Intel's UrbanMax concept device demonstrated on video

We're still having a tough time labeling Intel's uniquely designed UrbanMax concept, but according to a company representative on hand at IDF, it was designed primarily to be used as a touch device. The gigantic touch panel machine (slate PC?) includes an 11-inch (1,366 x 768) display, a slide out QWERTY keyboard, a minuscule optical mousing device and Windows Vista behind the scenes. Feel free to check out the video waiting after the jump, and by the way, we dare you to tell us this isn't totally an HTC Advantage X7510 on steroids.

[jamesp @ Aug 20th 2008 7:59PM]

I think that looks and sounds so cool. god engadget I love you. how do you find all the stuff you do?????

gives me happy moments in my day :)

[mymaclife @ Aug 20th 2008 8:52PM]

Can I see the video where he drops it!

[1234321 @ Aug 20th 2008 8:03PM]

awesome, so now it's:
Cell Phone -> Smartphone/PDA -> MID/UMPC -> Netbook -> *UrbanMax* -> Laptop -> All-in-One -> Desktop -> Workstation -> Super Comp.

[Ayle @ Aug 20th 2008 8:40PM]

You forgot -> super comp cluster -> human brain at the end.

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 20th 2008 8:53PM]

-> Chuck Norris

[Smileypanda @ Aug 21st 2008 12:49AM]

Ummm....tablet?

[tristan88 @ Aug 20th 2008 8:04PM]

i love this concept. it looks so great and i would love to own one.

[untitled @ Aug 20th 2008 8:06PM]

Looks neat... I'd be concerned about screen scratches though.

[Benson @ Aug 20th 2008 8:11PM]

Can the Vista, and I'm all over it. Keep the Vista, and I'm still probably all over it.

And the fact that it's an x7510 on steroids just means... Oh. It means I can't afford it, either. Guess I'm not all over it, then.

[Pat @ Aug 20th 2008 8:24PM]

Without Vista this would be complete garbage, assuming you're suggesting you'd like XP. Vista has the potential for far more "touch" integration into the operating system. Beyond that, XP is over. Give up already. Reminds me of the lunatics that are going to pencil in Hillary or Huckabe this fall.

[1234321 @ Aug 20th 2008 8:30PM]

no dude, keeping with XP is more like the dudes that pencil in Ron Paul

[Benson @ Aug 20th 2008 9:04PM]

Nothing wrong with Ron Paul. :P

Actually, I was thinking more of Linux or BSD, though. Plan 9 would be best, of course.

[bogus83 @ Aug 20th 2008 9:24PM]

Might be a bit large for the Moblin platform, but then again that could be pretty sweet.

[rhcpsfan @ Aug 20th 2008 9:48PM]

Im not a fanboy or anything , but i do think osx would work really well in a touch based system too.it has a dock with large icons that would be easy to click with your fingers and front row with cover flow would also be cool.

[bjsguess @ Aug 20th 2008 10:15PM]

Windows has a really cool feature where you can make your icons get bigger or smaller. You can also position them anywhere you want. I think you can adjust the text size and window size also to accommodate touch. I know Apple invented everything technology related. Microsoft just steals their ideas.

/sarcasm

[EdMercer @ Aug 21st 2008 12:20AM]

Netbook fanboy mode: Gimme one under 2 pounds with a 9" screen, very little memory, slow processor, laughable battery lifetime, a cramped keyboard and other things to call minuscule besides the mouse and I'm all over it. :P

[Jason @ Aug 21st 2008 1:30AM]

Hmm...looks like the Mojave test subjects dropped in for the day. Can I tell you something, actually, Vista is XP.

No sh--, really? oh I GOTTA have it!

[Azayzel @ Aug 21st 2008 1:43AM]

Actually, it's an HTC Shift on steroids. I have one and it looks quite similar, though only has a 7" screen. The demo of the new Intel platform looks a bit slimmer, but I know how video can be deceiving. Pretty nice system, I like my Shift but the larger screen & keyboard would be pretty nice.

