Paul Allen's Vulcan Mini-PC

[Ed Hansberry]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/103340_vulcan09.shtml' target='_blank'>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busin..._vulcan09.shtml</a><br /><br /></div>Here is another interesting device from CES this week. "A hitherto unknown group within multibillionaire Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. techno-empire has designed a compact, lightweight, wireless computer that is expected to debut by Christmas for between $1,200 and $1,500."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2003/20030110-vulcan.jpg" /><br /><br />It runs Windows XP. Now this is a device I would want. I have never seen the interest in the OQO. Too big to be a PDA, to small to be a work machine. The Vulcan though is the ultimate mini-PC. Specs include:<br /><br />• 5.8-inch screen at 800X400<br />• 20GB drive<br />• Support for external keyboard and mouse<br />• Batteries last for up to four hours<br />• USB 2 port with external CD-ROM<br />• WiFi or one of two cellular technologies integrated at the choice of the OEM.<br /><br />Lets hope this comes to market and we aren't sitting here in 2004 going "Remember the Vulcan? Yeah, that was cool." :D

[Busdriver]

Wow. Looks to be about the size of the HP200LX. This is something I would really be interested in.

[Delta737]

Totally agree with you. This is a VERY interesting device. Would have liked it earlier though (or should it have been in the store around X-mas 2002???)

[bcre8v2]

Yup... a PowerPDA.. that would be nice.
How about XP loaded into ROM (robust) reading configuration settings and drivers from the 20GB HD.
I can't forget about S-video outputs and Dolby support.

This would be my multimedia centerpiece!! :multi:

[isrjt]

That is one pathetic keyboard, This would be an acceptable device if the keyboard mimiced the psion or jornada where you could actually type.

I agree with the ROM issue. The instant on feature is so powerful - that feature will be missed with the rumored demise of the 728.

[Janak Parekh]

Too bad it's coming out in about a year (Christmastime)... :cry:

--janak

[topps]

...and the Toshiba Libretto was such a hit?

Sorry...while this looks initially fascinating and attractive, I'm afraid it falls between two stools in terms of size...not big enough to do useful work. Not small enough to be pocketable. Will fall into the same niche market as the Libretto. Useful to a few people but not the right form factor to ever be more than that.

[T-Will]

8O *DROOL*

But what's with the crappy keyboard?

[Jason Dunn]

Looks like a very interesting device, especially with built-in GPRS and WiFi (I assume they can do two at once), but the screen resolution? 800 x 400? Seems a little low to me. Of course the reason why they couldn't make it 1600 x 400 is that Windows XP isn't resolution independant. Wait...I feel a rant coming on... :2gunfire:

[bblock]

C'mon, Jason - let's hear it!

[T-Will]

I use an Intermec 6651 Handheld PC which has 800x400 res and web sites show up fine, I almost never have to horizontally scroll.

What's it mean that XP isn't resolution independent?

[guinness]

I'm sorry, but I just see this large PDA/super small notebook dying a slow death. For $!200-1500 you could get a full-fleged laptop with at least a 14" screen and 20 gig hd and CD-RW.

[Perry Reed]

Nice idea, horrible keyboard.

[Gen-M]

It's another Reference Design. :roll:

They are looking for someone(s) to build a version of this.

Just like OQO :evil:

Doesn't anyone build their own designs anymore????? 8O

[disconnected]

Can it be produced as a tablet? I'd be more likely to buy it that way.

[Kati Compton]

That is one pathetic keyboard, This would be an acceptable device if the keyboard mimiced the psion or jornada where you could actually type.

I agree. What's with all that space between keys that could have been used to make the keys bigger?

"Up to 4 hours battery"? Hmmm.... I suppose there's not much room for a big battery. It doesn't say what type of processor is expected. I wonder how much time you get out of the battery with brightness up all the way while accessing a CDROM drive through the USB port....

[RickP in AZ]

I think that the idea certainly has some merit but the chicklet style keyboard should be real keys as others have stated.

One of my greatest gripes about the subnote computers is the lack of efficient use of screen size. In this the Mini-PC hits a home run and they use o standard ports and hardware is one of those obvious wide choices but...

I'm still holding out for something on the order of IBM's Metapad concept but with an automatically adaptable OS. A box, slightly bigger than a standard PPC with it's own 4" screen. Slide the box into a docking station and it becomes your desktop computer, slide it into another casing and it is your laptop. One computer, several functions... But the Windows interface just isn't the best for use as a PDA so the OS would need to detect what mode the device is being used in. In "PDA Mode" it will launch a simplified version of the OS (a Pocket PC variant) allowing easy access to Contacts, Appointments, and files but when it is attached to the desktop dock or the laptop casing it instantly switches to a full fledged OS as you will have access to a larger screen, keyboard, and mouse pointer.

