Mimo's tiny USB monitors get proper US release
By Tim Stevens 
posted February 3rd 2009 9:22AM
posted February 3rd 2009 9:22AM
posted February 3rd 2009 9:22AM
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You know, these prices don't seem too bad.
I wonder if you could hook one of these up to a Canon 5d Mark II to use as an axillary monitor for shooting video.
You can't, you need a driver. Unless you write a driver for Canon 5D and load it into you camera, you can't.
I have UM-710 model (got it from Korea) and it is great. You can rotate it at will and extend your desktop to any direction. The resolution is fixed though.
Vista drivers have some bugs when returning from sleep mode (the screen on UM becomes a mess sometines). It doesn't happen often though. I use Vista Ultimate SP1.
Also remember that this device uses 2 USB cables to drag juice from your USB, so you'd better connect it to a powered USB hub.
Give me a picture frame stand and I'll be happy - and it cuts their production cost of that darn base.
oh and I'd like it for >100$
well, id like it for 100$>
@andres:"well, id like it for 100$>"
Sorry to nit pick, but it bothers me.
That's like saying "I'd like it for one hundred dollars greater than"
I think you mean "I'd like it for < $100" (I'd like it for less than one hundred dollars)
@fieldcar Sorry to nitpick, but nitpick is one word. I agree though, I'd buy one if it were less than $100.
Well at $130 you might as well just buy a 15" or 17" monitor and get a full fledged second monitor. When the original Mimo screen was going to be $80 it was definitely worth looking into especially with the touch screen one estimated to be $150 but this price is a no go for me.
For $170 you can get a 22" Acer LCD; I have trouble believing that the utility of the higher end Mimo is worth more than that.
Different purposes I guess, but sub $100 would make this worth while in my mind.
Any word on European availability?
I'm really thinking that these might be cool in a car-computer installation. USB's easier to route than VGA. you could technically have multiples of these connected to the same box. The touchscreen 740 with the webcam could be really cool for controlling AV from the rear seat / keeping an eye on the kids in the back.
Price is still a little steep, though.
I have the same idea of using it for my current carputer setup. I do agree, would be nice if the price was a little lower. I'm still thinking about it though.
Imagine the possibilities...!! OH yeah...
Minus the price, it's actually really nice.
But which model will suffice? It's a roll of the dice.
... this thing is my only vice, i think i want a bowl of rice?
does anybody want a peanut?
it's hard to justify this kind of product now a days, 20+ size LCD is in the low 100's
1) Stock tickers for the concerned investor.
2) AIM/MSN/IM/Facebook when watching a so-so movie, TV drama or to coordinate on-line gaming.
3) Copying stuff that isn't text-fied from one screen to another.
4) Media-related purposes. Working in Photoshop when Final Cut is rendering. Learning from other images or tutorials in Photoshop.
5) Status readout for overclockers and enthusiasts. I'm sure there are Windows tools that would come in handy here.
6) HTPC usage. There are a lot of expensive Zalmans/Silverstones/Thermaltakes with a 7" touchscreen built in. This would add this function to an existing / any case of your choice.
Other reasons from the previous thread about the Buffalo version: (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/buffalo-rolls-out-7-inch-usb-external-display/)
Jeremy K: Ever use Dreamweaver? It'd be great to have the toolbars in a separate screen. I have a 22" monitor, but it still isn't large enough for Dreamweaver.
Homeboy: If your a stock broker, graphic designer or music producer it is definitely a usable product.
Ellianth: You must not do much multitasking where the two tasks are related and you constantly need to get information from 1 window to another.... and the applications you use really don't function well when they aren't maximized.
Deathcap: I saw this and immediately though of a server room monitor.
Reasons not to get another 19" monitor:
1) Deskspace, ergonomics/interior design and portability. I don't live within driving distance of my dorm, I fly 16 hours from home.
2) Monitor-matching. A lot of people prefer two monitors that are exactly the same, and if you have a $600 IPS monitor its not so easy unless you're really a professional. A smaller, cute monitor might be preferable.
3) Is there even a $200 big touchscreen out there?
Obviously the true pros will have their twin 30" displays, along with their eight CPU workstations, EOS-1DS with a dozen L lenses Bloomberg terminals and whatever they need to earn a living and be best they can be. But for many computer enthusiasts, advanced home users and "prosumer" media types this will come in very handy.
I still seem to be missing the point of these secondary displays.
Only real use I can see for them is in a mod of some kind.
I'm sincerily sorry for you dude.
It scares me to think how drab must your life be when you lack any fantasy and imagination whatsoever.
I can easily conceive of dozens upon dozens of uses for dozens upon dozens of these things, I just don't wanna buy it online before seeing one in the flash (?) , but as soon as I can find one in a brick and mortar store I´ll take the first one home with me.
I agree with Hel, and that was actually my FIRST thought when I saw this post. 7-inch seems the be the standard size for the in-dash touch screen GPS that come as many options in many new cars. When will we see the first car-hack with this as the main monitor? Also does "auxiliary displays" just mean that it's not meant to be a primary monitor or is there something that the monitor doesn't support? I've never heard of something that CANNOT be a primary monitor but you never know.
