Samsung releases the next-generation UMPC – The Q1EX

The Samsung Q1EX is sleeker, sexier and drops Q1 Ultra’s split keyboard.

The Q1EX

 Samsung released the Q1 way back in 2006, when there were not many who used to make ultra-portables. Today, there is not a single player in the market who is not making one. So how far this $749 piece will survive the 10-inch netbook infested computer market? Time will tell, but let’s for now come back to how the Q1EX looks and feels like.

The latest addition to the UMPC family is powered by a VIA Nano ULV U2500 (1.2GHz) CPU and 3.5 hours of battery life but drops the Q1 Ultra’s split keyboard. It is less than 9" W x 5" H x 1" D in dimensions, and weighs just less than 1.5 pounds. The 7-inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution has 300 nits of brightness that should be easier to read under sunlight. The 3.5 hrs of battery life mentioned above can be extended to 6 hrs with extra-life battery.

Like any other UMPC, it provides WiFi as the default connectivity – which is 802.11 b/g, although b/g/n would’ve been much faster. Also Bluetooth 2.o is available for file sharing. The dual array microphone can help you make phone calls over the Web using your favorite VoIP account. The high memory of 2GB should make multimedia processing at par with the notebooks.

Other important features include –

·         60 GB - 1.8 HDD

·         VIA Chrome9 HC graphics

·         Warranty: 1 year standard parts and labor

·         Windows XP Tablet edition

You can buy it from the official website for almost twice the amount you would have to pay for the Aspire One. So think about it.