The B1 from South Korea's Wibrain has a VIA C7-M processor and split QWERTY keyboard.

New Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) releases are packing more features and functions as market penetration deepens and more suppliers stoke product development. The supply markets in Taiwan and South Korea have covered significant ground in the past two years since Microsoft launched the Origami Project. A slew of UMPCs and mobile Internet devices (MIDs) have entered the market following the footsteps of first-generation UMPCs from makers such as Samsung Electronics, AsusTek Computer Inc., Founder Group and Pace Blade Japan. Mainland China makers are closely watching the market, preparing to dive into the action once demand picks up and prices become less prohibitive.

Currently available UMPCs feature not only basic mobile computing features, but also frills such as wireless connectivity, cameras and even GPS, DVB-T and TV tuning. Makers' efforts to improve the user interface are resulting in UMPCs with QWERTY keyboards, touchscreens and touch pads or optical sensors. More UMPCs support longer battery life as well. Models in the pipeline promise WiMAX, HSDPA and other capabilities.

7in screens with WVGA (800x480 pixels) widescreen aspect ratio are mainstream, but some manufacturers predict the trend will move toward slightly larger displays. Some companies in Taiwan have lined up 8.4in and 8.9in models for release in the near term. Smaller models are also available, in step with trends pointing to slimmer, sleeker form factors.

Taiwan and South Korea makers are gearing up to build upon the next generation of processors to be released this year and next. At present, most companies use Intel, AMD or VIA processors in their UMPCs, depending on suppliers' power consumption, price and performance requirements. Many companies use VIA solutions because of their high cost-performance ratio. Suppliers that place a premium on performance regardless of price integrate Intel platforms into their UMPCs. VIA's new Isaiah platform set for launch within the year promises superior performance over the current C7-M processors. Intel's Moorestown is set to follow the Menlow by 2009. The Moorestown is aiming to outperform the Menlow radically in terms of low power consumption and battery lifespan.

UMPC supply in Taiwan and South Korea is growing steadily. Leading Taiwan laptop manufacturers, including Quanta Computer Inc., Compal Electronics Inc., AsusTek, Arima Computer Corp. and Inventec Corp., are already actively shipping UMPCs to overseas OEM and ODM clients. Although precise shipment figures are unavailable due to these companies' nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and the nascent status of the market, suppliers noted rising adoption especially in developed markets. A few Taiwan makers have ventured into producing their own-brand UMPCs, including AsusTek, First International Computer Inc. (FIC), Amtek System Co. Ltd and Aware Electronics Inc. Ltd.

Own-brand manufacturing (OBM) is strong in South Korea, where Samsung Electronics set the pace by launching the Q1 UMPC in March 2006. South Korea's active players include Raon Digital Co. Ltd and Wibrain Inc. The South Korea UMPC supplier base is expected to expand to about 10 players by the end of 2008, with manufacturers of GPS devices and portable media players (PMPs) joining.
Intel, VIA, AMD processors adopted
User interface, battery life focus of improvement
HDD or flash memory, 7in displays
Slew of value-added features and functions
Market segmentation unravels
UMPC prices move with market segmentation

	The A-Bag from Aware of Taiwan is targeted at the education market. It features an Aday processor.

Taiwan UMPC suppliers use any of three major platforms for their products: VIA C7-M, AMD Geode, and Intel Centrino Atom (Menlow) or its predecessor, the McCaslin platform. (Before March 2008, the Centrino Atom was referred to as the Menlow platform, while the Intel Atom processor that goes with the platform had codenames Silverthorne and Diamondville.)

Makers in South Korea likewise use VIA, AMD and Intel processors. Many suppliers from the region are looking to embed CPUs with lower power consumption. According to Cherra Joh, overseas sales manager at Wibrain, Intel processors deliver high performance, but cost high and have heat dissipation issues. AMD processors, meanwhile, are priced much lower and have lower power consumption capability, but the performance falls short when compared with processors from Intel and VIA. Some suppliers said that VIA processors could provide the best compromise between price and performance. Wibrain and Solpi Co. Ltd both use processors from VIA. Solpi's VIA C7-M-based UMPCs are priced from $450 to $750 each.

Wibrain's first UMPC model, the B1, is based on VIA's C7-M ultra low-voltage (ULV) 1.2GHz processor and VX700 media processor with 3D support. It supports 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. It has a built-in Web camera, 2ch 1W speakers, USB 2.0 port, microphone in, headphone jack and 24-pin connector. It is powered by a 4-cell Li-ion battery, 12V DC or 100V to 240V AC adapter.

The B1 can be configured to support either Microsoft Windows XP or Linux OS. The company is currently promoting versions based on Windows XP. The B1H has 1GB DDR2 memory and 60GB 4200rpm HDD. The B1E has 512MB DDR2 memory and 30GB 4200rpm HDD.

