Gigabyte's M704 UMPC gets reviewed and unboxed
By Darren Murph 
posted Jun 2nd 2008 12:42PM
posted Jun 2nd 2008 12:42PM
[Via SlashGear]
posted Jun 2nd 2008 12:42PM
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
looks pretty chunky
Apple can make these so much better, other companies should just give up now....
And yet, Apple isn't making "these" at all!
There better be a good reason why the space in the center is getting wasted on stickers that could be placed soemwhare else, like the back.
Yes, and that good reason is so that the keypads for your hands are seperated, so you can type easier. Don't forget how small this thing really is.
second bobs, i'd NEVER buy this thing
It took me a minute to realize what it was. I thought it was an ugly phone, then i saw it was just an ugly pc.
here's a link to a babelfish translation but it is still kind of hard to read due to grammar.... http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobile01.com%2Fnewsdetail.php%3Fid%3D5596&lp=zh_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
Wow.
That looks like a poorly thought out, poorly designed format for a UMPC.
Clap clap for the handicap.
When is the wind blowing again?
If anyone could understand chinese how good is the keyboard?? Am betting its better than Q1U's wimpy, tiny , dot, keyboard
here's a link to a babelfish translation but it is still kind of hard to read due to grammar.... http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobile01.com%2Fnewsdetail.php%3Fid%3D5596&lp=zh_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
How is it possible to type on that keyboard?
with the thumbs
bad keyboard design
I only gave it a cursory glance at first, and thought it was a good design... until I noticed the keyboard was broken apart. I'd be livid, I can't type on those crappy 'ergonomic' designs. Standard keyboard for me. (well... G15, but I don't even use the fancy features past adjusting the sound.)
It's a thumbboard. It'd be more convinient to stretch it into the middle, right, so you could properly excercice your thumbs?
This looks extremely painful.
Possibly even lethal.
The perfect murder weapon! No one would ever see it coming
I love this form factor. It's like a OQO m2 + touchscreen.
As regards to "chuckiness", it's actually thin for a umpc.
its about time they use this form factor! the eee kb is very hard to type on.
but i gotta admit this design from gigabyte kinda looks like the oqo 01. the oqo 02 is hotter!
I have an OQO 02 and it effing sucks. Don't be fooled.
how much you want for it pochi?
@ Pochi,
What is wrong with the OQO 2? From I have seen of it online, its seems like a nice fit and the features sounds pretty good. The only reason I don't have one is the price.
yeah, the oqo 02 is too expensive for me also.
if for $500, i would take it without hesitating!
@FRZ
Here's what's wrong with it...
I ordered mine in October. The one I have right now is still broken. I have sent it back five times down.
1) Power didn't work. Sent it back.
2) They returned it to me. Power didn't work. Sent it back.
3) Got it back. Battery didn't work. Sent it back.
4) Got it back. Hard drive was clicking and freezing. Sent back again.
5) Got it back. Won't power on.
This is the fifth time I have sent it back. This time I had to send each piece back in a SEPARATE RMA. What!? It's now been, what, nearly 8 months? And I still have nothing to show for my $2,000 investment since each repair takes an ETERNITY. On top of that, when I did use it, the buttons were extremely hard to press (lots of resistance) and the thing was pretty heavy and got very hot. And no Windows button (wtf). It's a hot lookin' little device, everyone wants to know what it is and where I got it. But seriously, not worth it. Not. Worth. It.
so...whatever happened to way back when when umpcs didn't have physical keys? were the touch screen keyboards really that bad that almost all umpcs now have a physical keyboard?
Yes, on-screen keyboards are for suck.
I am better off without something like this...
or rather get an eeeeeeee pc
Wow that thing is fugly..good thing they left space on there for the Intel and Windows stickers...
err.. Via and Windows stickers
Want one now?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gigabyte-UMPC-notebook-M704-Latest-Model-English-Vista_W0QQitemZ370031774256QQihZ024QQcategoryZ177QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247
Ouchie. 1k$. I'd rather get a Raon Everun with the voice HSDPA card for about 900$. I also like that Gigabyte tablet that just came out.
Basically everything that I need in a small package, I dont understand what issues you have with the keyboard, it seems that it would be quite easy to type on for me.
Try reading PDFs in everun. I mean I've used the wibrain and 4.8inch screen is not for me! This is it. If you dont like the keyboard, slide it in
too ugly to remember sorry
Consumers just don't seem to get it. The big massive operating systems such as XP or vista are not what these little guys are all about. We don't really need a big powerhouse inside a handheld device. To me, this is a step backward. Nokia got it right with their n800/n810 tablets. Even Microsoft realizes there's more potential in Windows CE/mobile than in their desktop systems... they're just waiting for the public to catch-up and realize it. When we do, most tiny handhelds will contain hardware based/instant-on fast streamlined OS such as pocket PDA's have offered for years. My little handheld will turn-on, connect to wifi, send and receive email before one of these UMPCs even has a chance to boot up. And my sluggish laptop?? That baby is only used for my big everyday powerhouse usage... it doesn't even make the trip to the airport or to Starbucks. Why? It just can't keep up with a little Nokia tucked away in my pocket! David has crippled Goliath, but we just don't realize it yet.
umpc's are usually left in hibernate mode. i will boot my umpc maybe once a week , so that isnt an issue.
windows mobile is rubbish. thier are new os's coming for mids, ubuntu mobile, midinux , etc , but they are desighned for the intel atom and this is a via machine.
i agree vista is bad chioce for a umpc , but xp is almost perfect. all you would need is to have the cpu slightly faster with fast return from hibernation and xp would be a winner. it is widely used , has many programs written for it and is compatible with almost everything. too bad microsoft wants to kill it and put vista on everything.
It looks deformed.
The manual is available for download: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Notebook/Manual_List.aspx