UMPC MID QWERTY Devices

**voltscastillo** · August 9th, 2010 09:33 AM

i've been checking out some UMPC MID devices that run windows, and i've been wondering if some of these (or reasonably built and priced chinese copies) are available sa filipino chinese shops sa 168/greenhills/divisoria:

1. vaio ux series slider running xp/vista (no stock sa sony center)
2. vaio p series running xp/vista (no stock sa sony center)
3. oQo model 1 or 2+ xp/vista (no retailer apart from 1 guy in sulit)

searching sa sulit.com and tipidpc, konti lang nagbebenta ng mga ganito... usually mga netbook. now my job requires me to travel quite a lot, and while i have a notebook pc to lug around when i have a vehicle, pagdating sa air travel, ayoko na magdala ng laptop bag.

netbooks are fine, but i think medyo malaki pa rin sila for my taste. parang naka notebook pc ka rin pag binitbit but without the power and speed of a real laptop. i'd rather have a pc i can fit in my camera bag instead of lugging around an extra bag for a netbook. smaller screen and storage compromises i willingly take on this one.

now my questions are:

1. which of the 3 choices do you think would be the best bang for the buck?
2. who/where is the largest retailer for these types of machines?
3. are there generic copies of these devices sa electronics shops sa divisoria? (i know there are copies of the iPad there, though, pero windows machines, dunno).
4. name some devices of this sort (but with qwerty keypad) available locally but priced lower naman, please?
5. kumusta ba gamitin mga 'to? hindi ba ko tatawagin na wimp pag nilabas ko to sa mga public places, hehe?

**ghosthunter** · August 9th, 2010 09:46 AM

Are the 10 inch or even the 8.9 inch netbooks still too big for your requirements of portability?

There are still a few 7 inch netbooks being sold (used) if that would be better for you.

I have started with the 8.9 inch netbooks and shifted to 10 inch and currently using a 12 inch MSi netbook. Screen size & performance were my primary criterias for moving up. Portability was secondary as long as it would fit in my messenger bag with it's extended 9-cell battery.

I have tried out the Sony P series "netbook" but there are too many compromises. Too expensive, real world battery life is only an hour, the "eraser-head" mouse is difficult to use and the weird aspect-ratio LCD screen is too narrow to use it anything more than scanning documents/websites. Editing photos would be difficult since you'll be scrolling around the pictures all the time.

**voltscastillo** · August 10th, 2010 07:57 PM

netbooks are ok naman... i came from a eeepc701. pero the mid devices are a lot smaller. hell, i think i can fit the vaio ux in my left cargo pants pocket. now that's portability! hehe.

1 hour lang talaga batt life ng P? ano ba fair market price nung 2nd generation p series? parang namamahalan ako dun sa tipidpc eh...

**ghosthunter** · August 10th, 2010 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by voltscastillo

netbooks are ok naman... i came from a eeepc701. pero the mid devices are a lot smaller. hell, i think i can fit the vaio ux in my left cargo pants pocket. now that's portability! hehe.

1 hour lang talaga batt life ng P? ano ba fair market price nung 2nd generation p series? parang namamahalan ako dun sa tipidpc eh...

BTW... just making sure, this is the Sony Viao P-series netbook I am refering...

It is simply too expensive, too short a battery life, weird screen aspect ratio (but great resolution/clarity) and hard to use mouse pointer.

**voltscastillo** · August 11th, 2010 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

BTW... just making sure, this is the Sony Viao P-series netbook I am refering...

It is simply too expensive, too short a battery life, weird screen aspect ratio (but great resolution/clarity) and hard to use mouse pointer.

yes that's the one. brings tears to my eyes just looking at it, ganda kasi.

uh, have you seen shanzaied copies of this thing? size and qwerty lang important sa akin kasi... hehe

**ghosthunter** · August 11th, 2010 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by voltscastillo

yes that's the one. brings tears to my eyes just looking at it, ganda kasi.

uh, have you seen shanzaied copies of this thing? size and qwerty lang important sa akin kasi... hehe

The last time I have checked it out when I was between flights at the Singapore Airport a couple of months ago. At the duty free area, the Sony outlet had a couple units on display.

Nice to look at but difficult to use. It is more of a "prop" for the wealthy than a useful tool to access the internet.