[ivanotter @ Aug 20th 2008 8:43PM]

Actually. I rather like it. Its no replacement for a desktop, but for a laptop, I would do it. If only for the geek factor 8;)

[thehumanyawn @ Aug 20th 2008 8:17PM]

Awesome! I want one!

[scott @ Aug 20th 2008 10:16PM]

why do i have a feeling this is going to be really really expensive

[Pat @ Aug 20th 2008 8:20PM]

Add the ability for stylus input as well and I'd by one of these in a second

[bcrider @ Aug 20th 2008 8:23PM]

Not my cup of tea at all, no thank you.

Touch is awesome for a phone but not a computer in my opinion. Mouse looks horrible, concept is lame.

Sorry. No bandwagon for me.

[Pat @ Aug 20th 2008 8:25PM]

Not that I've ever used one of these, but this is strikingly similar to what everyone was saying about the iPhone prior to its release. I'm very interested to see whether "touch" really is the future of casual computer use.

[d00b @ Aug 20th 2008 10:44PM]

The problem with touch input is that it isn't efficient. First, the finger is relatively "fat," making precise pointing difficult, and requiring more screen space for actuation (larger buttons). Second, when you're pointing (touch inputting), the finger/hand partially blocks the screen thus compromising output capacity. Third, it takes more energy to hold the hand in mid-air while touch inputting, relative to the traditional mouse/keyboard where the hand rests on a table. This is a big deal if you have to rely solely on touch input for extended periods. As a test, simply lift your arm off the table and hold it in the air for, say, 10 minutes, and see if it's not tiring. Now imagine doing that for hours. Last, touching the screen means smudges, which in turn means frequent cleaning of the display.

Touch input's strength is that it is intuitive, because it is a direct pointing method as opposed to using a mouse, which is an indirect pointing method. It is suited for low information density use, eg selecting from an iconized menu, or on a small screen where the traditional mouse/stick isn't available. It is best thought of as a supplemental input method.

As with any new thing, there is a lot of hype involved. Some may recall the hoopla that accompanied pen computing, and the numerous players (incl Microsoft) involved trying to make it viable. It never was.

[Jason @ Aug 21st 2008 8:27AM]

Agreed. A hybrid touch/pressure-sensitive digitizer in a small sketchbook-sized (A5) device for $500 is exactly what I'm waiting for, and it will replace my Macbook, whatever the OS. All I need on it is a browser and an app like Alias Sketch. The "crowd in the cloud" can extend the software from there.

[AlexNC @ Aug 20th 2008 8:24PM]

This is exactly the laptop I am looking for for my next purchase. I would buy one now if they were available. Sadly, I have a feeling Microsoft will let Apple beat them to the punch once again in getting a PC like this to the market.

[Jack @ Aug 20th 2008 8:25PM]

The spokesperson only wishes it ran XP

[_man1c_ @ Aug 20th 2008 8:28PM]

was just thinking of something similar, but not as pretty looking. what they need to add though, if possible, is a way to have the screen move all the way forward when in Vista mode. that way you could just navigate via touch, and then if you wanted to move the screen back all the way and close it like other clamshell devices.

[Jason @ Aug 21st 2008 1:21AM]

I think you just described the nastiest looking computer I could ever imagine.

[Josh @ Aug 20th 2008 8:29PM]

This totally isn't an HTC Advantage X7510 on steroids ;-)
In all seriousness, this thing is awesome and I want one!

[diode3diode @ Aug 20th 2008 8:29PM]

"We're still having a tough time labeling Intel's uniquely designed UrbanMax concept"

How about "PAiK" (Potential Apple iTablet-Killer) PC.

I kid, hehe...
...runs for the hills!!

[Tim @ Aug 20th 2008 8:32PM]

Leave it to Apple to do something like this....They'll make it thinner than a paper clip.

[ScOObyDoo @ Aug 20th 2008 8:32PM]

This will be the next Apple touch enabled machine. Lets not forget that Intel was showing off the Macbook Air in their own version over a year before Apple had it. At the time, Intel was looking for a vendor to sell the concept...