Taiwan's AsusTek and Amtek have been developing UMPCs based on Intel platforms. AsusTek is has launched a series ofUMPCs based on Intel's Centrino Atom, including the 7in R70A and the 5.6in R50A.

Aware, meanwhile, uses its own processors for its UMPCs. Its A-Bag model, which is targeted at the education sector, has an Aday5F-300MHz x86 CPU. It has 128MB DDR2 SDRAM, 4MB flash ROM and 1GB NAND flash memory. The A-bag has a 7in TFT-LCD monitor, keyboard and mouse fitted into a bag form factor. It supports 10/100Mbps Ethernet and has six USB 2.0 ports.

According to UMPC suppliers in South Korea, the short battery life and user input interface of the current generation of products hinder faster market adoption. As such, more makers in the region, and even in Taiwan, are exploring alternatives to improve their upcoming releases.

Raon's second UMPC model, the Everun, features a full QWERTY keyboard and upgraded batteries with longer operating time. The Everun has an AMD Geode 600MHz processor, 4.8in touchscreen LCD monitor and optical mouse. Buyers can choose between a solid state drive (SSD) and hard disk drive (HDD) to use with the product.

The Everun's battery lasts up to 6hr under standard usage and 4.5hr when playing videos. The battery power is much improved compared with its predecessor, the Raon Vega UMPC, and is at least twice longer than the battery power of other competing products, according to YJ Han, Raon's vice president. Raon uses its own technology in prolonging battery time.

Wibrain's B1 has a split QWERTY keyboard, 4.2in WXGVA display and a Synaptics touchpad for mouse input and scrolling.

Solpi's 48169 has a touchscreen that runs on Solpi's own software driver technology. Powered by a 6-cell battery, the Solpi 48169 can support 4hr of video playback.

The U560 from Taiwan's Amtek has a 4.8in sunlight-readable resistive touchscreen LCD and a 36-key QWERTY keyboard with eight function keys. It runs on the Intel A1100/A100 CPU, the erstwhile McCaslin platform that preceded the Menlow platform. The U560 can support up to 1GB DDR memory and 40GB in a 1.8in 4200rpm HDD.

The device has a built-in 1.3MP CMOS Web camera, stereo speakers and digital microphone. It supports 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. Its I/O panel supports Gigabit LAN networking, three USB hubs, S-video, audio in and DC in. The U560 measures 189x107x36mm.

Aware is developing a touchscreen version of its A-View model. The current standard edition, which is positioned as an advanced 7in digital photo frame with PC functions when docked onto its keyboard, is also based on the Aday5F platform. Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth and Web camera are optional features.

UMPCs from Taiwan are mostly designed for the vertical and consumer markets. Some companies target their UMPCs at business and mobile workers.

Models with 7in displays but without keyboards are usually targeted at medical, dish ordering and gas station applications. Lighter and thinner models influence design trends, while SSD and LED backlighting, plus longer battery life, drive other feature enhancement initiatives. As with other UMPC makers in Asia, Taiwan suppliers are always directing their R&D efforts toward lower power consumption and smaller CPU form factors.

Mainstream NAND flash-based UMPCs in Taiwan typically have 2GB to 4B memory. HDD-based UMPCs can have as much as 40GB memory. Like most digital photo frames, most UMPC models from Taiwan suppliers have 7in WXGA widescreen displays. According to makers, widescreen displays are more cost-efficient to use and, in terms of buyer benefit, are more suitable for video playback.

7in models will continue to be the mainstream size, makers said, but more 8.4in and 8.9in models will likely be released this year, both of which are regarded by suppliers as equally suitable for playing back video.

Some companies, such as Amtek, offer UMPC models smaller than 7in. Its 5.6in UMPC, which will be released in Q2 2008, supports SSD with 2GB or 4GB. It can use 1.8in HDDs for its 5.6in UMPCs, or 2.5in HDDs for its 7in models. Amtek's 7in UMPCs are targeted at vertical markets. It also has 4.8in and 12.1in models.

FIC's first-generation UMPCs are 7in models with 1.8in HDDs, touch panels and VIA C7-M processors. The models support 30GB to 80GB memory. The FIC CE260 has an extended module for a Skype or Bluetooth phone. Buyers may also request a TV tuner or GPS module.

The CE260 has a 7in WXGA touchscreen panel, two built-in 1.5W speakers and keyboard with Windows hot keys. It also has a 1.8in IDE HDD that can support 30GB to 60GB, plus it integrates a 4-in-1 card reader. The CE260 SO-DIMM slot can support up to 1GB DDR2 533MHz.

It has an RJ-45 port for 10/100Mbps Ethernet. It can support a combo optical drive, 802.11b/g adapter or Bluetooth dongle via its two USB 2.0 ports.

