An ultra mobile PC or UMPC is designed to be the smallest, most lightweight and portable device that runs the full Windows 7 Professional Tablet Edition operating system. Microsoft has defined the hardware specification of the UMPC as a computer with a 7” diagonal or smaller display that has a 800x480 resolution and integrated touch panel. The weight is two pounds or less and the UMPC must have integrated wireless internet and Bluetooth capability. Because the UMPC runs Windows 7 Professional, you can use the same software as on your desktop or laptop computer. The only limitation to this is that the screen resolution provides a 15:9 viewing ratio and some standard software may require scrolling to view all of it. Also, since the UMPCs have less powerful processors and less memory, some applications might not perform as well as they would on a more powerful computer.
With a bigger screen and more powerful computing that a pocket PC along with lower price than a tablet PC, an ultra mobile PC is a great companion device for a standard computer when portability is the most important factor.
Before we get started talking about the details of the ultra mobile PC product, let’s answer some common questions:
QUESTION: What is a UMPC?
ANSWER: An Ultra Mobile PC is a new category of mobile devices optimized for specific usage models such as Internet-to-go, Entertainment-to-go, and Education-to-go, while providing full PC capability and versatility. UMPC devices are expected to be small enough so they are easy to carry, deliver long battery life so you can access information for extended periods of time, have multiple wireless options so you can be connected anytime, and are location aware so it can adapt to your personal needs. You can access your favorite online games, videos, music, TV shows and more on the go, with the quality you are used to when you are in front of your PC. The UMPC also connects you to people via email, VoIP, Instant Messaging and texting. Additionally, future UMPC platforms are expected to have GPS capabilities which allow it to recognize your whereabouts and provide you with local information.
QUESTION: Is the UMPC going to replace the laptop, PDA or pocket PC?
ANSWER: No. The UMPC is a mobile device designed to access online media and content on the go. It is not designed to process lots of work or write a college thesis. You have your laptop or desktop for these tasks. Instead, the UMPC is a great PC companion. The UMPC is powerful enough to provide a great gaming, music or video experience. People will have to decide whether they want to replace their dedicated electronic device with the UMPC.
QUESTION: What operating system does the UMPC run?
ANSWER: The ultra mobile PC runs a full version of the Windows XP Professional Tablet Edition. This means it can run all the same software as a Windows based desktop or laptop computer.
QUESTION: Can you use a pen stylus or does the UMPC have just a touchscreen?
ANSWER: The UMPC has a touch screen which can be activated with a finger or a pen stylus. Unlike a standard tablet PC which uses an active digitizer and can only be operated with a special tablet stylus, the ultra mobile PC has a resistive touch screen that responds to the pressure of a finger or stylus.
QUESTION: What are Microsoft’s specification for a UMPC?
ANSWER: An ultra mobile PC or UMPC is designed to be the smallest, most lightweight and portable device that runs the full Windows XP Professional Tablet Edition operating system. Microsoft has defined the hardware specification of the UMPC as a computer with a 7” diagonal or smaller display that has a 800x480 resolution and integrated touch panel. The weight is two pounds or less and the UMPC must have integrated wireless internet and Bluetooth capability. Because the UMPC runs Windows 7 Professional, you can use the same software as on your desktop or laptop computer. The only limitation to this is that the screen resolution provides a 15:9 viewing ratio and some standard software may require scrolling to view all of it. Also, since the UMPCs have less powerful processors and less memory, some applications might not perform as well as they would on a more powerful computer.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the most frequently asked questions about UMPCs, let’s discuss how people are using them. There are a number of different industries that will find UMPCs to be a great tool in their work. Healthcare is an obvious one with doctors and nurses finally having a truly portable device that is powerful enough to run the Windows operating system and the applications that they use in the office or hospital facility. Field service people are very mobile workers who need to enter information about a job but don’t need the power, bulk or cost of a laptop computer. For them, the UMPC is the perfect device for entering customer data, recording information about a completed service and then capturing a customer’s signature. Salespeople who need to record basic information during a customer encounter without having to carry a large tablet or laptop computer will use the UMPC to enter and update customer contact information. There are many other uses for the ultra mobile PC in other fields and you can expect to see a number of vertical markets for these devices.
So how powerful is a UMPC? Some of the early models can be equipped with up to 1Gb RAM memory and a 20Gb to 120Gb hard drive. They include a USB port, 802.11b/g wireless and Bluetooth connectivity making the ultra mobile PC able to perform the same tasks as a standard notebook or tablet computer. With speakers for listening to music and a battery life of 2-3 hours, depending on the model, the ultra mobile PC is going to be found in a wide variety of personal and business uses as people explore its potential.