Hanbit's Pepper Pad 3 returns with Intel's Atom inside

Whoa, has it been a hot minute since we've seen a Pepper Pad 3 or what? Straight from the depths of left field comes Hanbit's Pepper Pad 3, this time with a slightly more adept processor at the helm. Reportedly showcased ever-so-quietly at Computex (alongside a Tablet PC prototype), this critter was purportedly packing an Intel Atom CPU and a Linux-based OS. Further specifications included a 7-inch VGA touchscreen, QWERTY (loose interpreters, we see) keypad, integrated WiFi and a 20GB / 30GB hard drive. Not a clue when this thing is scheduled to slip out, but it will certainly give the Everun a run for its money in the ugly department.

[natels @ Jun 17th 2008 11:43AM]

Ugly is right.

[OneLove @ Jun 17th 2008 11:52AM]

makes me hungry for steak.

[teslasnp @ Jun 17th 2008 11:53AM]

I think its gorgeous.

[happy_penguin @ Jun 17th 2008 12:10PM]

It looks Cardassian. Ick.

[gad get @ Jun 17th 2008 12:54PM]

I wouldn't say it's downright ugly, just a little funky looking.

[silverblackvoid @ Jun 17th 2008 2:33PM]

guys just check this awesome LG umpc:
www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/01/_lg_48inch_umpc_wow.html

[rhcpsfan @ Jun 17th 2008 11:45AM]

It looks like an Apple Newton.

[weaszel @ Jun 17th 2008 1:18PM]

Eat up Martha.

[TareX @ Jun 17th 2008 11:48AM]

It's not ugly. As a matter of fact the Everun was amazing. With some getting used to, it is an amazing handheld pc. With that directional pad, I can only imagine the higher class gaming possibilities for REALLY rich kids.

wait Linux? Forget everything I said about gaming. And please no lectures about the "potential" of Linux. Just show me the big titles.

[Benson @ Jun 17th 2008 2:02PM]

Just can it already.

Gaming's not about titles; and you're not going to run most modern games on an Atom, anyway.

But there's a reason some old games are classics, and others are forgotten; many of the classics are available for Linux, and will fit in this class of hardware. Obviously that won't make rich kids happy, but there is gaming to be had.

[TareX @ Jun 17th 2008 11:49AM]

Would have loved to play C&C on that touchscreen....

[ScOObyDoo @ Jun 17th 2008 11:52AM]

Looks like it's running XP, not Linux.

[natels @ Jun 17th 2008 11:59AM]

Looks like Vista to me.. Or is that a skin for the taskbar..?

[TareX @ Jun 17th 2008 12:07PM]

....the article here says Linux-based OS.

[Jeff @ Jun 17th 2008 12:30PM]

It looks an awful lot like an Atari Lynx with a bigger screen.

[Maestro @ Jun 17th 2008 12:36PM]

The Pepper Pad? They can expect a phone call from Tony Stark's personal assistant's attorney.

[gad get @ Jun 17th 2008 12:57PM]

Oh, is her name Pepper Pad?

[Mile @ Jun 17th 2008 1:00PM]

No, but I think her apt is.

[LC @ Jun 17th 2008 1:01PM]

or her Maxi.

[Jeff @ Jun 17th 2008 1:47PM]

that thing looks silly to me.

[Steve Paine @ Jun 17th 2008 2:04PM]

Atom-based version is planned for later this year. Improvements over the old Pepper Pad: XP, Battery cover, much much longer battery life and LED-backlit screen.
Not targeted at consumers. Targeted at industry segments like restaurants. Having tested a few of these, I know they are well built.

News from Feb:
http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/02/1241/

Chippy.

[john @ Jun 17th 2008 5:17PM]

Moving to XP is NOT an improvement.

An improvement would have been moving to a standard linux dist, like Ubuntu, maybe, instead of their own personal linux dist. They should have provided their add-ons as just that: add-ons to any linux dist, not their own customized linux.

I could be convinced to buy an Atom based Pepper Pad. Put a WWAN dongle on it, an SSD, and use it as my "in backpack" personal area network server (for my smartphone and pda). Run either Ubuntu on it, or use that "OSX on non-Apple hardware" thing from the other day to see if I can get OSX to use it properly.

[Steve Paine @ Jun 17th 2008 5:21PM]

John. In this case, it was an improvement. Trust me.
Have you ever used the Pepper Pad Linux distro? ;-)

[naz @ Jun 17th 2008 3:44PM]

the buttons look unusable

[john @ Jun 17th 2008 5:21PM]

How is that a loose interpretation of a Qwerty keypad? They're not the only ones to use split-thumb keyboard designs. Nokia N70. Samsung Q1 Ultra.

Personally, I think that's MUCH more ergonomically correct than something the like the OQO (or my N810). The thumb placement is less extended, making less stress on the thumb muscles and tendons... therefore less potential for RSI's.

But, split or not, there's no question about whether or not it's "qwerty". Look at the keycaps. The layout is definitely qwerty. No two ways about it.

[Shogmaster @ Jun 17th 2008 5:47PM]

It's like Samsung Q1 Ultra, but with Wings™ for that clean, fresh protection!

[john @ Jun 17th 2008 6:34PM]

*laugh* I always thought the Pepper Pad was funny looking, but never connected its shape with that of a maxi-pad before. So true.

Still... I'd buy one over a Macbook Air. Or iPhone, for that matter.

[MikeKlein @ Jun 17th 2008 8:14PM]

Their hardware is 100%...it was the half-assed linux/java distro which killed it (mostly the java part).

The split keyboard worked incredible well and I got quite proficient. The CIR (tv remote ir) worked like a charm...very nice thing to have on a webpad for livingroom/bedroom/etc.

[Daimyo Nintendo @ Jun 19th 2008 10:19AM]

the software is new but the hardware, the think looks like if from 1993 for Pete's sake EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

[Infernoz @ Jul 27th 2008 6:28AM]

Pepper and Hanbit should give up, Hanbit demonstrated that they are idiots at case heat management (that size system needs a heatsink case or a fan), the CPU, chipset, RAM, HD (and a hot fluorescent backlit LCD!) all generate lots of heat, so my PP3 was unreliable, then failed because of their incompetent engineering, so an accursed waste on money!

MSI have a much better understand heat management of heat management, so even the more spacious case of the MSI Wind has a fan! I now have a Advent 4211 (PCWorld) a rebadged MSI Wind 10", at £280 it is much cheaper than the official MSI version and that £20 overpriced "Medion Akoya mini netbook E1210" rebadge that Sainsburys are selling.