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/05/0524_metrolaptop/index_01.htm

[Some Guy On the Internet @ Aug 21st 2008 4:39AM]

Actually you are thinking the Voodoo Envy 133. http://www.voodoopc.com/
The likeness is almost uncanny. The MBA on the other hand, while i realize its ungodly thin on its knife like end, seem to be designed with the goal convincing people it is "air" thin more then anything else.

The rule of thumb, for me anyway has always been its the thickest part of the laptop that matters, not the thinest.

That said, this unit is amazing, its a convertible tablet PC, that is small, _aware when it is in tablet mode_ by switching into that handy little UI, and does not have one of those good awful hinges

Yes, Yes, and Yes. If the price point is right then I am all for right.

[Khattab @ Aug 20th 2008 8:35PM]

@Apple:

Since you're working on a tablet - have a closer look at this concept and fill it up with some Mac OS X juice - and put up a reasonable price on it (I know, that's the hardest issue for you Steve) - and you'll seell A LOT of Tablet Macs.

[Quikboy @ Aug 20th 2008 9:40PM]

Hehe. Look at these three Apple lovers, cheering Apple to make this concept a reality. OS X doesn't have the touch input features that Windows has a clear headstart on, and wouldn't this be considered "copying" to these fans who claim MS copies everything?

[Khattab @ Aug 21st 2008 7:40AM]

Actually I'm not an Apple Fanboy at all, have owned a bunch of PCs since the 80s, but never a Mac. But surprisingly I'm not the only one who things that only Apple can turn that damn thing into reality since every other PC-maker seems to have the image of not risiking anything.

[robby @ Aug 20th 2008 8:47PM]

hahah, anyone else notice him talking about it playing full HD ( 1080p ), then she asks the screen resolution (1024x768), thats 720p, not 1080p..

[The Dude @ Aug 20th 2008 9:13PM]

He said 1368x768. And by saying it could play 1080p, I guess he meant it won't stutter like the Atom that goes full-blown Tourrette's when you try to play 1080 scaled down (or full-res, for that matter.)

[JCollum @ Aug 20th 2008 9:20PM]

Yep: 1080p = 1920×1080:

Wikipedia: The term usually assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a horizontal resolution of 1920 pixels. This creates a frame resolution of 1920×1080, or 2,073,600 pixels in total

[Khattab @ Aug 20th 2008 9:26PM]

I guess he meant playing 1080p via an HDMI/DisplayPort on an external Monitor.

[Richard Lai @ Aug 20th 2008 9:37PM]

robby: I see what you're saying, but I agree with The Dude in saying that the guy purely meant the machine's ability to play the 1080p video, NOT its ability to display in 1080p.

[Bleck @ Aug 20th 2008 11:13PM]

You can play 1080p files even if you do not have the resolution to display them at its full glory. I play 1080p files on my 1620 x 1080 22" monitor.

[steven @ Aug 20th 2008 10:36PM]

This is the thing Apple will launch. Im sure. It looks great, really great, but im thinkin that Apple maybe will launch 2 versions, a smaller one, with, maybe a 6 or 7 inches display and without a keyboard...The other, one like this 11 inches and a slide out keyboard.

[Joshua Walters @ Aug 20th 2008 9:03PM]

Im not sure I would get one.

I kinda like it, but its really just an inconvenient laptop right now. I mean, the keyboard is going to be awkward, and I cant really see myself using the media functions, unless it has an amazing boot time.

I do like the touch screen, since that would be nice for ebook reading.

[JCollum @ Aug 20th 2008 9:13PM]

Battery life? 40 mins. I bet.

[The Dude @ Aug 20th 2008 9:16PM]

As for the name, please...let's step away from "max." I get flashbacks of '90s advertising where everything was "2 DA MAXXX!"

[phelipe @ Aug 20th 2008 9:55PM]

SORRY TO TELL YOU BUT THIS IS ORIGAMI EXPERIENCE 2.0 (GOOGLE IT) JUST ANOTHER HTC ATHENA COPYCAT POWERED BY VISTA...

[bcrider @ Aug 20th 2008 10:31PM]

I googled it out of curiosity.

"Take a Windows Vista PC everywhere"

Personally, I wouldn't take a Windows Vista PC "anywhere".

Thanks for the laugh!!! :)