Azentek planning ruggedized, longevous "Scout" UMPC

While the UMPC in general hasn't had the appeal manufacturers surely hoped for, they're still hanging in there, and apparently Azentek sees an opening in the less-than-attractive market. Diverting from its traditional "carputer" (i.e. in-car PC) offerings, the firm has announced a forthcoming UMPC built to military specifications to handle any dropkicks it may receive once the battery craps out after an hour or two, and will be based on its "Scout" platform. Beneath the hood, the device will be built around Intel's second generation "UMPC ultra low voltage platform," and feature up to 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 30 to 160GB standard / hybrid hard drives, and a rotatable webcam to boot. The 6.5-inch touchscreen will sport 500 cd/m2 brightness, and the battery will supposedly last "six to eight hours," which seems mighty liberal considering how pitiful most UMPCs are at sipping juice. Nevertheless, it'll also boast a biometric scanner, PC card / SD slot, and a pair of USB ports. While no concrete information was given on future availability, the outfit is aiming for a $1,500 pricetag at launch, which wouldn't be all that bad if the battery lives up to the admittedly lofty promises behind it.

[Via Carrypad]