SlashGear

The first SmartQ 7 MID has landed with its brave buyer, Steve over at UMPC Portal, and he’s done the sensible thing (or at least the sensibly geeky thing) and shot over two hours of unboxing and video testing.  That may seem extreme, but at $189 for a 7-inch touchscreen internet browsing device with WiFi, USB host and more, many people are wondering if SmartQ have delivered on what Microsoft first promised with the UMPC platform.

Video unboxing after the cut

First impressions are mixed.  There’s no Flash support (as ARM-based devices apparently don’t have it yet) and, contrary to what Steve says in the video, there’s no Bluetooth either.  Video playback is disappointing, and if you’re used to an x86 UMPC the general speed will seem sluggish.  However, the screen is bright, SmartQ have delivered an English OS (versus the Chinese-language SmartQ 5 MID) and the whole thing runs silent and cool.

As Steve says, “think of it as an internet connected gadget, and you’re on the right track”; SmartQ are obviously hoping that if they keep the price low enough then people will pick up the 7 MID for a more singular purpose, rather than expecting the world from it.  UMPC Portal have followed up with an overview and Q&A session, breakdown video and e-reader testing, so if you’ve even given half a thought to the SmartQ 7 MID then you should check it out.