BenQ launching its first MID at CES 2008

It looks like Lenovo isn't the only gang of techno-hooligans launching an MID this year at CES -- word on the street (and in official PR) is that BenQ's entry to the relatively new category will be making a showing before you know it. According to the company, the device -- which we're thinking is going to be the purple number we saw Intel demoing back at its Developer Forum in September -- will feature a 4.8-inch display, WiFi, 3.5G (such as HSUPA), and will be driven by (surprise!) Intel's Menlow platform. The device will apparently consume less power than a UMPC (as expected), and will carry a price tag that will likely bend closer to a smartphone than a laptop. Info is scarce right now, but we suspect all will be deliciously revealed this week -- stay logged in.

[Dan Z @ Jan 6th 2008 12:59AM]

Why did they have to mirror the iPhone's icons so much? Can't they think of something better on their own?

[SteveMB @ Jan 6th 2008 1:07AM]

Z0MG IPH0NE KN0CK0FF

[tcardone05 @ Jan 6th 2008 1:11AM]

Because there are so many options for making icons. And we all know the iPhone is the only one that can be allowed to use rounded squares.

[Mke @ Jan 6th 2008 1:25AM]

How can you possibly think that this UI is NOT a rip of the iPhone?

Please. Even a blind man can see that this UI is completely ripped from the iPhone. Look at the dock. Look at the icons.

As a graphic designer, it's clear that these are not just "rounded corner" icons. These are iPhone styled icons.

This is America. This is not China. Don't be so open to accepting unoriginal ideas.

[SteveMB @ Jan 6th 2008 1:54AM]

Well then I guess the iPhone's interface is a rip off of my 10 year old Palm's interface.

[michael @ Jan 6th 2008 2:14AM]

So tell me : Is it copying the iPhone, to capture the center or area around a logo, and encase it in a rounded square icon?

Just wondering.

[Game_playa @ Jan 6th 2008 1:02AM]

First- But thsi really does look cool and with a Solid price tag I'd be the firest to get it

[Derek @ Jan 6th 2008 1:30AM]

You aren't first.

[Mke @ Jan 6th 2008 1:37AM]

You'll be the firest to get it?

Are you going to be on fire or something?

[t dot strange @ Jan 6th 2008 1:08AM]

I've never really heard of these MID devices before, but Ive been looking for a smartphone sized / price device that had a lot of features without the annoying annual contract for a service I wouldn't even be using (phone), this may just fir the bill...

[iofthestorm @ Jan 6th 2008 1:31AM]

Honestly, I think the Nokia N800 / 770 / 810 would be a better buy than one of these because they run Linux and are more extensible. The N810 even has a keyboard, but it's a bit pricey. The N800 seems to be the sweet spot of price and functionality. I'm thinking about getting one, maybe you should look it up too?

[ScooterDe @ Jan 6th 2008 5:35AM]

with you there on 'MIDs'. The ever-so-hip Engadget writers should remember that if something is a 'relatively new category' they should make an effort to spell out the acronym at least once (Joshua, that means you).

[Mark @ Jan 6th 2008 2:07AM]

ps3, psp, iphone inside

[Hany Hanna @ Jan 6th 2008 2:33AM]

I guess Apple is the first entity EVER to use rounded corners.....Hail to the Apple Entity

[Aoedoogg @ Jan 6th 2008 3:17AM]

Fuck,

Fanboys piss the fuck out of me...especially the Apple ones

Its just a icon, i don't think you can have to many stupid variations to a icon, just because its a rounded square, doesn't mean its a copy of the iphone.

Get a life, get of your imac and open your curtains.

[Xam335 @ Jan 6th 2008 5:18AM]

You're using the term MID for all this kind of suffs but Wikipedia says it's just about Intel solutions. Are you alone to use this generalization or do Wikipedia sucks?

[Jeff Lewis @ Jan 6th 2008 6:09AM]

UMPC and MID are terms coined by Intel (UMPC was with Microsoft's involvement).

UMPC: Ultra Mobile PC and is a 4.5" to 7" wide-touchscreen X86 based standard PC capable of running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or later. Yes, that's in the specification for a UMPC.

MID: Mobile Internet Device and is typically 5" or smaller focussing on full internet experience and communications. If it has any storage, it'll be SSD and is not required to run a full copy of Windows. Think of them as PDAs on steroids. Also required to use X86 processors.

Even though UMPCs came first, they're now considered a category of the large Mobile Device class.

http://www.intel.com/products/mid/index.htm

As for the BenQ and the UI, lord knows I'm not a fanboy of Apple's products in general, but I actually agree with those complaining about the new 'must look like an iPhone' UI design - not because I give a whit about people copying Apple per se - but because I just hate seeing everyone pile on the same bandwagon.

I'd like to see something new and interesting that's designed FOR this device, not simply taking a design that's appropriate for an entirely different design and just glue it onto a new device solely to cash in on the iPhone hype.

Right now, UMPCs are stuck with Windows, which is ok - except it's not designed for 'fat finger' use, or it's stuck with really badly designed 'demo' apps like Origami Experience - or with apps that are trying hard to look like an iPhone.

None of these are good choices for this class of device.

[Jeff Lewis @ Jan 6th 2008 6:15AM]

Oh.. and people who are trying to argue that this ISN'T an attempt to cash in on the iPhone UI design - come ON now...

It's not JUST the rounded corners on the icons. It's the style of the artwork - some of these icons look like they were lifted directly from hacked iPhone or iPod disk images. The positioning of the text. The FONT of the text. The black background. The status bar along the top. The custering of icons into a larger area at the top and a single icon high row along the bottom separated from the ones at the top.

About the only thing that's obviously NOT a rip is the BenQ strip with the arrows on either side (which is ironic - if they'd done it right, you wouldn't need thst...)

[AdWilk @ Jan 6th 2008 8:53AM]

specs are great but that is FUGLY

[PG @ Jan 6th 2008 10:00AM]

"...and will carry a price tag that will likely bend closer to a smartphone than a laptop"

In case you havn't been keeping up, the line is no longer there. Sub $400 laptops are a common site nowdays.

[lmsam @ Jan 9th 2008 12:40PM]

"Why did they have to mirror the iPhone's icons so much?"
hmm yes because apple did patent the square icon didn't they.
uh huh. i thought so...