Coming to terms with Raon's Everun tiny, Lolita-based PC

Ah, the ultra mobile PC (UMPC). This is the one device in the computing kingdom that I want to work well more than any other. The latest turn in my ongoing hunt for a super lightweight, compact computer led me to Raon's Everun UMPC. Here we find a product with a novel, albeit predictable take on the UMPC concept that has been …

[Michael Sheils]

What was the point?

Doing a half finished product review that you didn't even see fit to include a rating with in order to plug repeatedly a online store?

How much did they pay you for that?

[Sampler]

Bluetooth keyboard

For those long typing sessions?

[Ben]

Lolita?

Strange use of "Lolita" in this article. Lolita's size was not the issue, it was her *age*. Given her age, one might expect she had small hands, as all children do, by why pick on Lolita? Perhaps the author has got Lolita confused with Lilliput(ian)? Maybe Tom Thumb would have been better?

The confusion also raises a question: where has the author got *his* idea of Lolita from? :)

Anyway, the keyboard does look fiddly. There are lots of alternative text entry systems not using a keyboard, besides handwriting/screen keyboards. I would like to see mobile PC manufacturers using them more. They are cheap to implement in software, and may well do away with the need for a keyboard, making the device cheaper, so why not?

[Ryan Stewart]

I dont get these things.

It seems everyone wants them to be laptops while, at the same time not being a laptop.

UMPCs are cool if they fit your purpose. If you need something that has a readable screen and you can type quickly on you need a laptop. There is no way of getting around having a 10" plus keyboard without having a 10" plus device.

These things, however, would be great for POS or warehouse applications where most of the data is already put in and you are manipulating it rarely. Scan, use the stylis or a finger to do a a few functions and hit enter.

However, there are cheaper devices that do those functions now. Heck, I love my little palm device. It Syncs with my laptop wirelessly so I can put data on it like emails, planning, and movies. I can even respond to an email in a pinch and have it send when I can get connectivity. However, when I need to compose a document I cant beat the 11.6" wide keyboard on my laptop (well, I can, with my full size bluetooth keyboard).

Id much rather have them spend their time and money making my laptop 1/4" thin and 1lbs while getting 3000 hours of battery life. Not trying to make it 4x5"

[Anonymous Coward]

"Carpal Tunnel-friendly"?

What exactly does "Carpal Tunnel-friendly" mean? It's friendly to my carpal tunnel, or it's likely to produce carpal tunnel syndrome? Totally ambiguous.

[Colin Sharples]

@Michael Sheils

And what exactly was your point?

Which online store was "repeatedly" plugged, in your opinion? There was one mention of iTunes, and one mention of MLB.com. Have you discovered some new meaning of the word "repeatedly" which means "exactly once"?

How much did the competitors of whoever-it-was-you-think-AV-was-plugging pay you to write your comment?

[Kevin Thomas]

@Colin Sharples

Do you work for Dynamism.com? Did you read the article at all?

Sheesh.

[Alan]

I agree with Ryan

Why oh why do these people spend millions of £/$ of research money making things smaller and ultimately less useable?

Like Ryan above I'd much rather have a decent size of screen, very little weight(500g or less) and thin. Something I won't notice so much when I'm travelling.

[Giles Jones]

Take a break

I don't see why people want to have a computer with them everywhere, take a break, learn the art of conversation.

UMPC aren't usable simply because the OS was never designed for use on such a small device. Application windows all over the place etc... it's only something you'll put yourself through if you need a Windows application on the move.

[Richard Neill]

Horizontal Flip

Why does nobody make a gadget which does the blindingly obvious, namely a flip-phone format, where the hinge is on the side (opening like a laptop)? Then you could have a small device, with big screen and big keyboard!

[Anonymous Coward]

@Richard Neill re: flip format

Nokia have been producing the "communicator" in various guises for years, but at the end of the day, fitting a qwerty keyboard into a tiny space makes no sense since you can't possibly touch type at that size.

[Steven Hewittt]

@ Richard Neil

Try the Nokia Communicator range (although I think they've just rebadged it under the E series).

Fraid everything these "UMPC"'s can do can be done using Windows Mobile 5.0/6.0 anyway. Exchange based email, install 3rd party apps (or write your own), bluetooth, wi-fi, lightweight, small, full QWERTY keyboard - called HTC S710 (or VOX). No touchscreen though, if you need that try the Toshiba G900.

UMPC's are already dead. Between WM handsets and laptops i'm still amazed you can buy a tablet PC, let along UMPC's.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Ben

Ben, maybe the original article said lolis and the editor changed it. :p (For the uninitiated, loli has become an internet slang for a child, as a sort of ironic reference to lolita/lolicon, where it started...)

[Pete James]

You've blown your cover!

Hmmmmmm, "Lolita", "one-handed typing".....

Methinks the reviewer has been using this overblown PDA to stream media a touch more adult than a nancy-boys rounders game.......

[Jonathon Green]

@AdamV

"Nokia have been producing the "communicator" in various guises for years, but at the end of the day, fitting a qwerty keyboard into a tiny space makes no sense since you can't possibly touch type at that size."

I'm guessing you've never used a Psion V - whether you could call what I did with mine touch typing or not I don't know, but I could certainly rattle away on it for extended periods at a useful rate with reasonable accuracy, and no discomfort. In my opinion anybody thinking of building/marketing a small device with a QWERTY keyboard should look long and hard Psion's masterpiece (and if necessary be prepared to pay money to use the patents) as it remains unmatched to this day...

--

JG