Kohjinsha SA1F00A (or B)

[fpp]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this strange beast yet, as there have been announcements and threads on the mainstream news and forum sites for quite a while.

I don't think it's a direct competitor (again!), but rather something that fits in, price-wise and usage-wise, between the 770 and the UMPCs, much like the Pepper Pad III does.

It has the same Geode CPU, but in a (refreshingly) different form factor : a clamshell with keyboard, like a giant mutant Zaurus without a touch screen. Runs XP by default, probably Linux-hackable...

If it ever comes out of Japan and if the price doesn't baloon in the process, I think the concept is interesting.

http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=21917

[rr0123]

Yeah, it's the price point that really makes this one interesting. You've got the Fujitsu 1510 still around as a much better machine, but it's 50% more. If I was limited to about $1k I would get the SA1 over any of the original UMPC's, but not sure whether it would win over the Vega.

[=DC=]

That's definitely getting in the area where ultra portable notebooks live with that feature set, all without the astronomical price that's been keeping people away from buying them. I doubt it will come to the states though, and because of that, this may be the first and last you hear about it here.

[fpp]

The Zaurus clamshells were never sold outside Japan by Sharp, nevertheless I own one and I bought it in my country, so where there's a will, there's a way :-)

[tirabosco]

http://www.geekstuff4u.com (mind you that I don't know anything or havn't any experiences with this shop) accepts preorders for the Kohjinshas, with the smaller model at 775 € Windows OS included and at 675 € without OS! (who knows how well ths thing is supported by linux :confused: , a lot of control seem hardware since there are single buttons for them). Shipping is around 50 €.
Now that is really a nice price for such an ultraportable at 1kg weight.

Bye, tira.

P.S. I forgot, what about customs/ national taxes?