Hualu UCG501 MID packs everything but a release date
By Donald Melanson 
posted Apr 23rd 2009 2:58AM
posted Apr 23rd 2009 2:58AM
Well, here's an interesting little number. While there's little in terms of actual specifics, this new UCG501 MID from China's Hualu does make a lot of bold promises, including a purported "high-performance integrated graphics card," built-in GPS, some mobile TV of some sort, CDMA2000 connectivity, built-in Bluetooth, a "high capacity" 4700 mAh battery, and even a built-in optical mouse (yeah, we're still trying to figure out how that last one's supposed to work too). Of course, there's no word of a price or release date just yet, nor is there any evidence that it is anything more than a prototype at the moment -- and, judging from the unit display, one that either lacks an accelerometer or has a not entirely functional one.
[Via Pocketables]
[Via Pocketables]
That baby is THICK!!!!
How can you tell?
I'm not sure but something about the fact that the battery is 4700mAh is telling me that it is a massive monster of a MID.
The READ link has many more pictures... why not take a look. It's about 1" thick.
JUST SAY NO to fake Apple wannabe products.
that's what she said...?
To Quantumphysics,
Just because it looks very much lke the iPhone or the iPod Touch doesn't mean it's fake nor trying to be an Apple product. If it wanted to be an Apple product, then they should've just told Apple to make it. This is an MID and Apple doesn't sell MIDs. This MID isn't even trying to compete with Apple because Apple doesn't have one. The iPhone is a "phone" and an iPod combined, the iPod Touch is more like a PMP, iPods are mini-PMPs and iPod shuffles are MP3 players. So, how is it an Apple wannabe product aside from its appearance?
I don't believe accelerometer is a good name for that functionality. I think it should be renamed to something more accurate, such as turnover-a-meter.
But that would mean it had to turn over a meter, right?
you think accelerometer, or measurer of acceleration, is not an accurate description of what the component does?
@mitt
i think it was a joke...
A built-in mouse isn't that hard to realize is it? Imagine this thing as an enormous mouse with built-in screen, but in stead of moving it across a surface, you'd move a surface (for instance an index finger) across the optical sensor located in the back.
I'm pretty sure built in optical mouse refers to the optical sensor on the right side of the device, same thing that they use on some samsung cellphones. That'd be my guess anyways.
@ midnight
yes, I was thinking the same thing at first (the "button" on the right being the optical sensor), but wouldn't a constant light of some sort annoy the user? Or would infrared work just as well?
Anyway, if those samsung phones already have a front sensor, someone came up with a solution to the problem some time ago, and a sensor on the front would indeed make more sense.
they have one on the omnia without a light shining at you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOg1uU1tT-c
(starts using the mouse at about 1:15)
its even called an optical mouse, not sure why the 'gadget experts' are still trying to figure this one out
I think the mouse comment was a sarcastic one so don't blame them in being unable to understand something, I'm sure they do and do it much better than most of us ;)
As for optic mouse - true, first optic mouses had lights, but not current generation. Can't tell for every mouse on the market but none of my 7 mouses use any lights.
After the Viliv S5, i don't think making UMPC/MID any more powerful makes sense. Without the keyboard, gaming won't be needed... And it will need a thicker battery, compromising the whole "portability" advantage...
Damn this things massive!
Hate to be 'that guy', but this looks A LOT like an (oversized) first gen iPod touch...
There's always "that guy"...
I'm pretty sure you've heard of the Omnia, or the BlackJack III, it's the same 'optical mouse' - an optical sensor, probably on the front, that you can run your finger across like a trackball.
iPod touch...
oh my god, it has a round button with a square logo. and somehow the first comment isn't "looks like the iphone!"
For as second there I thought the title read: "Hulu" in stead of "Hualu", come on Hulu release a MID!
Sure, this is not a phone (however, the CDMA 2000 connectivity is there.... ), but when MS figures out how they can improve windows mobile (sure thing, windows mobile 6.5 is more a facelift than an improvement), manufacturers will start shipping mobile phones with windows XP.. so why they may bother continue developing windows mobile 7??