UMID mBook BZ two-fingers on
By Joanna Stern 
posted January 9th 2010 2:35PM
posted January 9th 2010 2:35PM
All our reservations aside, the mBook BZ is insanely cute. It's no bigger than a small Moleskin notepad, and though it's not small enough to quite fit into a pants pocket, you could very well slide it into a jacket pocket. But the frustrations start when you open up the lid. Very much like the first UMID mBook, the BZ has a 1024x600-resolution, 4.8-inch resistive touchscreen, which was quite a strain on the eyes. Oh and on our index finger, since the touchscreen device doesn't come with a stylus, and we had to use the tip of our finger nail to navigate Windows XP. We did appreciate UMID's large icon interface though, which provides easy access to applications. There's also an optical mouse pad on the right screen bezel and the buttons on the left, but all that pales in comparison to how difficult it's to use the tiny matte keyboard. Because of its cramped size, you can't really fit two hands on it, so our best option was to do the hunt-and-peck typing routine.
Packing a 1.2GHz Atom Z515 CPU and 512MB of RAM, the BZ launched programs fairly quickly, and its battery is said to get seven hours of runtime. Basically the UMID BZ is a computer you can put in a pocket, kind of like the VAIO P Series, but way more uncomfortable. The question is why would you want to do that when you can put a smartphone in there or keep a more comfortable netbook in your bag. This could be why we've never really understood MIDs.
little autonomous tinker-bell!
The picture is sorta misleading, lol. It seemed like you could crush it with your hand. Anyways, it's still way too small to use. Makes me wonder, why make something like this?
@HikaKao
Didn't harm Psion a few years ago. This looks a bit bigger than the Psion clamshell PDAs,and they were extremely usable.
It's the personal data bank era all over again?
You know what would make this better? If you folded it flat, stretched out the screen to the bottom and made it a multi-touch touchscreen!
512 Ram, Atom 1.2ghz
i cant imaging using a netbook with less than 1.8 ghz atom, 2gb ram and 9inch screen that ive been using since 2008
It's for people who wants a always carry with you PC. It's really meant to be used while mobile and without a table. You're supposed to hold it with two hands and operate it mostly with your thumbs. Too bad the keyboard isn't exactly thumb friendly though. Here's a video of a similar device: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIddxcrw--E
At least that guy seems to like it.
Woow too small ^_^ for a laptop
great may be I can buy it in the future ^_*
Please show me a pocket in the world big enough for the vaio p.
And things like this were always my dream machines, until i realized how many normal computer tasks my droid can do while also being a phone and *actually* being able to fit into a pants pocket, and having decent battery life.
Surfing the web while txting and listening to music, internet radio or from my library, thats about all i'd do on this...except no txting.
Of course theres a service plan innvolved so insead you could get a wifi equiped android pmp/mid...or an ipod touch and not be able to miltitask with any of those 125,000 apps :-P...(i have in ipod touch and love the browser and media interface, just not the no multitasking)
Basically just save some money and get anything but one of these :-)
@yulebellow
I was thinking the same thing, i can use my smartphone for almost everything i do with my PC most of the time. And it's a lot more pocketable than this thing.
If you need something for more serious work, but still very portable just get a small netbook.
@yulebellow
Yup, I'm completely with you. I used to dream of having something like this, but my Storm replaces maybe 85% of what I'd use it for. The other 15% can either wait until I hit a desktop, or will work just fine on my laptop.
The Psion had a much better design, too, and (at least from the looks of it) a much more usable keyboard.
The BZ doesn't have a stylus? Odd, the M1 had one onboard.
They could have at least enlarged the tasbar/buttons on XP, it only takes a minute to alter in display settings.
I do agree about the mouse placement. I much prefer it's placement on the similar Viliv N5.
And, just so you know, there is a very large community of people that love this type of device. I myself being one.
What they should do is put a screen that you can use a laser pointer on to navigate with! That would be AWESOME!
Awww, it's cute.
Why is this NOT a convertible?
install suse moblin and u get a super mini computer
Too small...holy squinting Batman! >_
As much as I love the size I can't get over the price tag. Drop it down to $300 and I'd consider it, but $549? Ew.
Oh fuck it's adorable.
Well, thats for squirrels to use
Might be nice if they a) stuck to the original specs they marketed and b) didn't make it look like a toy with that silver and black plastic.
i guess you fools are not nerds or geeks!
i have a Sony 4.5" umpc and i love it!
there is alot of things you cant do on your smartphone!
My sony 4.5" umpc is dual boot with Xp and Windows 7!
it can view any websites, or STREAMING stocks quotes! can your phone does that?
also it alot easier to write or respond to forums messages on a umpc then your phone!
my sony umpc also has tv out, so i can hook up to hotel TV and watch hulu ! can your phone does that? haha
i have umpc and i know what i talking about! -netboy
Why does this chick remind me of the fumble-fingered people in infomercials who demonstrate how hard it supposedly is to do a common task: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket .
Great...so you can stash a netbook in your purse, good for you. Well, men usually don't carry purses, so if we carry a netbook we ether have to lug one around in our hands, or carry a laptop bag. Which usually means it stays home. When I go on business trips, all I really need to do is use a few Windows business apps that a smartphone can't run, and give some presentations. It would be nice to know if these things can export VGA out in conventional resolutions like some netbooks can.
Sure this thing could use some polishing up on the input methods, but no one is going to write a novel on one of these. What I find frustrating, though, is how many Engadget reviewers take a look at a new form factor and completely dismiss it just because it wouldn't fit their own lifestyle or needs. Sorry, but there are an awful lot of two-fingered typists in the business world who wouldn't give a crap how "cramped" the keyboard is!
There are so many complaints about the price. Look at the iphone when it first came out. Look at the droid unlocked. Or the nokia n90.
If you are planning on buying anything unlocked, you should buy a full pc. The typing should be thumbtyping, and the touchscreen isn't that hard to use with windows. Engadget, you've done it again...