Mimo making its USB monitors slimmer, sexier?

Sometimes interesting news comes from unexpected places, and this morning that place is a UK car customization shop called Carcomputer. They've posted up info and pics for what appears to be the next generation of Nanovision's USB-driven Mimo monitor. The specs seem to be the same, with a 7-inch, 800 x 480 LED-backlit screen, but it's the new case design that's notable. Gone is the chunky, cheap looking shiny plastic, replaced by a slender matte black and silver design that not only holds the display in landscape or portrait mode but also allows it to be collapsed and thrown in a bag without scratching that panel. Right now that's all we know, but hopefully we'll be bringing more news soon -- along with pics of a set of these installed into headrests of our custom '64 Impala.

[Thanks, Payam]

[Giga @ Mar 26th 2009 9:47AM]

That...looks...amazing!

Someone call in for the pricing.

[Kevin @ Mar 26th 2009 2:49PM]

Now if only my HP 22" would fold up like that, it would make getting to LAN parties easier!

[Robert Harrold @ Mar 26th 2009 9:47AM]

reminds me of that dell laptop from a year or so ago.

[Tinu @ Mar 26th 2009 10:43AM]

Might as well put some keys on the base and call it a laptop.

[prettycool @ Mar 26th 2009 9:52AM]

It would be kind of cool if these could be hooked up to portable media players...anyone know if that can be done through some sort of dongle?

[Steel Frog @ Mar 26th 2009 10:08AM]

Considering that they require drivers, I don't think you'll be seeing a dongle any time soon.

[Observer @ Mar 26th 2009 10:09AM]

Website says its touchscreen!!

[Matt @ Mar 26th 2009 10:11AM]

Wonder if prepping for these is what made them miss deadline after deadline shipping out round two of the UM-740 that the Gadgeteers just had to cancel for all of us. Pretty disappointing...

[si_romin @ Mar 26th 2009 11:14AM]

from what I've heard these guys at http://www.carcomputer.co.uk have been shipping to a LOT of my friends over in the US who can't get them there. hey, sometimes it pays off to be British, we're gonna be getting the mimo slim first!!! :D

[Chad @ Mar 26th 2009 10:11AM]

now make it ~$50 and I'm in

[209Goodfella @ Mar 26th 2009 10:23AM]

Forget the display show the Impala ;)

[Shaik @ Mar 26th 2009 10:25AM]

This is a great idea. It would be great as a portable dual monitor for any laptop. This would be much better than the Lenovo W series with the built in extra display.

[Steve @ Mar 26th 2009 11:31AM]

i second that

[St.Angle @ Mar 26th 2009 10:29AM]

why i can't see the USB cable or interface...
and how does it work on? Battery? or just the USB power?

[Technodragon @ Mar 26th 2009 11:46AM]

That's a very good point... wonder were they're hiding the ports? (that or it's a rendering fail)

[Dez @ Mar 26th 2009 3:15PM]

I have the UM-740, and it runs on power from a single USB cable. If there was a legit way to get it to run on battery power (I'm still looking for one) then I can finish my little project on it. right now, it makes a great touchscreen media center remote, I just wanted to throw a little wireless into the mix. I usually will put it on a side table to control Windows media center, and the mic/camera are actually pretty good. Overall, a great purchase, and I'll probably drop a couple hundred on the slim model too.

[cowboy_k @ Mar 26th 2009 6:10PM]

Look at the full-size image at the linked site ( http://www.carcomputer.co.uk/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/8c2b02acb0b1811e6beeeaa6c1d1efec.jpg ) - looks like there's a mini-USB port on the left side in the middle of the hinge (connected to the base, not to the monitor).

[chefgon_ign @ Mar 26th 2009 10:30AM]

Now this is what we call a great idea.

[KilgoreTrout @ Mar 26th 2009 10:41AM]

How comes that after a full year that I see this things on the interwebs I still have never seen one in a shop where I can actually buy one?
Talk about giving the consumers what they want!

[darkmax @ Mar 26th 2009 11:05AM]

I have been wondering who in the world would be the first to start making a foldable desktop monitor. It is really about time.

[james @ Mar 26th 2009 11:09AM]

ooh, far more tempting than the originals..

[Steve @ Mar 26th 2009 11:36AM]

why is it 7inch touch screens are so expensive,... you can buy touchscreen panels @£20-25 for 7inch monitor... you can get 7inch monitors @ £70 (stupid price when 17inch monitors cost only £60) yeh touchscreen 7inch monitors cost £140+

If someone put together a 7inch touchscreen at around £70 i would jump at chance to have it. Would make brillient screen to drop things like msn main window, or photoshop toolbars onto.

[smib @ Mar 26th 2009 12:42PM]

If these were under $100 US I'd jump on one. It'd be perfect for controlling my HTPC when the TV is being used for something else.

[erik @ Mar 26th 2009 1:41PM]

Imagine hooking one of these up to your iPhone and using an external keyboard and mouse. I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Dez @ Mar 26th 2009 3:15PM]

Early adopter of the UM740 feeling a bag of hurt, right here =(

[Ryan @ Mar 26th 2009 4:26PM]

Dang, those are slick

[magicdiablo @ Mar 26th 2009 4:26PM]

Looks much more sexier then the other one. Hopefully it will be the same price, or cheaper....I would hope cheaper :)

[Humbug @ Mar 26th 2009 5:04PM]

Perfect for reference pics when doing PS on your laptop at the coffee shop. Hope it works w/ Macs.

[rabid @ Mar 26th 2009 10:50PM]

I'm sure I would only use this thing about once a month to talk to my friends overseas at 3am. Nevertheless, I would still like very much to know how much it costs, so I can start pretending to need it/ be able to afford it/ intend to buy it, telling everyone I'm going to have it soon, and forgetting about it until the next version comes out.

Thank you for your time, and thanks in advance for the price update.