UMID's M2 becomes Onkyo's BX, beats it to market

UMID may have jumped the gun a bit when it let the world know that its M2 was already in development months before the M1 had even hit retail. Other than a glimpse at IDF we haven't seen much from the thing, but Onkyo seems to have grabbed the rights to create its own, called the BX. It definitely shares the same design as the M2, but its 1.2GHz Atom Z515 processor is 400MHz down on what the M2 is expected (or at least hoped) to ship with. There's 512MB of memory on tap, a 32GB SSD, and a 4.8-inch 1024 x 600 LCD upon which Windows XP is lovingly applied. Impressive specs, but at an impressive price -- ¥64,800, or about $730. We'll keep our netbooks, thanks.

Onkyo BX

[Greasy McNugget Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:04AM]

The DSi XL?

[NAME Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:07AM]

Wow, what crap.

I thought we are suppose to be getting smaller and faster computers?

This indeed is a race to the bottom. F-in useless shit.

[Eternity Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:10AM]

Dear MID/UMPC companies,
You either have a medium sized keyboard we can comfortably type in, or a small thumbboard we can type in quickly with our thumbs. Anything between is just plain stupid, cumbersome, unnecessary and painful.

- K Thnx Bye

[cppchriscpp Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:32PM]

I have to respectfully disagree. I've liked that form factor since the Jordnada was in it years ago. I've been waiting on the M2 for a while - Sadly this will not suffice for me, however.

It doesn't have the same battery life as the M2, and halfs the ram, in addition to the slightly weaker processor that the article bashes so hard. All of this in addition to a two hundred dollar price hike make it basically worthless to me.

Granted the M2 is probably still another 6 months behind schedule like its predecessor, but oh well, I can wait.

[Eternity Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:06PM]

@cppchriscpp
How can u type on that thing?

[cppchriscpp Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:26PM]

@Eternity Tiny fingers or touch typing; depends on the person. Personally I had little problem typing almost normally on the Jornada; this being a tad smaller might make it harder, but it actually works better than you might expect.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 15th 2009 1:42AM]

@cppchriscpp I have to respectfully disagree. It's not a UMID or UMPC if you have to sit it on your lap or table to get any typing done. That these UMID form factors exist is beyond me! Give me a slide up screen and a keyboard I can thumbtype. The OQO would of been the best imo if they had fixed the flaws ie overheating underpowered and too pricey to make any inroads on the market. Now the Eking S515 is out.. we might actually have a somewhat affordable alternative.

How one might find these useful is mind boggling to me. Yet it clearly has a market if cppchriscpp is any indication.

[num0 Posted Dec 15th 2009 3:13AM]

@Eternity
not all the people in the globe share sizes of body parts with you. I was surprised to hear that 12" laptops are called "ultraportable" in the US, since B5 sized, instead of A4, were the average kinda-portable category in my country. That feelings are similar to yours, I think.

[Wolfticket Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:12AM]

Oooooo 370 grams for a proper computer.

[n2whyteguyz Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:41AM]

Just what no one needed at an impossible price.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2009 11:17AM]

This reminds me of my old Zeos Pocket PC, which is almost 20 years old. I remember IRCing on it & playing Gauntlet 2.

[nebneb0101 Posted Dec 14th 2009 12:11PM]

ill go for an OpenPandora

[redsyrup Posted Dec 14th 2009 2:33PM]

@nebneb0101 With the machine being so small this looks like a better offering for PSX RPGs. I think Ridge Racer could also be a smash on this thing.

[Minions Posted Dec 14th 2009 8:51PM]

Waiting for the 1gig ram version, with 3g. Otherwise I can not justify anywhere near that price.