Compal's been a vocal supporter of Intel's MID followup to the
tragic UMPC platform ever since It was
announced in April of last year. Hell, the Taiwanese ODM even
dedicated a team to crank out all the devices expected in the first half of 2008 but never came thanks in part, to Intel's Atom slippage. Now Compal looks ready to toss a MID to consumers (either direct or through a third-party manufacturer, it's not clear) with the unveiling of this handheld at Intel's IDF in San Francisco. The QWERTY slider packs GPS, a Linux-based OS with media player, browser, eMail and IM clients, and
Option's GlobeTrotter Connect and GTM501 HSPA data kit offering tri-band HSUPA/HSDPA and quad-band GPRS/EDGE connectivity the world-over. No pricing or availability has been announced but we hope to hear more later today.
Update: Ah ha, it's the same reference design used by Aigo's
Patriot, aka,
M528.
[Thanks, Stuart L. and LosOutlandos]
posted Aug 19th 2008 5:20AM
Does it run Windows or Mac OS X? If it runs them decently, I would sell my iPhone 3G for this!
Did you read? It says it runs linux...
Read. The. Fucking. Summery.
"The QWERTY slider packs GPS, a Linux-based OS"
it allready runs a Linux-based OS. And it's by far the best OS. Why do you want something worser?
You should be able to put XP (Nlited) on this.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/08/aigo-p8860-mid-surfaces-in-windows-xp-colors/
Engadget's Pun Department has been working overtime again.
Nice work guys.
This is the same hardware as the Gigabyte M528 or the Aigo MID...
I am new on the UMPC area. You do not have to pay a monthly service fee, and you have the internet in your pocket?
Maybe a phone too?
The device is basically a PC with a SIM-lock free wireless WAN interface. It's pretty much just like a small notebook with a Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodafone etc. data card.
You can use it as a regular computer or subscribe to a wireless data provider of your choice (which allows third party hardware) for mobile Internet use. It is not a phone but can be used to make calls using a VoIP client such as Skype or your favorite SIP client.
I see what you guys did there...
Who would buy such a thing? Neither does it have a normal OS, where you can install third party apps, nor does it have mobile phone functionality.
Get some Ubuntu MID Edition on there and I'll be all over it.
Does anyone know if it will run Windows? Yes I know it says it runs Linux but the EEEPc runs both because it has drivers. Does this have drivers for Windows? Dang.
I want my phone to have this much juice. Seriously, it is time for my umpc/gps/nfc/phone to come home to roost. I am tired of carrying things like "keys" and a "wallet." Japan should not have all the fun.
couldn't agree more. I'm looking for a device with this power/size and an actual for real phone (the HTC shift was as close as you could get, but they crippled the phone in the US...otherwise i would have bought one).
Compal, ay? looks like a fat Nokia N810 (minus the d-pad)
ifs its a compal, it usually falls apart. I seen several compal products fall apart within days of purchase.
I really wish you pull your head out of the sand.
Global == Quanband HSPA, not Triband HSPA.
NAM 3G = _BOTH_ AT&T and T-Mobile
Your continued refusal to adjust to 2008 leaves me wondering you're a shill for AT&T, or just clueless.