Intel tells Engadget what a UMPC/MID is
While you might not agree with the definitions here at least someone is trying to set things straight. Engadget is reporting that Dan Monahan, Intel’s Global Internet Segment Manager of Ultra Mobility has laid out some bullets for them defining the two -
UMPC -
- Business-class device for enterprise users
- Runs a “heavy” OS like Vista
- Optimized for office-use applications like Excel, Word, etc.
MID -
- Consumer-class lifestyle device
- Runs a ‘lightweight” OS with quick startup like Linux
- Optimized for things like media playback and web surfing
- In 2009 (or so) Moorestown-based devices will be classed as MIDs only
Feel free to drop a comment with your thoughts on this. Listening to their CES podcasts it sounds like jkkmobile and Steve from UMPCPortal are all on board the UMPC train, and I don’t blame them, we’ve all been using the term for years. Thought I still feel like there is room for the MID. To me the term MID defines an instant on, lifestyle companion. I don’t always need a full desktop OS with me everywhere I go, but when I do, I have the UMPC.
3 Responses to “Intel tells Engadget what a UMPC/MID is”
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Oh, ok, so a UMPC is a Sony UX and a MID is an iPhone
I’m not the first person to coin the phrase “words mean things”, but I say it quite a bit. I’m glad to see someone with the chops that Intel has trying to clarify the confusion surrounding handtops in their various forms. The taxonomy helps the consumer (if they actually learn what it means) to know what they’re getting and to avoid nasty surprises.
There are still some vaguerities though. A Windows Mobile device is fully capable of running Linux (Indeed a recent demo even showed a Linuxed hx4700 running full-fledged FireFox.) as well as it’s own “lightweight OS.” I has (and can get more with a simple addition of software) media playing capabilities. Is a WM device a MID? I still call it a PDA to be sure because if functionality is PIM-centric, not media-centric.
“What marketing obfuscates, tech-support eventually has to make clear again.”
UMPC have been a flop as they only sold 350,000 in 2007. Thus I see a reason to not brand your equipment to a looser for Intel.
What the market needs is not what MS invision, a 7″ pen input device that is too large to fit in a jacket pocket, and has no touch type keyboard.
What is needed is a basic computer that can run full windows but it does not need to be the fastest cpu etc. just a basic laptop specification. Then the device needs to be built around true mobility thus built more like a clamshell device about 3.5 to 4″ in depth and 7-7.25 inches in length and as thin as possible. That would enable a good touch type keyboard like the old Psion 5mx had and enable a 1/2 VGA screen so programs would display like normal.
If Intel can get some hardware companies to build a form factor like that; it would be a hit. On a marketing point of view it would be definately better to label it a MID even though it would run a “heavy OS like Vista”.