Samsung says next-gen Q1 UMPC due next year

Even though UMPCs have been overshadowed by competitors like the Eee and even to a certain extent by all those upcoming MIDs, it looks like Samsung's staying committed to the concept two years after the Q1 first launched in the US. Jeongseon Euh, Samsung's "Q1 guy," recently told Tech Radar that about 100,000 Q1 and the Q1 Ultras have shipped out, mostly to education customers, and that's good enough for a 65 percent share of the (admittedly small) UMPC market. That's also good enough for Samsung to keep at it, and Euh says the third generation of the Q1 should land early next year. No word on what specs we might see, but with all the Atom-based action going on lately, we think we might have an idea of where things are headed.

[SimonRichards @ May 22nd 2008 10:02PM]

I hope they lose the split keyboard in the next one, its a pain to type with.

[Podaman @ May 22nd 2008 11:41PM]

I agree.

Either no keyboard and use Zero Weight Keyboard, or...

a keyboard with bigger and backlit keys!

My cell phone's QWERTY has bigger keys...

[Caleb @ May 23rd 2008 1:09AM]

I've wondered about those split keyboards. I've seen the pictures but never seen one on display in a store to try it out. Do you own one? If so what exactly is the drawback that causes them to be hard to use, because for me just looking at them they look like they would be easy to use. One problem that comes to mind is if you're used using a particular finger to hit a key that is contrary to standard form & on this device its on the wrong side for that... I adjust to things like that fast I tried Dvorák layout for a week. Got o.k. speed out of it but had a hard time on other peoples keyboards so switched back. However if its a placement problem that just makes it hard no matter what key you try to hit that would really be a problem. Like to close or to far from thumb tip to hit while holding in comfortable position etc. So a review as to why you don't like split keyboards would be nice.

Regards,
Caleb

[Sarig @ May 23rd 2008 6:34AM]

The keyboard is easy to use when you're holding it comfortably, you can hold it just fine with no need for tricky balancing and bending your thumbs downwards like on most thumboards that are below the screen.

I also consider it something of a "just there if you absolutely need it right now" solution, as most people will have a small bluetooth keyboard if they're expecting to type a lot. I think the Q1's are even delivered with one these days, but don't quote me on that.

So instead of complaining about the keyboard, I'd rather be glad there's one there at all, there wasn't in the first edition :)

[huh @ May 23rd 2008 8:42AM]

I had a q1 ultra, the split keyboard was a nightmare. A slide out keyboard would be much nicer. It's a nice concept for a travel computer, but in realization there are a lot of things wrong with it, such as the keyboard, short battery life, the mouse control (I like a touchscreen but sometimes it's better to have something like a real mouse), the pointless and distracting blinkinlights, and the horrible slowness of Vista.

[lee @ May 22nd 2008 10:58PM]

Samsung seems to announce way ahead of availability. I looked for the last model, ultra premium ultra ultra whatever... and never found one. So I bought a Vye, with a real keyboard, real XP, more RAM and better battery life, for similar $$.

[Joel Howe @ May 23rd 2008 3:01AM]

Yeah, battery life is key on these things. It can be as portable as your car keys but if it only has 2 hours of battery life it's useless to me.

[kccboy2004 @ May 22nd 2008 11:44PM]

Here's my 5 pence worth...

1. That time horizon is way out there.

2009.... I mean really.

For the most of us, 3 months is too far away.

2. The UMPC, again for most of us, was never really worth it on a $ per utility factor basis. There are no promises to get a slick package for a much lower price. So why would we wait. No candy.

3. By the time Jan 30th 2009 (CES done and dusted) clicks by there will be so many other "mini laptop" products out there.....

Frankly, I think that the Q1 will "foleo" on us.


Extract from Webbers on-line dictionary:
Pronunciation:
\ˈfō-lē-ˌō\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural fo·le·os
Etymology:
Multiple: Middle English, from Latin, abl. of foliee
Date:
15th century

1 a: greek for fold-up and disappear
2 a: japanese derivations which roughly translates to "train that whizzes by station without stopping"
3 a: Celtic links to the concept of an "English Summer"

[a ham sandwich @ May 22nd 2008 11:46PM]

how many cents is that exactly? :P

[Christian Walters @ May 23rd 2008 12:52AM]

I beleive that would be 2 and a half cents....isnt a pence a half penny peice in GBP? And also, great foleo crack there man....using in context...AND making fun of Palm at the same time!

[SimonRichards @ May 23rd 2008 1:17AM]

Actually it is the other way around, its about $0.10

[kccboy2004 @ May 23rd 2008 1:37AM]

Well... to be accurate 5 pence is approximately 10 cents. So yep, $0.10 is correct.

And thank you very much for the compliment. Not often one gets that from one's Engadget peers. I am honoured.

[khamel @ May 23rd 2008 1:39AM]

remember when umpcs were supposed to change the world? those were the heady early days of engadget when there were no iphone posts every hour and oil was a mere $50/barrel.

[SketchPad @ May 23rd 2008 12:23PM]

Sometimes these things never make it to the mainstream market, but they do exist. One of the weirdest devices I´ve ever come across is a Newton Technologies MP2100, it´s 11 years old, has a HUGE screen, fits in a rather huge pocket, handwriting recognition, speaks with voice! And have 2 pcmcia ports - wicked device...it was based on the now defunct Apple Newton which where also oversized - but nowhere NEAR this one.

I bet I´d have bought one if they where out in my neck of the woods back then, but as I wrote...these devices barely ever make it that far.

[joe @ May 23rd 2008 7:35AM]

aren't we on Q2 yet?

[MoJoker @ Aug 6th 2008 5:23AM]

Some Samsung reps use these UMPCs already for reports etc with a wireless keyboard which is a similar sized to the device itself. The one I saw was in a fabric/leather holder with the keyboard strapped to the holder. (Terrible description I know) Device looked alright. One of the reps was also using a Samsung F700.