Viliv uncovers gorgeous X70 Atom Communication MID

Maybe we're just hot for sleek, thin, ultra sexy renders of handheld computing devices, but we dare anyone to call the unit pictured above unsightly (and mean it). Shortly after showcasing its swiveling S7 at CES, Viliv has taken the wraps off of its X70 Atom Communication MID. The handheld comes stocked with a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU, a 7-inch WSVGA touchscreen, your choice of a 30GB / 60GB hard drive or an 8GB / 16GB SSD, Windows XP or Linux, a battery good for six hours of continuous movie playback, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, an SD / SDHC card slot, optional WiMAX / HSDPA modules, stereo speakers, a USB port and a built-in microphone for good measure. There's nary a mention of pricing / availability, but we're almost ready to hand over whatever it takes. Almost.

[Via iTechNews]

[Flashpoint @ Jan 18th 2009 11:21AM]

Say what you want about Apple, but I guarrantee if Apple built one of these 7 inch screen UMPC's based on the iPhone - with full flash and Java support, as well as access to wireless disk drives (like the MBA) it would overnight be the best selling UMPC on the market.

Thing is, they probably wouldn't do it because the iPhone is already the best selling phone and on top of that, its small size makes it more convienient to use. I just wish it had full flash and java.

[shugg @ Jan 18th 2009 11:37AM]

Totally agree with u bro. Apple/iPhone haters would be the first ones in line,.,.we would see a line of jiZz surrounding apple stores.

[Game_playa @ Jan 18th 2009 12:10PM]

In other news sugar is sweet and salt is sour

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 12:23PM]

@Game_playa:
Salt is...you know, salty, not sour.

[Michael @ Jan 18th 2009 12:54PM]

OMG, since when did MID's make people Jizz everywhere?

Anyway... isin't it a UMPC if it runs a full operating system.. most MID's are locked down to just internet...

@ Flash: Dude... I agree (Before you negitave rate, read on) given apple's marketing power they probably would sell...

@ Everyone who negitave rated... Grow up, its a valid point, Apple do have brilliant marketing, and designers all else aside, it looks shiney and people will buy it. I say that as a windows user, and an iphone owner (NEUTRAL!!!).

So everyone who negitave ranked that comment, better get there ass to someone elses computer, and click the positive rank, you've no call to be negitave ranking.

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 1:10PM]

@Michael

NO U

-1

[peshue @ Jan 18th 2009 2:25PM]

It'd suck pretty bad to have something like this and not be able to multitask on it.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 18th 2009 3:19PM]

Everybody makes what it can.
Apple is good ar screwing jerks and it will keep on doing that for the forseeable future.

[Skorpius @ Jan 18th 2009 4:22PM]

Apple would never put something as useful as an SDHC card slot in their hardware.

[Wwhat @ Jan 18th 2009 10:29PM]

Now the question is: is steve jobs announced salt was sour, would it then become sour?

[Quikboy @ Jan 19th 2009 1:10PM]

I feel sorry for the many consumers that Flashpoint and Michael describe: They buy based on the brand, some simple looks, and the brainwashing marketing power Apple has. Not that all Apple users are, but I bet a good many are.

[greg @ Jan 18th 2009 11:21AM]

that is a pretty sweet looking device. However, I still haven't figured out a good excuse for me to buy one. Can't really use it for taking notes. I'm not going to carry this thing with me everyday on the off chance I have a few free moments. The best thing I can think of is to use on my 12 hour flight home. But I can't use internet on my flight so it would just be a glorified movie/music player that can run some games with a keyboard or mouse...

[dark star @ Jan 18th 2009 8:46PM]

this is actually the device i've been waiting for since forever! :))
should i need to do any serious typing, i can always pair it with a mini bluetooth kb. most of the time, i just surf web and click.

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 11:21AM]

It's no Ma-
I mean, I'd wait for Windows 7.

And what's with these 7 inch MIDs/UMPCs?

Make a nice big 15-20 incher that you can curl up with in a warm armchair.
Totally different product, I know, but it would be awesome.

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 18th 2009 11:28AM]

that's called a tablet pc gg superhobo

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 11:31AM]

Yeah, basically a tablet PC.

But bigger, and with multitouch and other goodies. Mobility is not as important as comfort.

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 18th 2009 11:34AM]

that's called a slightly bigger tablet pc with windows 7 (since the OS supports multitouch out of the box)

double gg superhobo just wait until next ces plz

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 11:35AM]

Very well.

I shall wait.

[Oli D @ Jan 18th 2009 11:38AM]

the 42" MID, now with more inches!

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 11:59AM]

This would be a better idea than vertical multi touch screens.

Reduces the gorilla arm symptom by 99%.

[brandon @ Jan 18th 2009 12:24PM]

Do superhobos have warm armchairs to curl up in???

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 12:25PM]

Why not? Except it's a hobo armchair.

[Oli D @ Jan 18th 2009 12:33PM]

I fancy a multitouch coffee table, when you put your mug down it identifies how strong it is and how many sugars.

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 12:36PM]

It haz 7 sugarz and 5 strongs.

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 19th 2009 7:27AM]

lmfao

[Gavin @ Jan 18th 2009 11:22AM]

Man I want one, I've been holding off buying a MID but I think this one just got all my money. I was thinking of getting a nokia 810, does anyone know of any better opitons that are avail now.

