Hand-Sized Antelope Windows PC To Debut
securitas writes "CNet's Michael Kanellos reports on start-up Antelope Technologies' plans to launch its Modular Computing Core (MCC) next week. The 'full-fledged Windows [XP] computer that measures 3 inches by 5 inches' is based on the IBM Meta Pad, which Antelope Technologies licensed from IBM. Priced at $3,970, it's expected that the MCC will be primarily for corporate fleets, where mobility is a requirement. Antelope's MCC was previously mentioned on Slashdot, and it seems that the company has beat competitor OQO to real product status. Will the Nimbel V5 be next?"
Agreeed! You must be off your rocker to even consider paying $3,500 when you can get a decent Ipaq running windows which is probably just as good. Hell - i'm sure you could do alot better with ANYthing that this thing for that amount of money.
I will buy an Apple PowerBook G4 17" w/ Superdrive instead.
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
I have been following this off and on for a few months now. It is still a little immature for it to truely make big gains in the market (at least in my opinion). The system throttles performance of the processor down to pda speeds when on battery (i.e. about 400mHz). When on battery, it still only has an expected battery life of 3-4 hours. Laptops get easily as much battery power and they have a huge display as well as run at usually around 800 mHz or faster while on battery. Now grant it mHz doesn't mean everything in terms of performance, but a laptop's CPU is easily on par performance wise to the CPU in the Antelope, and the laptop's are running easily 2-4 times the clock speed.
So on the high end, if you are looking for performance, a laptop blows this away. If you are looking for portability, a PDA easily wins. PDA's will give you easily 4-5 hours on battery as well as WiFi and/or Bluetooth wireless access. As well as cost 1/8 the price.
I just don't see the market for this device at this time. It isn't very small, or very powerfull. And it is very expensive especially considering you can get a high end laptop AND a high end PDA for the same price (or less!) then an Antelope.
We were all warned a long time ago that MS products sucked, remember the Magic 8 Ball said, "Outlook not so good"