WiBrain's B1 UMPC hits the FCC, every branch on the ugly tree

We're not sure what else there is to know about the WiBrain B1 UMPC -- we've seen it hands-on, unboxed, and even slightly redesigned -- but true gadget pr0n connoisseurs crave only the sweet nectar of FCC reports, and it looks like today is your special Friday. Yep, there it is, and there's not much of the way in details we didn't already have -- except now you can tear up over both the beautifully ugly lines of this thing and the massively boring RF test results.

[David Clark @ Dec 28th 2007 6:24PM]

That guy's totally not married. Proof that chicks are repelled by ugly gadgets.

[Blake @ Dec 28th 2007 6:34PM]

He does have some funky form when taking photos though. I guess I am used to Digital SLR Cameras.

[shaun @ Dec 28th 2007 6:28PM]

Looks like a Texas Instruments calculator and a PSP had a very ugly baby.

[mike @ Dec 28th 2007 6:45PM]

Ugly would be fine if it was functional. And maybe it is, I'm curious about that.
The one thing I noticed though, if I'm remembering correctly, is that the single USB port is on the side right where the thumb pad is... and right where you would hold the device in your right hand to use it hand held.
That means that any USB dongle you want/need is directly in the way of the users right hand grip if the device is being used as a hand held. That is just plain stupid design.
I could care less about ugly... but if it is poor functional design... then who cares about it?
Not me...

- Mike

[Jeff Lewis @ Dec 28th 2007 6:51PM]

You know... I'm one of the LEAST aesthetically influenced people I know... I mean - I own a brown and green Zune and it was intentional...


And even *I* think it's ugly.

PS: Yes, I know you need the mousepad to handle the edges - but has no one thought of making the touchscreen area just a wee bit LARGER than the active LCD area??? There's also hovering - but give me a button that says 'I'm touching the screen ONLY to move the mouse... not click'.

Then we can get rid of all these weird 'mouse' addons to UMPCs.

[mijj @ Dec 29th 2007 12:02PM]

"There's also hovering - but give me a button that says 'I'm touching the screen ONLY to move the mouse... not click"

- I just got a new fujitsu p1610 and butted heads with this problem. I solved it by using Autohotkey (http://www.autohotkey.com/) and disableing the "left mouse button" (which disables the click of the stylus) and mapping an available button to make the "left mouse button" instead.

i.e. (the p1610 has pageUp and pageDown buttons on the edge of the tablet) ...
Autohotkey script ...
lbutton::return
pgup::lbutton
pgdn::rbutton

[Manny @ Dec 28th 2007 7:19PM]

Have you noticed on the bottom of the Wibrain that it says "I-Station"? That seems to suggest that is going to be released in the USA in greater numbers via Digital Cube's I-Station brand. People who have used the WiBrain tell us that it's rather powerful and useable. This thing can even play Quake 2 without a sweat. Still, I rather wait to see what's in store with the Menlow platform of UMPCs or for the new upcoming Pandora gadget in April 2008.

[StreetStealth @ Dec 28th 2007 9:16PM]

Why all the hating on the little thing? If the d-pad didn't look like it came from another device and the touchpad didn't stand out so much, it could easily look as good as most Samsung stuff.

[TechkNighT @ Dec 28th 2007 9:43PM]

The phota was taken by a N95, we can see on the reflex. :-)

[kornel @ Dec 29th 2007 5:42AM]

err no, thats a canon ixus/elph camera.

[RAD Moose @ Dec 28th 2007 11:09PM]

And I hope that the scale on the rulers is CM and not INCHES... otherwise you would have one HUGE ugly UMPC =P

Then again, you could market it as a personal protection device.

[entropyman @ Dec 29th 2007 12:43AM]

actually I have really been looking forward to this one- it has some of the best specs and is one of the most inexpensive umpc's on the market (the low grade one hits @ 699 the high grade @ 849) as well it is about the size of a psp with a little extra thick on it

[Jacqueline @ Dec 29th 2007 11:01AM]

Let's see...mix an unfortunate keyboard layout, a horrendous form factor, high price tag and a full bottle of 'Screw Effort' into a pot and voila: Craptastic PMP #238 (or PVR as I like to call 'em).

[entropyman @ Jan 14th 2008 10:13AM]

just got mine- works really well so far (photoshop is fun on the little thing), though I can't get the halflife2 engine to run on it- I will do a bit more tweaking and see....