Aigo's Atom-based MID gets a price, release date

Aigo hasn't been keeping many secrets about its Atom-based MID, but it has been slightly less than forthcoming with any official word of a price or release date. The company now looks to have finally gotten its act together, however, with it announcing that the handheld, now officially dubbed the MID P8860, will be going on sale in Hong Kong on August 8th for $5,228 HKD (or about $670 -- a full $100 less than the last price we heard). That'll get you an 800MHz Atom Z500 processor, along with 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and, perhaps most notably, GPS. We even hear you can run XP on it.

[Thanks, Joe]

[grull27 @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:31PM]

Where have I seen that UI before?

[Krush @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:12PM]

windows 3.1 maybe?

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:13PM]

It looks like FreeStyl for WM phones.

http://whoneedsaniphone.com/

[diode3diode @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:25PM]

The UI is called Asianux. I saw it on an MSi Wind on one of those Computex youtube vid.
Here it is running on a Samsung: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v67n18TIXwM

[diode3diode @ Jul 24th 2008 3:05AM]

Asianux is a User Interface for Asian midi's. It is in fact what the Aigo midi is running on. Please see my post below (I'm having technical problems replying).

[barry @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:32PM]

Could they copy the icons of the iPhone any more blatantly?

[ijyt @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:43PM]

You mean the squircle shape or the whole vibe?

[SuperSexyErik (^_^) @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:22PM]

I would like to see people deny the iphone's influence in the market now..
*Yawn*
iphone will surpass this soon enough

[fred @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:55PM]

"I would like to see people deny the iphone's influence in the market now.."

Yeah, Apple has totally pushed the icon industry to new heights...

"*Yawn*
iphone will surpass this soon enough"

You've never used it, yet you say the iphone will surpass it?

Also you've just admitted that it's better than one.

[SuperSexyErik (^_^) @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:48PM]

yes.. it is better than iphone.. and about 600 dollors more. IDIOT !! haha

[Minilap @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:41PM]

WARNING: Comparing a phone to a MID makes you look like a real idiot.

[David D @ Jul 24th 2008 6:04PM]

AMEN!!!!!!!

BTW, make sure you're not an idiot before you start calling people that.

[Sarig @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:39PM]

At this point, it just seems that MID's are low-powered UMPC's running something else than windows out of the box.

You can get a proper UMPC for the same price, so, eh.

Always interesting to see where things are headed though :)

[sinjinn @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:37PM]

that was the whole point of mids. intel wanted to get away from windows because it costs money and is not a real friendly 'on the go' operating system.

[Sarig @ Jul 24th 2008 6:00AM]

I know, but paying more for less seems like a strange way to go on about it ;)

[Bassir @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:40PM]

Looks like a hideous cross between the iPhone's and Vista's GUI.

[Michael @ Aug 3rd 2008 4:07PM]

I reckon its Vista + Iphone + a little sprinkiling of HTC'ness in there too.. i'm not sure why i'm just getting some htc vibes :P

[kjb434 @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:46PM]

Throw GSM support for this device and I'll see promise.

Being able to access 3G would truly make it ultra portable.

The device should also have some type of mount for cars since it is GPS ready. This will also work well with GSM support so the maps could just be downloaded like Live Search Mobile and Google Maps Mobile.

Also, there is no copy right for the icons. I can find several GUI's for higher powered windows mobile devices that'll give you the complete iphone experience (no visual voicemail but add in MMS support). On top of that, lots of open source developer software that isn't available for iphone.

[Catdogburger @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:16PM]

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2833

I can find mutiple sources that say this device has a sim card slot, it just works for DATA only, but it does the trick.

[natels @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:22PM]

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

[kjb434 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:38PM]

So i wasn't going crazy! I thought an old article mentioned it, but since this was new information i figured it was just taken out.

If it still has it, it's not a bad device. It'll be cheaper than many of the higher end navigation systems and it can use Live Search and Google Maps which are pretty damn good for being free.

[natels @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:51PM]

Keyboard looks strikingly familiar to HTC's.

[fred @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:59PM]

Look at how the letters are placed: "ASDFGHJKL"

Total HTC rip-off.

[sinjinn @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:39PM]

lolz

[matt @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:55PM]

Oh yes, because the ipod touch can run a proper operating system. Ring me when I can have an Ubuntu one for field work. Moron.

The Ipod touch and this are completely different. I would like to see you try and do work on the Ipod.

[MattyG @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:15PM]

i second the ubuntu part, probably the mobile version however.

from what i've seen they seem to know what their doing, even if they haven't got it sorted fully yet

[fontendet24 @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:37PM]

Bad specs???
It's TWICE Powerfull than the iPhone.

Apple where are you? When you put Atom cpu inside iPhone?

Powerfull cpu = really great games.

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:12PM]

I like it but I wish it had wimax.... well not that sprint has gotten its act together...

[Foolish Lad @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:31PM]

"I'm not clak" won't fool anyone, clak.

[Foolish Lad @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:40PM]

YAY! Clak's profile got deleted!

An unfortunate side effect is that my comment ended up not being a reply.

[Minilap @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:44PM]

Clak was an idiot with a sense of humor, but you are just a boring idiot.

[linuxamp @ Jul 24th 2008 12:24AM]

Is this the same as the m528 from Gigabyte?

[Chris @ Jul 24th 2008 2:01AM]

I like it, just lower the price (a lot) and get rid of the Vista like bars at the top and I'll get interested.

[diode3diode @ Jul 24th 2008 2:56AM]

Low ranked!? Yikes!

Asianux is a User Interface for Asian midi's.

Here's a quote from their site:
"The Asianux Consortium expects to release its Asianux Mobile Midinux Edition in January 2008. This edition will build on the strengths of Red Flag’s Midinux efforts and will extend the reach to with Haansoft and with Miracle Linux. The Asianux Consortium expects that this edition will become the platform for a growing number of applications. The customer support model, which is set up by Asianux, will provide reliable customization and after sale service for clients in each country. The Asianux Consortium is cooperating with several international leading PC/consumer electronic products vendors in Asianux Mobile Midinux Edition. The Asianux Consortium covers 4 countries and 25 percent of the world’s population."

It runs on a Linux distro and since it is in the market in Asia they called it Asianux. Here's there official on site news on the matter: http://www.asianux.com/bbsRead.do?bbsId=B0000100

When I saw this running on the MSi Wind I thought, "Wow Linux can do this! It's just like the iphone but running on an ultra-portable." Alas, it is only for the Asian market. But if it's possible, I would like to have this on my future UMPC than something like what the Eee have.

[Jason @ Jul 24th 2008 1:56PM]

Who told you that this runs Asianux?

It runs Ubuntu Mobile OS with Intel's Moblin interface. See video here of the Gigabyte M528 (same friggin' thing, different name): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76NviXg_1g4

SWEET SETUP, IMO.

[diode3diode @ Jul 24th 2008 3:27PM]

@Jason

No one told me but you can see where I first saw it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hTRyDavS8A&feature=related

I've just seen your link to the Ubuntu Mobile OS and the Aigo seem more akin to the Asianux than the Ubuntu, I think. Not a lot of difference except for the black bar that accents the apple-esque keys.

If I'm wrong, it's good to know that there is another UI out there like the Asianux mobile.

[Cruncher @ Jul 25th 2008 12:52PM]

Ok $600 for 4 gigs memory, gps, etc. Um, isn't that called the Nokia n810.

Way to push the envelope! In short: boring.

[youzer @ Aug 5th 2008 10:14AM]

It looks like Android on a Nokia N810