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 18th 2009 11:26AM]

okay i read that post and now i might have jizzed a little in my pants sorry guys

[the real Brad @ Jan 18th 2009 11:33AM]

It's ugly, and you people can down-rank me all you want, but the design just totally makes me want to just leave it alone. Kill the buttons, or install a Writely back-typing keyboard or something.

(Yes, I'm feeling a bit peeved right now)

[Oli D @ Jan 18th 2009 11:39AM]

you ever hear that song by five iron?

The untimely death of brad....

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 11:43AM]

I'm not exactly thrilled either.

Engadget staff have weird tastes in design...macbooks, and now this?

/trll

[ilh @ Jan 18th 2009 12:53PM]

Me loves FIF...come back already!

[the real Brad @ Jan 18th 2009 10:09PM]

That's Engadget for you; dare everyone to rank you down, and guess what? They WILL rank you down. I ranked myself down as well; I wasn't feeling well...

[Bayard @ Jan 18th 2009 11:54AM]

GPS?
Everything should have GPS these days if it is portable, just too many cool applications for it, plus, it just makes the effort of having it with you while you are out and about worth it.

And touch screen.
Many people want to be able to create graphics as well as consume graphics.

[Bayard @ Jan 18th 2009 11:56AM]

sorry, my bad, this thing has it all, I should have clicked through and read.

Sweet unit, stylish and well balanced form factor. Tempts one to go back to a basic flip phone and this Vs. ubber loaded smart phone.

[ph @ Jan 18th 2009 11:56AM]

In a 9" or 10" form with no bevel, and bluetooth, would make a nice traveltop.

So 2008 was the year the portable DVD players morphed into netbooks, maybe 2009 is the year that pictureframes/PMPs/GPSs morph into traveltops. Just please put in SSD storage and put that screen behind something strong so that it won't break the first time it falls onto a table corner.

[locuus @ Jan 18th 2009 12:29PM]

It already has an SSD option - 8 and 16 GB.

[Oli D @ Jan 18th 2009 12:33PM]

whats a bevel? bezel?

[Gad Get @ Jan 18th 2009 5:40PM]

@ Oli D

You don't know what a bevel is?

[brandon @ Jan 18th 2009 12:21PM]

Not gonna lie, I jizzed in my pants. A lot.

[Rod @ Jan 18th 2009 12:42PM]

This is not all that different than the Samsung Q1 - Ultra im using to write this post. Cost me 550.00 on ebay. I put 2gb ram on it and 6 hour battery. Please someone explain why a product like this is revolutionary and news worthy... By the way the Q1 Ultra has been out for years...

[birthday is 1990 @ Jan 18th 2009 12:47PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/aftermarket-10-cell-battery-creates-eee-pc-901-hammerhead-editi/
Go to first comment.

[rotelle3 @ Jan 18th 2009 12:50PM]

I don't get the appeal of this, or most MIDs. For me, their only use would be on long plane flights, and there you get a bigger screen mounted on a swiveling arm, dozens of movies to choose from, a bed in first or business class. Why would I want to hassle taking my own movies to watch on this? I already have my laptop, so these devices, though they look good, don't seem to add a great deal of utility. In a car with a nav, the GPS on these MIDs doesn't add anything either. Just one more thing with proprietary charging system, charger, cables, etc...

[NLI @ Jan 18th 2009 1:01PM]

Wow. a PDA that runs normal x86 applications. I'd buy this and a bluetooth keyboard instead of a netbook.

[superhobo @ Jan 18th 2009 1:07PM]

When was the last time a PDA had a 7 inch screen?

[Félix @ Jan 18th 2009 1:32PM]

Looks very nice.
Except for the "blueray HD video playback" ?
What is this things anyway ?
I mean do you really intend to make me believe a 1,6Ghz atom can play 1080p (without the help of Nvidia/ati ^^)?

Puuuhhhlease !

[csnoke @ Jan 18th 2009 2:28PM]

Is it too much to ask to have them build a camera into these things? Just a simple 5mp camera... something out of a nokia smartphone would work fine. Am I wrong or do none of these devices have a camera?

[Jash Sayani @ Jan 18th 2009 3:08PM]

All I can say is its pretty!! Waiting to see the price....

[chris @ Jan 18th 2009 4:15PM]

i like the sdhc slot. after taking pictures with my slr i could view them on this thing although all i'm doing is going from a 3" screen on the slr to a 7" screen for mobile viewing. might be better off with a laptop and card reader... waiting on pricing details...

[Tim @ Jan 18th 2009 5:43PM]

This is primarily a gps/navigation device.
If you digg around about Viliv, they mainly make GPS units with more and more features thrown in, the Korean 7" GPS market is massive and very competitive. It will have a window mount connector on the back and AV in for a reversing camera.
you can see the recess on the frame on the side (there will be another on the other side), where you ca plug all your car connections (charger, camera, usb, DMB aerial etc) in without them protruding over the edges.
Cheesy TV spot for previous model lives right here:

http://www.myviliv.com/popup/x70cf_bae_popup.html

Why oh why don't they ever sell these outside of Korea?

[nxp3 @ Jan 18th 2009 7:28PM]

Does this thing have a slide out keyboard or something...without a physical keyboard, no thanks.