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Nimble V5 - The OQO Killer?
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."
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
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.
c-hack.com |
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.
CPU: VIA C3 Eden 733MHz
Memory: 128MB DDR266 SODIMM (expandable to 512MB)
Hard Drive: 30GB
Display Support: 1280x1024 maximum selectable resolution and up to 32-bit color
Audio: AC 97 compatible, Built-in Microphone, 3W
Amplifier, 4Ohm speaker, 3.5mm stereo jack x 2 (Ear/Mic Jack)
Front button: V5/PC switch button, Two Channels indicator, Volume Control Knob, Mic mute Button
Status Indicator: V5 channel (Blue); PC channel (Orange)
Power: Output: 18V DC, 3.4A, Input: Auto-sensing 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz Universal
I/O ports: USB (2.0) x 4, Ethernet Port x 2, PS/2 x 4, VGA x 2
Network Connectivity: IEEE 802.3 10/100BaseT x2
IEEE 802.11 Wireless PCMCIA
Operation System: Windows XP Home Edition / Professional Edition
Dimensions (W x D x H): 5.2 x 19.5 x 19.5 (cm), 2â x 7.7â x 7.7â (in)
Expansion Slot: PCMCIA Type II slot x1
Weight: 2.2lbs/1.0kg
Operation Environment: Temperature: 32ÂF to 97ÂF (0ÂC to 36ÂC), Humidity: 20% to 80% (non-condensation)
Accessories: Power adapter, Ethernet Cable, KVM cable, User Manual
Regulatory Approvals: FCC, UL, CE
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Looks interesting for someone who likes to carry her PC with her and her monitor on his back
How is this supposed to be an OQO killer? Granted, I can't get through to the site- it's 'dotted. However, I've seen the specs as posted here, and to me- as a person who really wants an OQO bad- it doesn't look like it'd replace the OQO.
Mostly, this thing doesn't have a display. Or touch screen. Making it a portable computer, but not a palmtop. The OQO is cool for a number of reasons, but one of them is that it is a real and quite fast machine in the form factor of a PDA. Yet, it can be "converted" into a real desktop or real laptop using docking stations. With an OQO, you can slip it into the docking station and expand it with a new AGP video card or new PCI cards. This is just a low-lower mini-ATX board. Nothing that special, although I'm sure there are some folks who would find the V5 useful.
I mean, this Nimble thing doesn't even run on a battery. It is very portable, in that it's small enough to take your office machine to and from home, keeping monitor, keyboard, etc at each location.
The only thing I've seen that comes close to being an OQO killer- but is just as much vaporware- is the MCC, or the Mobile Computer Core. Like the OQO, you can slip it into a number of "docks," making it a PDA, a notebook, or a desktop. I'd rather have the MCC's PDA over an OQO because it has a bigger screen but without being too big, but such dreaming is worthless when no one will make one of these...
Working toward a usable PDA environment in the spirit of Newton OS: Dynapad
Hush Tech makes a far better tiny computer that is also completely silent (except when using the DVD/CD drive). It looks allot nicer too, when used as a set-top box. The thing is powerful enough to be a DIVX/MP3 player, but it can also double as a TiVo or emulation based console gaming system.
EPIA-M10000 motherboard : $140
mini-ITX case (basic): $60
128Mb of DDR RAM: $60
40Gb HD: $50
16x DVD: $50
Total cost: $360
That's all it takes to make a basic business PC these days. It won't be a barn burner, but it will do the job nicely no matter what OS you choose, 98, Me, 2000, XP, *BSD, or Linux.
(OT: The "lameness" filter is really lame...)
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas