Ahhhh the fun stuff, the only thing that is making this platform fall is really just the touch drivers only being able to handle one input source IE: one finger or stylus. If you could even use just both thums on an on screen keyboard things might move quicker. But hey that is just y opinion, and as usual opinions are like @%%ho1es, we all have 'em.

Primaz:

While I think all of the suggestions here are great, to me they are more minor enhancements that will not change the interest of UMPC's.  UMPC's need a serious boost in popularity if they are to continue as in all of 2007 only a weak 350k were sold.

What is needed is a more functional UMPC small enough to carry in a large jacket pocket and when opened have a touch type keyboard.  Thumb and pen only forms have had no real interest to the mainstream and will not as everyone prefers touch type input for full windows.  That is just the facts of life you can make all the improvements you and dream about but if it is not small enough to carry in a jacket pocket and does not have touch type keyboard input it will never sell many units.

We don't need screens so small it blinds us, keyboards too small to be useful, you and your clown pants, or your made up statistics. UMPCs aren't meant to be mainstream.

Just as you said, you do not speak for everyone :)

Not everyone is an old man living in the woods, ehhhh?

It is going on two years and there is no real demand for 7" slates.  The mainstream want a touch type keyboard for full windows not a pen input and definately not your thumbs. 

 

Primaz:

The mainstream

Are irrelevant. UMPCs are not marketed at the mainstream.

Primaz:

The mainstream want a touch type keyboard for full windows not a pen input and definately not your thumbs.

You do not speak for the mainstream.

And ipod touch/iphone sales say you're completely wrong, the mainstream are completely happy with thumbing an onscreen keyboard, over 7 million 2nd gen iphones were sold. That's not including ipod touches or first gen iphones.

One UMPC that works as USB HD is the Nokia N810, but it runs on Linux.

Igor Sotelo:

but it runs on Linux.

Kinda defeats the point of being a UMPC

The Raon Digital Everun also works as a USB disk. It runs XP.

NeoTechni:

Igor Sotelo:

but it runs on Linux.

Kinda defeats the point of being a UMPC

If you must use Windows, there is an RDC client (RDesktop). However, Hildon GUI is sofisticated and a pleasure to use, also it has obviosly been well designed for the 800x480 resolution and 4.2" screen size. Becomes highly apparent as soon as the RDesktop loads.

The Maemo OS is not bad at all, there are some additional applications for the device I liked. During the time I have the N810, those applications have impoved automatically in noticeable manner. But it was fairly difficult to install those applications. It seems that the last OS version ("diablo") can improve the OS too.

Its browser is good, resembles a full featured Firefox. It has a button to pass to full sreen mode, and back to see the menus. The browser can get unresponsive with 6-7 web pages at the same time, but true to be said that can happen with computers that have much better hardware.

Around 200 gr, integrated GPS, ok battery life, very low profile.

UMPC's will have a weak future if they do not provide some models that are more mainstream. While a small segment here like the 7" slates and current UMPC's most people do not.  What the UMPC market needs are models that are touch type keyboards and small enough when folded to fit in a jacket pocket; otherwise they will continue to die a slow death.

Primaz:

UMPC's will have a weak future if they do not provide some models that are more mainstream. .

UMPCs are, nor ever were meant to be mainstream. The fact that they are so low powered proves that. They are meant for a niche market who need portability over processing power. Niche is the exact opposite to mainstream. If you want mainstream, come back in a decade or so well the technology is more powerful, till then you're barking up the wrong technological tree You don't need to issue your unrealistic suggestions in every topic.

UMPCs have enough processing power to support audio, video, and gaming, in addition to having rich support for browsing the internet as well as for other communication and networking applications. Windows Media Player is included, with a special skin designed to provide a better experience on the small screen.
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