FIC plans to release in June this year new models with 8.9in displays and VIA C8-M platform. The company said that personal-use UMPCs dominate its sales, with models capable of supporting vertical viewing for e-book reading.

802.11b/g Wi-Fi or Bluetooth wireless connectivity, HSDPA and WiMAX are slowly penetrating the young UMPC market.

New UMPCs from Taiwan's AsusTek support WiMAX, digital TV tuner and 3.5G communication. James Tung, deputy director of AsusTek's OBM product marketing department, said that WiMAX and 3.75G will be the key technologies for UMPCs come 2009. Among AsusTek's new UMPCs are 5.6in models with single layer cell (SLC) SSDs and 7in models with 1.8in HDDs. The models feature LED backlight.

The Asus R50A UMPC, which was among the honorees in the computer hardware category of the 2008 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards held in January, supports 900/1800/1900MHz GSM/GPRS, 2100MHz W-CDMA/HSDPA, 802.11b/gand Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. Powered by a Centrino Atom processor, the R50A supports Windows Vista Premium, Business and Ultimate editions.

The R50A has a 5.6in touchscreen TFT with optional sun-readability. It has a built-in fingerprint reader with Asus' Security Protect Manager. It also has two built-in cameras with 2MP and 300,000 pixel resolutions. Its I/O ports include one VGA, three USB, two audio jacks, one audio out and one line in. It measures 199x97x28.4mm and weighs 520g.

Tung said that the relatively lower price points of UMPCs compared to notebook PCs will be driving the former's market penetration in the months to come. AsusTek positions its UMPCs as full-featured, on-the-go entertainment devices, with value-added features such as fingerprint recognition, GPS with touch panel and handwriting recognition, DVB-T and dual cameras. Its products also support external keyboards.

Amtek's UMPCs are generally designed for Web browsing and entertainment. Its recent models support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Upcoming models will be supporting HSDPA and WiMAX.

South Korea's Wibrain will integrate an HSDPA module into its future releases. The company will also use 80GB SSD to reduce heat, noise and vibration.

Raon includes WLAN, WiBro, WiMAX, Bluetooth and HSDPA as optional features in its Everun UMPC.

The supply market, particularly in South Korea, could be divided into two directions: one emphasizing the mini laptop concept and the other MIDs. The former UMPCs will mainly be portable multimedia devices whose main functions center on gaming and multimedia playback. The latter type of UMPC will play up Internet capabilities.

The main attributes that differentiate UMPCs from other handheld devices, according to Intel, include applications supported, connectivity options and display size. UMPCs should be able to support office applications and tools, multimedia entertainment and wireless Internet access. The ideal UMPC screen size is about 7in.

Meanwhile, MIDs have OS and applications that are geared more for Web access and entertainment rather than productivity. Office applications may be basic or not present at all. The MID screen size is about 5in.

Other factors that distinguish the main UMPC category include adopted OS, built-in memory and input options. True UMPCs feature 'heavy' OSs such as Windows Vista or XP, or Linux-based counterparts. For built-in storage, there is a growing number of models adopting SSDs, although HDDs have also remained popular. In terms of input options, UMPCs feature QWERTY keyboards. Touchpads and/or touchscreens are also gaining traction.

In order to support the high-level applications that UMPCs should have, these devices require small-footprint silicon solutions that support high performance, albeit with low power consumption. In this market, Intel has been encountering stiff competition from Taiwan-based VIA, whose processors are said by makers in South Korea and Taiwan, as well as early UMPC adopters, to provide high value performance at competitive prices. ARM and AMD also have entries in the product line. However, ARM's UMPC-compatible solutions tend to be identified more with multifunction mobile phones and MIDs, while AMD has not been as aggressive in the category.

UMPC manufacturers expect category growth in the coming months to be driven by the industry-wide momentum that is building up under the influence of processor makers' innovations.

Taiwan's UMPC supply market experienced a key movement since the products came out in 2006. From a single high-end cluster of devices priced at about $900 each, there emerged two segments, with entry-level devices priced less than $200 and high-end models staying in the $700 to $900 range.

Entry-level UMPCs are mainly targeted at the education market, influenced in part by trends set by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. To some extent, the lines differentiating UMPCs and small laptops are blurry in this category. For instance, the lower-priced Asus Eee, which is being tagged as a 'subnotebook' PC, shares some characteristics with devices being marketed by other makers as UMPCs.

Some Taiwan makers prefer not to identify the so-called entry-level UMPCs as UMPCs—to make it clear that UMPCs are supposed to be powerful devices aimed at productivity. They agree that the threshold for devices to qualify as UMPCs ought to be at $500 per unit.

As of Q1 2008, South Korea UMPC selling prices ranged from $600 to $1,000 per unit. UMPC models from small- and medium-scale companies were offered at about $600 each, while high-end models from major brand owners were available at prices exceeding $1,000 per unit.