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OQO isn’t Quite a Laptop, but it’s More than a PDA

Started by JRblog · 9 months ago

The Ultra-Mobile PC, or UMPC, is a strange breed of gadget. It’s not quite a laptop, with it generally being smaller, less powerful, and less functional than one, but it’s more than a mere phone or PDA. It’s a bit too big to keep in your pocket, b ... Continue reading »

2 comments

  • Chris Jones

    1 year ago

    I have an OQO model 02 and I agree, it is by far the best UMPC out there. The only thing you have wrong is that is not less powerful than a laptop. Mine has 1GB RAM and a 1.5 GHz processor. Sure, it does no come with a core duo and 3 GB RAM, but for most business applications, it works just perfect.
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  • griz

    1 year ago

    I was unable to get the OQO2 that Chris has before my recent trip to China. I opted for a Sony UX280. The Sony is not a bad little machine, but the thumb board is not very good and the screen - even though it is exceptional - is hard on my 56 year old eyes. The OQO's screen is just a tad bigger, so I do not know if that makes a dramatic difference.

    One thing the OQO marketing team should do is allow the purchasers of this high-end device decide which battery a user wants at purchase time. It comes with a standard battery with no way to upgrade to the longer life battery. Where this really comes into play is if you purchase a metal case for the OQO. If you have a regular battery and an extended life battery the metal case you get will only fit one battery configuration - not both.

    Two issues that really killed the usefulness of the Sony unit and are shared with the OQO2:

    * Long start up times. This made using my translation software impractical in real world situations. Who is going to stand around waiting for a computer to start up when they are trying to help you? Instant on is critical to the success of this "form factor. (YUK - I hated writing that expression!)"

    * The other thing is the lack of an RJ45 connector. While this is old tech, it is still useful tech when traveling in remote locations. I found very few open, wireless networks in China. The OQO2's apparently include a dongle for this, Sony did not include one and the USB-RJ45 I picked up did not work with the Sony-XP configuration.

    And finally, it is about time that manufacturers solve this problem: using the display in bright light/sunlight. The screen technology is available why not use it and drive the price for that screen technology down to affordable levels.

    All of this said, I agree the OQO2 is a dynamite little machine - probably a measurable bit better than the Sony. However, I will not replace my Sony for the OQO2 when I sell my Sony in a few days. The only reason is that the screen size is just too small for me. That may not be an issue for you younger gadget freaks. :)
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