 7" yet narrow like 4" to enable pocket size, like the Psion and Jornada's were.