First impressions are important, but checking out a new category of products like the ultra mobile-PC (UMPC) requires long term, hands-on evaluation. Luckily Samsung allowed me an extended look at the Q1B which is based on VIA's C7 microcontroller.
I have had a chance to use it for a few months now, taking it on trips to computer shows and vacations, and have made a quick note of my findings. For more specific details, check out Ultra-Mobile PCs Become A "Hotspot" In Portable Electronics and UMPCs Take Different Tacks
A Quick Overview of the Samsung Q1B
The Samsung Q1B is based on a 1GHz VIA C7-M processor, making it less of a power-hog than its Intel-based brethren. It's also smaller than the newer, one-pound Q1U line that adds a Windows Vista and a split thumb-operated keyboard similar to the PepperPad (see aforementioned articles). The Q1U is a bit wider but it's smaller than the PepperPad.
The Q1B runs Windows XP Tablet Edition. It has 512Mbytes of RAM and a 40Gbyte hard drive. The 7-in LCD delivers a resolution of 800 by 480. Wireless support includes 802.11b/g and Bluetooth. There are USB and VGA interfaces for external devices as well as the usual audio jacks. A stylus can be used with the LCD touch panel. Fingers and fingernails work as well.
The Good
A number of elements make my overall opinion of the Q1B a favorable one. The form factor is a definite plus. Moving less than a pound would be nice, but the weight is fine for most adults. I found it easy to use standing up as long as data entry was limited (see The Bad for keyboard comments). Likewise, the screen is fine for most applications, although there are definite problems with the way standard applications operate on the small screen (see The Ugly).
Walking mobility was key to checking email and browsing wirelessly. The Q1B had no trouble connecting to a range of Wi-Fi hot spots. The only killer was the lack of wireless support in many locations like hotels where Ethernet reigns. I had an old 3COM USB Ethernet adapter. Newer products are available for about $25 but it will be a valuable investment if you plan to use only the Q1B while on the road. I highly recommend getting one.
The Q1B turned out to be fine for email, web browsing, reading ebooks and multimedia playback like watching videos. The hard drive has plenty of room for movies and songs, though these can take a while to upload depending upon the wireless connection. It helps if you can compress video before sending it since the smaller screen is not conducive to hi-res image viewing. The flip-out stand in the rear of the unit was handy when a flat surface was available for watching video but the angle cannot be adjusted. This was actually more of an issue when using an external keyboard since holding the Q1B while watching video was usually rather comfortable.
I also found myself switching viewing modes from portrait to landscape quite a bit. Portrait mode was used for reading ebooks and data entry because the on-screen keyboard was smaller. Hence, the keys were closer together, making it quicker to access using the stylus. Full-screen, landscape mode is the only way to watch videos (The annoyance was switching modes, which I'll discuss in detail later).
Some may look at performance if this is their only machine. Unless you plan on crunching some massive spreadsheets or pulling in your favorite 3D CAD package, then the Q1B has enough horsepower to handle most everything given its video acceleration. At 1GHz, the processor is faster than most systems from many years ago, but far short of the latest quad-core desktops. Still, browsing and viewing documents or email are not power-hungry applications. The latest 3D games will overwhelm the system but most are still playable albeit on a small screen. Plan on attaching a mouse and keyboard though. The stylus just doesn’t work well in these instances.
Audio playback was good but headphones or earphones are a must. The volume control on the top of the unit is handy although I was note able to find a sole mute button.
Bottom line, the Q1B can be your only machine if your requirements are not extreme and you don’t mind a small form factor screen. It can be connected to a larger screen so you could use it at home in this fashion. The cost is on par with desktops and laptops, but the trade-off is capacity and performance for portability.
Now for the nitpicking.