Gigabyte M528 Atom-based MID gets $750 price and release timeframe

Just when we though Tegatech's Gigabyte M528 MID would run a scary $1131, Gigabyte has come out and said that the unit will run a somewhat more palatable $750. That includes the hardware only, so the SIM and 3G data plans will be completely up to you. But, keep in mind this unit packs an 800Mhz Menlow processor, GPS, and 8GB SSD. As for when you can grab one, it's looking like late July in Taiwan. Hit the read link if you're still with us and want to pre-order this naughty little MID.

[Thanks, KC]

[Via The Gadgetsite]

[Vidit Bhargava @ Jun 12th 2008 3:53PM]

nice

[Ace b @ Jun 12th 2008 4:16PM]

I second that.

[Minilap @ Jun 12th 2008 5:01PM]

It would be even nicer in a year or so when these devices get thiner, faster processors and more cores, more SSD, capable of showing insane 3D graphics. A device like that is every geek's wet dream.

[Abuzar @ Jun 13th 2008 1:38AM]

And a 5 min battery life...

[Jimmy @ Jun 12th 2008 3:55PM]

Very nice. Once mobile Firefox gets off the ground I may look into getting myself one of these. So many choices, so many possibilities. Anyone here have a personal favorite MID? I'd really like to know. :)

[Niki @ Jun 12th 2008 3:56PM]

wow...
that's actually a really really nice looking MID....

[rock99rock @ Jun 12th 2008 4:01PM]

At least they arent calling it a MIDbook. Still a UMPC in my eyes. OQO(2) was never reverred to as a MID, yet this is almost the exact same thing.

[FRZ @ Jun 12th 2008 4:09PM]

Me thinks this thing is too grande for my little pockets.

[Jash Sayani @ Jun 12th 2008 4:16PM]

Thats just Awesome !!!

But the $750 tag is pretty disappointing...

[OneLove @ Jun 12th 2008 4:17PM]

you want it to be free?

[Dan @ Jun 12th 2008 4:51PM]

I'm surprised they didnt reference the price tag to a current year pda.
A HTC Kaiser goes for around $650+ plus brand new or on ebay, and despite it being just oookay, for around $100 more you get a whole pc in your hand and not half a crap.

I'll deinfitely put down the $$ for this, I hope they make a Sim-card variant for online browsing.

[Reader @ Jun 12th 2008 6:43PM]

Well yes, free would be nice.

[Abuzar @ Jun 13th 2008 1:42AM]

Yeah, free would really hit the spot.

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 12th 2008 4:30PM]

I keep teasing myelf with the idea that maybe jsut maybe Google is gonna fashion Android such that it will be able to run applications such as Open office.

I imagine this with ANDROID.

The smart money really is gonna stay in the pocket until Dec,Jan/Feb.

MY personal prediction is based on this;

1. most people are on a 2 year replacement cycle for their phones.
2. the people that bought iphones in Jun 2007 are not in the market yet.
3. the people that have not bought an iphone yet (in the "current" iphone markets), are not going to, not in huge numbers, (the numbers must be slacking off). ( the new markets are the iphone's new customers).
4. Android based phones will be out in Oct / Nov, sporting Atom processors.

They are going to be supreme.

The whole moible phone / MID market is about to go wild. Anybody buying too early is gonna feel like..... what's that phrase people keep using now....

Oh yeah... They are gonna feel "shafted like an early iphone adopter".

(apologies: not my phrase, but fits)

[Craig @ Jun 12th 2008 4:38PM]

While I hate supporting unapologetic fanboyism, I agree that Android is poised to make a very big splash.

An Android-based MID would be a very nice platform, especially if it had a little dock/slot into which my Android-based cellphone could fit to give it WWAN capabilities (I don't want to have to pay for cellular access for two different devices).

[fourthletter @ Jun 12th 2008 4:39PM]

Yes but this isn't a phone its a fully [almost] functional PC.It may come with a sim slot but thats for data only.
Much like an EEEpc but with a funky sliding keyboard.
I'm looking forward to android but I'd rather run XP on this little beauty.

[Dan @ Jun 12th 2008 4:55PM]

I agree with fourthletter.

I rather have XP or more likely anyway Vista on this baby.

