Ultramobile PC makes nice, pricey debut

Two key programs in the included Touch Pack software suite from Microsoft are Program Launcher, a kind of organizing/launching screen in addition to the standard Windows desktop and DialKeys, a thumb keyboard which pops up on the bottom corners of the screen. There is also a new Windows Media Player Skin, a utility to more easily modify Windows settings — and even a version of the ever-popular Sudoku.

I was able to eek out both words and URLs using the on-screen keyboard (I used the built-in stylus) and that silly-looking but quite useful DialKey feature. For longer documents, I would prefer one of those $100 fold-up, portable Bluetooth keyboards I’ve seen others using.

Samsung sells an optional, external USB DVD drive. If I had one, I could have easily installed Microsoft Outlook and some of the utilities I need for connectivity to MSNBC. Instead, I struggled with crossover cables and the like. I recommend that if you have programs to install it's a lot easier with the external drive.

The other benefit to the external drive is that it allows you to watch DVDs! The 7-inch screen is actually perfect for that.

Even without a DVD drive, the Q1 is perfect for watching TV if you have a SlingBox. As a matter of fact, the clever people at SlingMedia are working on a viewer just for UMPCs. The beta software included on my test model worked perfectly.

Eckehard Schulz / AP file Microsoft's "DialKeys" thumb keyboard is silly looking but quite useful.

You can use a UMPC as a computer or a tablet. You can watch live TV or DVDs. You can listen to music via the built-in stereo speakers. Or maybe a VoIP speakerphone. You can use it as an electronic picture frame. You can take it from room to room or put it on a table next to your couch or your bed. Get the idea? You can probably think of hundreds of other uses for a UMPC. I’m sure Microsoft's marketing team will.

I believe there is a future for UMPCs. But I worry about the suggested retail price that Samsung has set for the Q1: $1,099. That’s way too high — even for early adapters.  TabletKiosk.com is selling UMPCs made by a company named ‘eo’ which are selling for $899-999. (They begin shipping this week.) That’s only slightly little better. By comparison, the less-functional but still neat Nokia 770 sells for $360.

In a perfect world, Microsoft says it would ultimately like to see UMPCs selling in the $500-700 range. Me too.  At that price, consumers will be attracted to what I consider to be a winning, new computer form factor.

Let’s hope that UMPC manufacturers do their homework and get prices down in time for the back-to-school rush and, of course, the end-of-year holiday season.  If they do, Microsoft and its partners should have a winner on their hands.

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