Little-Known Company Unveils Personal Computer the Size of a Paperback Book

TBO.com ^ | 4/16/02 | Jim Krane

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

A little-known San Francisco company on Tuesday unveiled a personal computer that crams processor, memory, battery and storage into a package the size of a paperback novel.

When the $1,000 Ultra-Personal Computer hits stores this fall or winter, it will operate as a wireless handheld computer, akin to a Palm, OQO Inc. said. Or it can be used as a "modular PC" that connects to a full-size keyboard, mouse and monitor to replace a desktop PC.

"This is a full Windows XP computer that fits in your pocket," said Colin Hunter, executive vice president of OQO. "Desktops are pretty much dead. Most people would prefer to have a computer they can carry around with them all the time."

The 5-inch by 3-inch device runs Microsoft Windows XP on a processor of up to 1 gigahertz. It also bundles 256 megabytes of RAM, a 10 gigabyte hard drive, and two wireless networking connections.

A docking cable allows it to connect with an external keyboard, mouse and monitor. It can also be networked to an existing PC or laptop through an Ethernet cable or wireless connection.

When undocked, the device's battery life is similar to a laptop's, at 3-8 hours, depending on use.

OQO is negotiating with electronics companies who could manufacture and market the device. A version manufactured and sold under the OQO brand is also possible, a spokesman said.

Start-up OQO, founded in 1999, includes engineers and designers from Apple Computer, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, IBM, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Oracle Corp. and Transmeta.

In February, IBM announced it would license technology for a similar device, known as the MetaPad, to vendors. IBM's MetaPad won't be ready for a few years.

[another cricket]

No CDRW?

a.cricket

[AdA$tra]

Probably make a good hand warmer in the winter too.

[proxy_user]

Reminds me of the Japanese company that developed a TV so small that you can't see it...

[ChiefKujo]

Web Site Here

[quimby]

Related story from cnet:

Start-up shrinks PC to palm size

[spectre]

Of course, to actually USE it you need to hook it up to a keyboard, monitor and mouse.

Now lemme see, just where is my company issued Palm Pilot?

Oh yea, in the back of the bottom desk drawer, I think...weighing down the stack of hard copy slides from the vice president of Power Point Briefings.

[quimby]

Now lemme see, just where is my company issued Palm Pilot?

LOL, Of course the Pocket pc (iPAQ) has replaced the palm pilot. But you have to wonder how many people are using them just to play MP3's.

[RightWhale]

This would allow the entire GIS database to be carried into the field by each agent. $1000 is still steep for many applications such as truck deliveries and taxis, but those who take their laptop into the field now might find this more convenient, except, where is the keyboard and how good is the display?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I still like towers, course I want an MP -- price is coming down for those - Fry has the Tyan Tiger MPX for $189!

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[Bush2000]

Of course, to actually USE it you need to hook it up to a keyboard, monitor and mouse.

Can't you guys read? It's a touchscreen.

[quimby]

Yep, the Athlon dualies are getting more affordable. Check out this review from tomshardware.com:

The Dual Trap: Athlon MP 2000+ vs. Xeon 2200

[GeronL]

desk tops are pretty much dead?? except for those 88% of people who use them...

Just what we always wanted; a computer with no keyboard, no mouse and no monitor... geez.

[Z-28]

I heard Logitec is designing a 3-button mouse that has miniture 68 key keyboard on its topside, a 1.7GHz processor, a 60 Gig hard drive, and the cover for the keyboard is a 2.2"x1" color LCD screen.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Just what we always wanted; a computer with no keyboard, no mouse and no monitor... geez.

And no printer. I just can't get along without my printer!

This gadget reminds me of the salesman's instructions for sending e-mail on my cell phone. Geeeesh! "Hold down the key for 3 counts to mean the third letter in the group assigned to that key..." Does he actually think I would want to fuss around with that? Decline that "service".

[beckett]

The device will find a market and do well, I suspect, but one point should be made about miniaturization. Real estate (i.e., the space required to house a PC) isn't really at that great a premium. UNIVAC took up a whole floor of real estate and had to get smaller, of course, but once devices began to take up less space than that occupied by a typical human being, ever smaller devices become less necessary and are useful mainly in specialized niche markets.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Sorry, but command line guys need a keyboard! LOL!

[Bush2000]

Sorry, but command line guys need a keyboard! LOL!

Yeah, otherwise they couldn't type stuff like xyzzy -cp 456 -adm | grep "foo" < foobar. Would really make a dent in their superiority complex.

[AppyPappy]

I have a computer in my pocket. It's called a Palm Pilot.