Android is okay, but its still another mobile os and quite honestly its not all that impressive as of now at least. Its like a new competitor in the market with no real goal on how it intends to better then the already available winmobile and osx/iphone.

I rather run a full os then a limited one.

[Tejas @ Jun 12th 2008 5:37PM]

*sigh*

I hope Android runs on devices like these, drives costs down (thanks to volumes and the *free* licenses) and becomes a standard for MIDs!

http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/08/android-lands-on-the-n810-blows-our-minds/

Just remembered having seen this post of Android on a Nokia N810 (basically and MID) and then thinking about how useful this kind of thing would be for most people! *grin*

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2008 5:47PM]

@Dan:

Actually Android's objective to better WM and iPhone, is to be quick, fluid, and highly functional compared to WM, and open compared to the relatively closed iPhone. It's everything the iPhone is, and everything it isn't.

I wouldn't even compare the Android experience to the sluggishness that is WM. Take a look at the videos from the recent I/O conference Google was holding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOSk9TW7z-4

wallpaper I made: :D
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/9205/androidwallpaperbrightvp1.jpg

But yes I agree I'd rather see XP or Vista on this device, so it actually be a UMPC and not just some "MID"... read my rant below.

[virain @ Jun 12th 2008 4:49PM]

Question:
Will I be able to run Java , .Net apps etc... on this device using Firefox 3 mobile (whatever it means)?
If this Linux Moblin can do all that XP can, sign me in! BTW it would be nice to have voice capability on this thing, not just data.

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 12th 2008 4:57PM]

@rapture.

great post on the last apple article "Everything you needed to know about the 3G..."

you are right in my opinion, Ryan should have mention these things too, they are important for someone making a purchasing decision. But I think that Ryan was trying to get across the information about pricing. All the same I found what you wrote very informative. Thanks.

@Ryan, great job in stirring up all that "hate". I am sure that you sat back after your post comment abd lapped it up.

Peraonally, I don't think that writers should post, just edit. You certainly should not have addressed anything with the word "hate".. You are caught up in some hysteria' there was no hate in the comments made by the previous poster, he was simply expressing his opinion (right or wrnng), that there are too many iPhone related articles on Engadget.

It is NOT your position to re-buff his comments. I ceertainly hope that you are dressed down for that.

I really did like your article though. Really. So your comment was not good for me.

I should not be posting off topci either. Sorry. But I want you to read this.

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 12th 2008 5:01PM]

@fourthletter.

I marked up your comment on the last article. I too could not be bothered to make any well thought out comment. Sad. But you made me lol.

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 12th 2008 5:10PM]

@Dan

I do understand what you are saying. My comment would be this;

Android is written from the ground up. I think that you will find this is designed completely for the very latest mobile requirements.

1. I believe that it will not be bloated.
2. Battery life is gonna be way better.
3. Really neat fun little applications like the tilt sensor and accelerometer are just samples of what is to come.
4. Loading web pages is gonna be a blast.
5. Third party development is aggressively encouraged.

Gosh I never thought of myself as a fanboy. But Androd fanboy I probably am. You know what though. And I have only jut thought of it... I really do want everyone else to buy iPhones and the like, so that when Android is released I can smirk. Yes ! (now that is nasty).

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 12th 2008 5:09PM]

@Dan

I do understand what you are saying. My comment would be this;

Android is written from the ground up. I think that you will find this is designed completely for the very latest mobile requirements.

1. I believe that it will not be bloated.
2. Battery life is gonna be way better.
3. Really neat fun little applications like the tilt sensor and accelerometer are just samples of what is to come.
4. Loading web pages is gonna be a blast.
5. Third party development is aggressively encouraged.

Gosh I never thought of myself as a fanboy. But Androd fanboy I probably am. You know what though. And I have only jut thought of it... I really do want everyone else to buy iPhones and the like, so that when Android is released I can smirk. Yes ! (now that is nasty).

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2008 5:40PM]

I'm really not backing this whole "Multimedia Internet Device" revolution... call me a "convergist", but the way I see it is most pocket-sized smartphones devices show desktop-quality internet. The ones with big screens (e.g. iPhone) view movies and music beautifully (i.e. multimedia)

And they all come with the additional fact that they are phones, got GPS, and different Internet connectivity options (3G, HSDPA, WiFi...)

