Jinbo's MID does Windows XP on the tiny, shuns you and your physical keyboard

The netbook/smartbook/MID crossover continues, occasionally spawning some curious genetic misfits seemingly ill-suited for the world at large. Such is the Jinbo MID, a rather chunky and plain mobile internet device that follows in the footsteps of BenQ's S6 by packing Windows XP without a keyboard. It does at least offer slightly higher specs: a 1.1GHz Atom Z510 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, and 16GB of storage. Data comes in via 802.11b/g and 3G wireless then goes out through that 5-inch screen of unknown resolution. It looks to be nearly an inch thick so it's surprising the company couldn't wedge a keyboard in there, as Viliv found room for one in their similar S5, but hopefully enough customizations and layers over XP will make everything work. And if it doesn't, well, the thing likely won't be available outside of China and, at 3950 yuan (about $580), it's debatable whether you'd want one if it were.

[NYNY Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:06AM]

Awesome! $538 for a MID w/ XP and no keyboard, thats a hell of a deal. I'm sure I can type w/e telepathically.

[RLJSlick Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:08AM]

It maybe worth it if it had Windows 7 or something on it, but Windows XP?

[chancekang Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:38AM]

if this one is a replica of benq s6, is engadget suggesting that 'think' is a replica of 'thick'? i wouldn't pay 500 bucks for an MID if it is one inch 'think', whether it has keyboard or not.

[TimStevens Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:38AM]

No suggestion, simple typo that's now fixed. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

[Infinity Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:12AM]

"...curious genetic misfits seemingly ill-suited for the world at large."

Why does engadget puke other OEM tablets and not Apple's? They both don't come with keyboard, yet one is "ill-suited for the world at large" while the other causes a virtual orgasm as Engadget will want us believe. Please be balanced in your reporting.

[LAY Posted Nov 23rd 2009 1:21PM]

Just greasing the skids for them by knocking all of he other existing devices.

They need to make sure Apple is seen as "inventing" the whole product category, even though it will just be (if it even exist) a higher priced variation of devices like this one.

[Infinity Posted Nov 23rd 2009 11:18AM]

How long does it take for you guys to realize that "Digital Pads" are the future! Physical keyboard sucks big time on small devices, you can't type your college thesis on them. If you want to write large documents on your MID, connect a USB or Bluetooth keyboard, problem solved.

MID's are information devices, not for large scale computing. Wake up people.

[Robbbb Posted Nov 23rd 2009 12:17PM]

Viliv S5 has a keyboard? I must have a defective unit.

[jaalin Posted Nov 23rd 2009 2:07PM]

fyi it says jimbo in the headline but jinbo in the post

[TimStevens Posted Nov 23rd 2009 2:07PM]

Thanks.

[itechnewsnet Posted Dec 2nd 2009 8:04AM]

this is actually Inkia's 5-inch MID


http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/14/keepin-it-real-fake-part-ccxxx-inkia-500-is-a-mutated-hamstr/

http://www.itechnews.net/2009/07/01/inkia-5-inch-and-7-inch-atom-mids/

[itechnewsnet Posted Dec 2nd 2009 8:07AM]

and Jinbo is the name of the device instead of the brand/name of manufacturer
the device is produced by Inkia

http://www.inkia.com.cn/productsx.asp?pid=94