Kohjinsha's new L and V-series UMPCs get GPS, higher screen resolutions

Kohjinsha's UMPCs might have gotten a little overshadowed by the Eee, but the company is making a renewed push with two new models. The new L series replaces the SA series, retaining the aging AMD Geode chipset but upgrading the keyboard and bumping the touchscreen resolution to 1024x600, while the V series replaces the K series, keeping the Intel A110 chipset but adding GPS and a 7mm optical drive. Both models should be shipping in the middle of the month, but there's no word on pricing -- we'll let you know if we hear any numbers at CES.

[Via jkkmobile]

[Erwos @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:49PM]

That would be a 7 _mm_ optical drive. They still need DVI and a decent dock, but GPS was a nice addition.

[Marcos @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:18PM]

What is this 7 mm optical drive?

[Hung @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:29PM]

Why do they need to underline "mm?" Unless you have undercover knowledge that the optical drive is in fact comprised of seven Hershey's M&M's. Then I see your point.

[Azayzel @ Jan 4th 2008 10:48AM]

Too bad the dev's don't read these threads; then they might get the design right and sell more units. I've seen the units and they're fairly decent. I think their main stumbling block, besides the aging proc, is the waste of screen real estate. Take a hint from Sony, OQO, and others; don't waste space with bare plastic that serves no purpose (unless it's to shore up a POS LCD screen, who knows).

FWIW I see these things quite routinely here in Tokyo, so I know what I'm talking about.

[whatishalo? @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:56PM]

Anyone remember those old Psion Organizers? Looks like they collected all those old Psions put in new guts and a nicer screen. Same form factor..funny how things come back around!

[MacroEQ @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:27PM]

The aerial makes them look cheaper than a decorator's paint splattered radio.

Please can someone make a 10" UMPC under £300. I'll even queue outside your shop at 4:00am like one of those ridiculous prepubescent iBrick (sorry, I meant iPhone) fanboys.

[SuperPrime @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:38PM]

Uhm EEE PC?

[JJ Miller @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:55PM]

Uhh superprime..
you find me a 10" eeepc under 300 and we have a deal

[cassio @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:56PM]

10"...no 10" eeepc atm

[Hung @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:13PM]

Umm 10" screen?

[Hung @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:26PM]

This is the problem with opening a tab to read later and forgetting to refresh. If I want to comment, at least two people have already had the same notion as me.

[Rk @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:36PM]

Prepubescent iBrick fanboys? Now I didn't queue overnight for my iPhone but I feel a certain obligation to ask why you find it necessary in a post begging people to help you get a product (because you're almost certainly a noob) to insult owners of other technology? *I* found it quite necessary to administer this retort due to *your* prepubescent attitude towards other people. Have some respect.

[LegendZ28 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:14PM]

@Rk

Get a sense of humor. When you get equally outraged over the Mac vs PC ads which slander PC users and the machines they use, let me know.

[Rk @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:38PM]

You should check my post history before telling me to get a sense of humour. Since when is a post like that funny? Perhaps I'm missing the gene that tells me to insult people for no reason. Who says I am not equally enraged at the Mac vs PC adverts? I love my PC and would never buy a Mac, if that's what you're getting at. Am I supposed to list all my gripes in every post? I wasn't aware.

[ComradeZ @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:39PM]

What could make one of these babies POTENTIALLY more compelling than the eee is the 1024 width screen, which makes using a browser non-painful.