The competition is starting, finally: -

From Aigo
http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/0...from-aigo.html

From Lenovo
http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/ne...p?storyid=1138

Looks like Lenovo's UI icons are the same as the ones on my samsung R410 .. wonder if there's some collaboration on UI design there.

Also, looks like Lenovo has gotten the finger scrolling and finger-friendliness aspect down, where Nokia still hasn't. But it's not clear to me what OS the Lenovo is using ... nor does it appear to have a hardware keyboard. Both are important to me, if they want to woo me away from the NIT.

Kind o' looks like the Lenovo is running a Canola2 clone...

Cool, a Chinese N810? I wonder how much they would be selling them for? It seems the chinese have copied everything....iPods, iTouch, iPhone, and basically everything else.

BenQ will be announcing their MID at the show
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/b...d-at-ces-2008/

This is the video which we have already seen from the IDF a month or so back
http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/ne...p?storyid=1142

Is it me, or does the BenQ's screen seem unusually broad? Maybe a 800x400 resolution?

This is LG's take on the format
http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/ne...p?storyid=1143

Things are getting interesting, I hadn't expect this one.

The one thing I don't like about that LG article: They imply that their linux version wouldn't have HSPA. That'd be dumb. But, otherwise, could be nice. The linux version could even compete with the NITs.

I saw a Compal prototype over at umpcportal ... looks like it has the right arrangement of buttons for the face of the device (ie. dpad and certain key buttons on the face, and not on the slide-out keyboard). But the keyboard buttons look like they might be like a sidekick (too stiff). It'll be interesting to see how that device turns out.

http://www.umpcportal.com/postimages...7E3/compal.jpg

(I might prefer a face that's slightly less busy, could probably move the zoom buttons out of the lower left corner, or something like that; maybe move those to the edge of the device, like the N8x0 do .. but I think the Dpad is very well located, but I'm not sure what the button on the middle of the right face is ... ? I'd like to see the next version of the NIT learn some from Compal prototype's face)


if a MID comes out that has:

• face button layout like the Compal
• softer/less-stiff keys than the N810 (less strain on your thumbs == better)
• more generic linux API/ABI than current Maemo (ie. easier to bring generic linux apps over)
• (yes, that means Linux and not Windows)
• more finger friendly GUI than current Maemo
• HSPA and/or EVDO options

Then I think they could be a serious threat to the NIT family.

(and, I also kinda like the layout of the Aigo's keyboard, the more I look at it.. escape, tab, and control keys all right there, and some of the key layouts look more like a generic qwerty than the N810's)

Ignoring the rather large format device for the moment, this is the sort of UI Nokia are going to be competing against over the next year or so.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IALqu7EKUTw&feature=related

I love my N810 but to be honest it looks a little shabby next to this. I'm watching the CES news with great interest.