JP
The original concept for the UMPC was grand and full of promise. A small device that could do many of our everyday functions, but small enough to fit in a small backpack and keep us connected to the world. Unfortunately, that’s not what we were given.
Most of the devices fell short of expectations by a long shot. The biggest drawbacks included terrible battery life and low power. Many consumers were hesitant to purchase these devices due to their major drawbacks and high prices.
The people that did buy such devices were businesses, so now the industry has shifted their focus away from the average consumer, and is targeting business users. In the midst of this, Intel is trying to create a new breed of portable devices called Mobile Internet Devices, or MIDs. These have less memory, decent power, and a $500 price range.
So is the UMPC really dead? I doubt it, but the industry really needs to take a step back and rethink the way they are designing them. I think Intel has really taken the first step in the right direction with their MIDs. Though I wonder, do we really need another acronym?
The UMPC dies. And no one notices. [via tgdaily]
One Response to “Is the UMPC dead?”
Philipp Smolarz May 4, 2007
I do not really believe that these kind of gears are going to be dead. UMPC is a nice “brand” for these small devices. MID is the name that Intel is using it for their platform but they are still talking about UMPC’s. I am a big fan of UMPC and I hope to buy one in the near future for a price about 1′000 US$ with the needed technical facts. I am going to use this UMPC for GPS Navigation and surfing in the internet. I don’t need it for gaming. I am sure the name UMPC is really busting the mass market in 2008.
Neutral