So why again are MIDs the next big thing? They aren't nearly as portable as high-end smartphones, perform less tasks, and aren't any cheaper.

I actually preferred UMPCs and Eee-like mini Laptops, which were ultra-portable mini-laptops, with everything a laptop could do.

So again, with large-screened do-it-all smartphones available (not to mention the Android phones, HTC DREAM) what room is there for MIDs? Who prefers to carry that over a Dream, an iPhone, or an Xperia?

[sinjinn @ Jun 12th 2008 9:55PM]

i guess the main advantage with mids is that they are fully functioning pcs in a very small form factor. you still cant run a desktop operating system on smartphones, and the programs that you do get on smartphones are truncated versions of thier desktop counterparts.
the basic mid would do a much better job of playing movies music and surfing the web , but i think most people will just run xp on them so they can enjoy thier favourite applications on the go.

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2008 5:40PM]

I'm really not backing this whole "Multimedia Internet Device" revolution... call me a "convergist", but the way I see it is most pocket-sized smartphones devices show desktop-quality internet. The ones with big screens (e.g. iPhone) view movies and music beautifully (i.e. multimedia)

And they all come with the additional fact that they are phones, got GPS, and different Internet connectivity options (3G, HSDPA, WiFi...)

So why again are MIDs the next big thing? They aren't nearly as portable as high-end smartphones, perform less tasks, and aren't any cheaper.

I actually preferred UMPCs and Eee-like mini Laptops, which were ultra-portable mini-laptops, with everything a laptop could do.

So again, with large-screened do-it-all smartphones available (not to mention the Android phones, HTC DREAM) what room is there for MIDs? Who prefers to carry that over a Dream, an iPhone, or an Xperia?

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2008 5:41PM]

I'm really not backing this whole "Multimedia Internet Device" revolution... call me a "convergist", but the way I see it is most pocket-sized smartphones devices show desktop-quality internet. The ones with big screens (e.g. iPhone) view movies and music beautifully (i.e. multimedia)

And they all come with the additional fact that they are phones, got GPS, and different Internet connectivity options (3G, HSDPA, WiFi...)

So why again are MIDs the next big thing? They aren't nearly as portable as high-end smartphones, perform less tasks, and aren't any cheaper.

I actually preferred UMPCs and Eee-like mini Laptops, which were ultra-portable mini-laptops, with everything a laptop could do.

So again, with large-screened do-it-all smartphones available (not to mention the Android phones, HTC DREAM) what room is there for MIDs? Who prefers to carry that over a Dream, an iPhone, or an Xperia?

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2008 5:52PM]

sorry guys something's wrong with my firefox.... posted 3 times..

[Shogmaster @ Jun 12th 2008 6:25PM]

800MHz Atom? Why don't I just hand someone $750 to stab me in the crotch instead.

[H0rK @ Jun 12th 2008 6:31PM]

i was under the impression that MID stabnds for MOBILE internet device, not multimedia. it is given that it can play multimedia.

[Bleck @ Jun 12th 2008 7:35PM]

When something like this starts to hit sub $500 prices, then they will really start to take off, though, this is just my opinion.

[saintchuck @ Jun 12th 2008 7:47PM]

Late July in Taiwan is nice but can I expect this under my Christmas tree in the states?

[Tom @ Jun 12th 2008 9:20PM]

If only this would run MacIntosh OSX. Now, I'd buy that!!

[Chris @ Jun 13th 2008 8:03AM]

I'm definitely thinking android for this. Atom is a slow chip - but I've seen the demos running on a chip with a third the power and its still pretty quick - so this thing would prolly fly with android. I would love something of this size to keep in touch and be able to have basic pc functionality (internet, business apps) in something this size. The price is not great - but its pretty good. This thing would be perfect if I could also get a network jack and be able to run ethereal for network diagnostics.

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 13th 2008 11:31AM]

Tablet PC's FTW!! with WIN XP or ANDROID oR OSX86.... Im sorry i am not a big fan of mediocre screen sizes either it is a 4-6 inch cell phone screen or a 12-13 inch portable laptop sized screen. Either its portable in my pocket comfortably or its something I can carry around in my backpack and use as a Media Player/Internet device/GPS/ with a decent screen for movies, typing papers,chatting, web browsing and gaming.