After many years of gestation, the Microsoft  -led Project Origami -- an effort to crossbreed an Ultra Mobile PC from a laptop, a PDA, and a portable media player -- had an offspring on May 1. That was the date Samsung introduced in the U.S. its Q1, the world's first Ultra Mobile PC by a major manufacturer.
So how is that little guy doing? Like most parents, Samsung says it is very proud of its kid, although it is not ready to release specifics on how well the Q1 has been received in the U.S.
"Since the U.S. launch of the Q1 on May 1, consumer response has been very strong and very positive," said David Nichols, director of product marketing for Samsung. "Samsung is delighted with the market acceptance of the concept of the Ultra Mobile PC category and the Q1 product itself."
The Q1, which runs the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system, is currently available for sale in the U.S. only through BestBuy.com and CDW.com. A test offering through selected Best Buy brick-and-mortar stores is planned for sometime this summer.
In addition to making history by being the first Ultra Mobile PC, the Q1 is also making history in another arena. Last week, Samsung released two new models in the Q1 line. The original Q1's new siblings -- the Q1 SSD and the Q30 SSD -- are the first commercial PCs sporting NAND flash memory instead of hard drives.
Mixed Reviews
Those keeping an eye on the first Q1 have mixed feelings. Some observers believe it is too small, or too big, or too weak in the battery, or, at $1,099, too pricey.
This kind of device is in a "1 kilogram wasteland," said Leif-Olof Wallin, an analyst at Gartner, a technology research firm. He said it's "too big to put into your pocket and too small to do some real work on." Wallin also said he believes it will take until 2008 until we all will see truly compelling devices in the Ultra Mobile PC format.
Nicole d'Onofrio, an industry analyst at Current Analysis, offered a similar take. "The high price point is going to marginalize this -- until we see it come down to $500," she said.
"We probably won't see this form factor gain widespread adoption until 2008," she said. "And the initial specs are a bit weak."
Reviewers seem to have been a little more positive than the analysts. "There literally is pretty much nothing like it! It's gorgeous, it's cool, and it functions well," gushed Lisa Gade, editor-in-chief of MobileTechReview.com. (continued...)
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