Intel shows of MIDs / UMPCs aplenty at IDF

We already caught sight of one Mobile Internet Device that made its way to Intel's currently-happening Developer Forum, but it looks like that was just the tip of the MID iceberg, with at least five other devices also making an appearance in prototype forum. In addition to that BenQ unit, the prototypes include devices from Asus, Compal, Elektrobit, Inventec and Quanta, each of which are based on Intel's Menlow platform, and at least some of which are apparently on track for a release in the first half of 2008. Unfortunately, there's not much in the way of specs for any of them just yet, although we're sure we'll be hearing more about them soon enough. In related news, Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth was also on hand to demo a pre-alpha version of Ubuntu for MIDs, as was Adobe's Al Ramadan, who showed off the company's Adobe AIR application, which will supposedly "extend the reach of rich internet applications" and "bring compelling new experiences to the user."

[Via Phoronix, thanks Steve]

[enzo @ Sep 19th 2007 4:05PM]

From that picture, asus and compal look okay... the others, yikes!

[Kragmose @ Sep 19th 2007 4:07PM]

Someone had good fun with the Flare tool..

[Christopher @ Sep 19th 2007 4:08PM]

Maybe I'm an idiot, but I just don't see the appeal of MIDs. Seriously, what's the killer app here? Does anyone actually use these things?

[Coleman Foley @ Sep 19th 2007 6:58PM]

I use one (a Nokia N800) everyday and have been for the last couple of months. I love it. Everybody that uses a laptop in a coffee shop or on the go can use one of these. The appeal is that they offer nearly as good of an experience as a laptop, but fit in your pocket.

[Sean DL @ Sep 19th 2007 4:26PM]

If the PSP and iPhone had bastard children....

[dsa @ Sep 19th 2007 4:34PM]

Shows "of"? You illiterate cretins.

[Coleman Foley @ Sep 19th 2007 6:58PM]

i like them all, but i like the elektrobit best.

[BIg Al @ Sep 19th 2007 7:37PM]

I wonder if any of these cost less than $2000? Geee, and I wonder why they aren't selling?

[Mobile Mo @ Sep 19th 2007 11:33PM]

Don't we already have a very reasonably priced, immediately available, Mobile Internet Device (MID) called the iPod Touch?

I played with a iPod Touch two days ago at the local Apple Store - and for $299 it's certainly the equivalent of an Nokia N800 and many of the other webpads that I've played with for half the price.
Apple may not have intended this to be a MID or 'webpad' but I'm seriously considering deploying some of my web-based apps using iPod Touch devices since they're cheaper and easier than buying a PC with a touchscreen.

Unless the six devices above do something more interesting than connect to a wifi network and allow one to surf the web, IM, play music or video streams over the network. The only I can imagine they are likely to do is provide an API allow a user to load an arbitrary 3rd-party application. Of course, with the advent of the installer.app the iPhone now has this feature too (until Apple disables it with a firmware upgrade).