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Nimble V5 - The OQO Killer?

Posted by timothy on from the bargain-at-half-the-price dept.

prostoalex writes "OQO was supposed to be a big advance in the personal computing field, but, alas, made it quick to vaporware list. Now another company will try its luck with a mini-mini-PC. The Register, PC World and MSNBC are all running paragraph-long blurbs about pocket-size Nimble V5 from Nimble Microsystems. The specs are - VIA 733 MHz, 128 DDR266, 30 GB HDD, USB 2.0, PCMCIA, no display, $699, supposed to ship this fall. Full specification available from company's Web site."

8 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Excuse me, if I may by tomstdenis · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What's the dillio with these "mini computers".

    The whole reason desktops are so honking huge is because they have these PCI slot thingies you can cram shit in. If you really want to make a small computer do all surface mount stuff and dispense with the user upgradeable slots. I mean the PCI/AGP slots on an ATX mobo take up close to 1/2 of the mobo. If you removed them ... voila smaller board and smaller case required.

    Aside from the fact nobody makes computers like this [e.g. no third world labour setup to manufacture them yet] why is this such a special thing? I mean we have the technology in this day and age todo it.

    Tom

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    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
  2. But why? by orangesquid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why spend $700 on it, when you could spend $400 on an equally-powered, larger (not as easy to lose, sturdy/rugged), and easier to repair, maintain, and upgrade, system?

    Unless these things become as common cell phones, there won't be much point to them, except for some very "sophisticated" businessmen.

    --
    --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
    1. Re:But why? by orangesquid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My point is... the small size isn't a good enough benefit to justify all the problems with having such a small machine.

      Consider a modern microprocessor. It is easily replaceable. If it were hard to find replacements for, people would complain about not being able to repair the circuitry inside themselves when their processor fried. When computers were still a rare thing, processors took up entire cabinets, but if any small piece should fail, that individual piece could be repaired or replaced.

      Miniaturization brings both benefits and consequences. If these things reach mass production, though, it may not be such a problem. Would you really spend $700 for something that small and hard-to-replace? Dumbass.

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      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
  3. USB 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is that fullspeed or high speed?

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    What do you wan't to learn today?

  4. Why? by jcsehak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm not trying to troll here, I really want to know why anyone would get one, besides the coolness factor. I mean, if you need something small and quiet, you get a laptop. If you need maximum expandability (PCI slots, room for a big fancy heatsink, etc.), you get a tower system. When you add a $200 display, the price tag goes to $900. That's how much an iBook costs. I'm sure there are even cheaper laptops on the PC side. This seems like the worst of both worlds.

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    c-hack.com |
  5. mini-mini? by viware · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ok, 7.5x7.5x2 inches is not my definition of fitting in the palm of my hand. Thats bigger than the drive bay mini computers.

  6. Looks like... by stubear · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...yet another piece of technology looking for a use instead of filling an actual need.

  7. Re:Wow, its small! by rusty0101 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Might I point out that it seems silly to market as a video conference device if it does not have a display. To me that seems to defeat the purpose of video conferencing.

    I am pretty sure that the only way this would work is if it has a composit or s-video out to plug into whatever monitor happens to bey available. Presumably the usb is there to support a camera. (something else to carry around) Along with the Wall-wart, the keyboard/mouse combo, and a 5" lcd tv you need to carry around for locations where you can't plug into an available tv, it kind of defeats the purpose as a video conferencing device.

    With all those requirements, a laptop with a pinhole camera would make more sense.

    Just my observations.

    -Rusty

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    You never know...