Can you use this with apple TV?
Not an apple TV, but a mac mini.
I don't know- I think its kind of a great idea. Yes- big displays are cheap- but having a tiny display that is secondary means you can always have your media player open there while gaming on the larger display or while surfing or working or whatever. You can have your email always open there while watching a movie. You can have a webcam session with friends while doing work on the main display. I have a 37 inch monitor and having multiple windows open is possible for me comfortably, but still cumbersome. Having a mini touchscreen seems pretty awesome to me. I think I would go down in main monitor size and get this and use the 37 as a secondary stand alone tv.
Am I the only one kind of excited about this?
oh no, I'm excited too, and I own it =)
So far, I'll usually leave it on my desk during the day, using it as a desktop extension. It's good to keep an IM in, play a video while i'm doing something else, or slide a media player into to control my tunes =P
At night, I put the display across the room next to my bed so that I'm able to control music from my bed, and I use an on-screen keyboard to type instant messages (definately not something I would type an essay on, but it works.)
I have big plans for this thing. When i see a decent wireless usb product that would actually work, I'll add that, plus a rechargeable battery pack, and turn the whole thing wireless. It already does most of what I wanted it to, now to remove the pesky wires =D
What about installing one of these in a car pc set-up? Surely could be useful as its usb powered?
I actually want one of these. Right now I have two computers on my desk.
My laptop is my main one, and I have it's 17" screen and it's hooked up to a 24"
My older desktop is hooked up to the 24" as well. I use it to play music off of, and watch movies (larger hard drive)
Having a second monitor for the desktop would be handy, so I didn't have to switch the 24" all the time (one button but it gets annoying) I am, however, running out of desk space. a 7" monitor would work perfectly, especially if it's a touch screen.
150 or less for touch screen
90 for regular
Id like to buy a few and hook them up to a whole house usb network and use them as control panels for home automation and music distribution.
I see a fairly unobtrusive media interface sitting in my living room, giving me Star-Trek-esque access to my music and a "holy shit you're a geek" appeal to my non tecchie friends as they fumble with their iPod dock stereos and the like. During playback, it could serve as my photo display. I see the scenario playing out like this:
"What's that my dear? You'd like to get busy here on the couch? Well, let let me lean over to this slightly ugly digital picture frame, and (tap, drag, tap) now that The Massive Attack is playing, let's get to it."
Now all I need is a woman who will have sex with me and I'm set.
Separate analog audio I/O sounds so 20th century...
anybody know how the touchscreen drivers operate in OSX? how is itunes on a touchscreen? this would be perfect for my mac mini.
Now just make it wireless and im set.
Neeko,
iTunes is awesome on the touchscreen. The software for controlling the touch panel is the same as the Windows software, very easy to use and a lot of settings you can tinker with. You can choose what screen to control with the touch panel as well.
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Hope that answers your question,
Jeremy Shafton
The Gadgeteers
Am I dreaming or would teaming this with WUSB make this so cool. Or maybe they are working on a wireless version of this all ready ????
Imagine this sitting in the living room .... touch screen to control your house........showing video from security cam......display weather and stock ticker info....one device that can do what you can dream of..............
That's exactly what I'm working on right now! Just waiting for a decent WUSB solution to pull all this together, and I'm gonna make it happen!
looks like the wallpaper is this one from http://interfacelift.com/
http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper_beta/details/1232/lazy_days_ii.html
I somehow want to mod an atom processor + motherboard in that touchscreen version and run linux on it.
the perfect E-reader/MID/UMPC etc. When are these things dropping in Europe?
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The Gadgeteers
be nice to see if www.newegg.com or www.tigerdirect.com pic some of these up be great for carputer applications hopefully they will have some bigger ones like 8 and 9 in screens with some possible overlay possibilities.
I hope they can deliver in a timely manner.
I've been waiting for my 740 from the Gadgeteers since the end of November and was told it won't ship until the end of February :(
Me too, and above they just added free USPS Priority shipping... I paid for that option and I ordered mine weeks ago.
Review of the UM-740:
http://terracode.com/MIMO_UM740_Review/UM-740%20review_P1.html
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Additionally, please beware if you are ordering a UM-740 for OS X from this retailer. They do not seem to be aware of the additional software required.
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The Gadgeteers has now added Free USPS Priority Shipping (faster than UPS Ground) as an option on all new domestic orders.
Cheers,
Jeremy Shafton
The Gadgeteers
I want one because it would make a nice portable secondary screen when traveling. now if i could get mine that ordered back in december before i leave... :(
anyone know if the touch screen is capacitive or resistive?
Reading the review on Terracode (see VasR above for link) the touchscreen must be resistive as they use it with a stylus as well as finger touch.
Love the Monitor hate the stand....no really the stand, I hate it it is ugly and way to big especially if used in portrait
I wonder if these monitors will work with my FitPC (running Uhuru)? Can any of you speak to that? This'd be excellent with my FitPC in a carputer set-up, but I'm even more intrigued with several of the home automation/integration ideas above...and I've actually got a woman who'll have sex with me!
this would be great as a secondary monitor for tools and stuff. . . .hopefully it works in ubuntu.