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OQO Examined
D4C5CE writes "The vapor solidifies... After years of waiting and an appearance at CES early this year, some people have finally had the opportunity to try an OQO 'Model 01 ultra personal computer (uPC)' at CeBIT America, and published this report. The device is available to a few lucky pilot customers, but for the rest of us they still won't be shipping before this fall, and they have yet to beat the Zaurus line (hopefully also with wireless connectivity in its clamshell versions soon - Are you listening, Sharp?) to justify a $1500+ price tag."
Perhaps I am some sort of a radical dresser but I have what are known as "cargo" pockets that have more than enough space for an OQO. The OQO is not 2-3 inches thick. It is 0.9 inches thick as stated on the specifications page. 4.9" x 3.4" x .9". Thats thinner than my cell phone. Wow, wait, whats this? People have been carrying objects roughly fitting those dimensions for hundreds of years in their pockets with no problem.
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
The name of the company and the computer, pronounced oh-QUE-oh, was picked at random. It doesn't mean anything, but they liked it because a Google search showed that no one else was using it.
4.9 inches = 0.00012446 kilometers
3.4 inches = 8.63600 × 10-05 kilometers
0.9 inches = 2.28600 × 10-05 kilometers
Ok ok... (don't complain about cm vs mm)
14 ounces = 396.893324 grams
4.9 inches = 12.44600 centimeters
3.4 inches = 8.63600 centimeters
0.9 inches = 2.28600 centimeters
I tried an iPaq but solely Bluetooth didn't cut it, and text input was too hard.
I've seen an iPaq that has both 802.11b and bluetooth. You can buy little keyboard add-ons for them too, and it would cost less than half as much as OQO.
As soon as Apple make one, my PowerBook's for sale.
Apple will be shivering in its boots. With unconditional love like this who needs competitors.
Apple *could have* released this, because the founder is ex-Apple, but Steve Jobs rejected it:
Within weeks of leaving his job at Apple Computer (AAPL) in 1999 -- as a lead developer for Apple's PowerBooks -- Jory Bell pitched his former boss, Steve Jobs, his killer idea: a portable PC slightly bigger than a deck of cards that would pack all the punch of a high-end laptop, cost less than $1,500, and give Apple a chance to license its operating system to a product that could render traditional handhelds like the Palm Pilot obsolete.
I thought that was a bad move when I first read it, but in hindsight, he possibly saw a conflict with the IPod strategy.
In any event, you'll probably get your wish as the IPod is halfway there anyway. It's got the hard drive and some basic PDA functions, now it just needs full-blown PDA action.
...oh wait, that's nothing new on /.
You people keep trying to think that this OQO device is marketed as a oversided PDA with a keyboard. You people seem to think it's too big to fit into pockets. You couldn't be further from the truth on both counts. Why don't you try to see this device in action before passing such ignorant judgment on it?
http://news.com.com/1606-2-5222650.html
This is supposed to be a single ultraportable solution that's supposed to replace a business-oriented desktop, laptop, and PDA. It had a docking station that allows it to hook up a full-sized keyboard, montior, and mouse so you can use it more comfortably and efficiently as a desk environment. It's supposed to replace a laptop because it's ultraportable yet still runs the same WinXP apps that a business person might need (full versions of M$ Office, Visio, etc....not just some watered down PocketPC incarnations of any program). It's supposed to replace the PDA because there is absolutely NO need to sync between a PDA and a laptop/desktop since it will replace all 3 devices.
Granted, this comes with a slow-ass Trasmeta proc, and the movie URL that I showed above, the guy admits it only gets about 3 to 4 hours of battery life even with the Transmeta proc not consuming so much power but with its power-hungry WiFi hardware. You're probably not going to bother to edit audio on this device since it doesn't have any optical drives built-in for you to rip and encode music off CD Audio. Since it's using a Transmeta proc, you can be damned sure you're not going to be doing any video editing with this. You won't be playing EverQuest either, so forget it. This is NOT what the device was marketed for. Keep in mind that this device doesn't even support wired Ethernet on the base device but only through it's docking cable.
For the business executive on the go, this makes the perfect all-in-one solution. Set up a docking station at home and at the office so you can use the device with comfort and efficiency at the places where you get the majority of your work done, and then use the device detached from its docking cable when you're on the move. You will always have your data with you without having to sync your data between PDA and laptop/desktop.
Get it? Probably not, but I've done my part in attempting to educate the ignorant masses.
si vis pacem, para bellum..."if you wish peace, prepare for war"
for those who aren't convinced by the OQO, there are a few other handtops coming out -- comparison chart that might be better targeted to your needs. i reckon most people will be into the FlipStart PC because of it's clamshell design, slightly better specs and cheaper price, but it's not due out until Q1 2005.
read this basic introduction to the FlipStart as well as this updated one if you're interested in the FlipStart (and other handtops).
### http://www.gunfinger.com ### greed / tec
Apple gave the term firewire to the 1394 Trade Association as part of the licensing pool
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
ZDNet has had a nice video interview for the past few days. Check it out.
A few months ago, I got to try the OQO out. I was playing in the orchestra at my friend's church and the conductor's husband is on the OQO team. My friend's dad asked me if I wanted to see it. I'd known about it for quite a while and said, "Sure!" It's small. Holding it was quite different. It has the IBM stink-pad eraser nub to move the mouse. The keys are slightly smaller than the left over "dots" from a piece of hole-punched paper. The surface was smooth and warm. The only thing I can really compare it to is the casing of the GBA SP, but slightly more substantial. The screen was crisp and the standard XP "teletubbies" background looked crisp and defined. I saw iTunes on the desktop and opened it. I noticed it was a little sluggish compared to my desktop, but opened only a few seconds later. iTunes looked as good as the desktop background. I asked about heat and the guy (I've forgotten his name, but he used to work for Apple) said that they had run the little fan inside at full speed on the prototypes for fears of melting were, as one might expect, rampant. This particular unit, however, had very little fan noise and was warm, mostly from being held. Someone else who was there asked about frame rate. The guy said they got about 30 FPS in Quake (Which one? I don't remember). I had to leave and give the OQO back, but decided that it was worth the wait and vaporware accusations.