But hey, that's just my little fantasy world... it is getting close though:
http://www.antelopetech.com/apps.html

[toshtoshtosh]

If they used a type of expandable keyboard as seen in that "top secret" HP video, this would be so much cooler/more useful.

[JamesM]

The instant on feature is so powerful - that feature will be missed with the rumored demise of the 728.

What rumored demise of the 728? Please post a reference. Thanks,
- JamesM

[JamesM]

Never mind. Found it:

http://jornada720club.blogspot.com/

Pity....
- JamesM

[toshtoshtosh]

The instant on feature is so powerful - that feature will be missed with the rumored demise of the 728.

What rumored demise of the 728? Please post a reference. Thanks,
- JamesM

We can always hope that HP is doing this because they are getting ready to release its replacement (the ipaq lookalike with full expandable keyboard) :).

[RickP in AZ]

toshtoshtosh

Now that is a very intriguing theory... One can only hope... But my bet is that that particular design is no where near productions yet.

[Venturello]

"Up to 4 hours battery"? Hmmm.... I suppose there's not much room for a big battery. It doesn't say what type of processor is expected. I wonder how much time you get out of the battery with brightness up all the way while accessing a CDROM drive through the USB port....

Actually, 4 hours for a laptop is quite good. Remember, this is not a solid-state pocket pc, but a real PC, with a real big-laptop CPU, high res shiny screen and a spinning hard drive.

[Daniel]

It think it looks pretty interesting, would be nice if the "reference" ideas ever got released though.

Daniel

[Jonathon Watkins]

We can always hope that HP is doing this because they are getting ready to release its replacement (the ipaq lookalike with full expandable keyboard) :).

I hope so - I really hope so. :?

[vincentsiaw]

if they have a good graphic card, lest say 128 meg ddr ram, i might scrap my vaio for those!!!!

[klinux]

Like the Sony PCG-U3 (http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-U3/index.html)... Of course we'll never see this here in North America. :(

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-U3/Images/index_intro.jpg

[Kati Compton]

Actually, 4 hours for a laptop is quite good. Remember, this is not a solid-state pocket pc, but a real PC, with a real big-laptop CPU, high res shiny screen and a spinning hard drive.

I'd say 4 hours of real usage is quite good. But when companies say "up to X hours" in their advertisements, it's usually far less.

I realize it's supposed to be a "real" laptop, but on the other hand they are really targetting somewhere in between, something you could carry with you more often (and therefore use more frequently) than a laptop. As such, it really might need a little more battery life for practical use.

[thogsett]

the Vaio can be found here.
www.dynamism.com/index.shtml[/url]

[RickP in AZ]

Like the Sony PCG-U3 (http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-U3/index.html)... Of course we'll never see this here in North America. :(

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-U3/Images/index_intro.jpg

Wewaggg'z0f9q4tqgra'

(Oops! I do believe that I just shorted out my MS Natural Keyboard from the fountain of drool...)

Dynamism.com is a truly wonderul company! God(dess) bless them for all that they offer to us poor, deprived techies on this side of the Pacific...

[Jonathan1]

Wewaggg'z0f9q4tqgra'

(Oops! I do believe that I just shorted out my MS Natural Keyboard from the fountain of drool...)

Dynamism.com is a truly wonderul company! God(dess) bless them for all that they offer to us poor, deprived techies on this side of the Pacific...

Richard, are you the spawn of Satan? :wink: Only someone truly evil would point us to a site where you can buy one of these suckers. Oops there goes another 2 grand… :D

[Jonathan1]

As for the Vulcan Mini-PC. *shrugs* What's the big deal? Toshiba has had sub notebooks for years. The Sony Picturebooks are a thing of beauty. There are other that I can't think of off the top of my head but the point being is that this is nothing new.

[sponge]

800 x 400?

I'm quite tempted to say those 200 pixels will be the death of the device.

[Kati Compton]

Hey - while we're talking about this particular item, does anyone know of a good site that's dedicated to and has a lot of info on sub-notebooks and the like?

[Terry]

Live long and prosper!

[pjtrader]

If you read the article, one of the better features is this:

"And the Mini-PC is far smaller than a conventional laptop computer -- about the size of a paperback book, 1 inch thick and weighing about a pound. Compared with the Sony VAIO U1, a small laptop, it's less than half the size and about 60 percent of the weight, with about the same display size, Vulcan says."

As a road warrior who hates a computer laptop bag, I drooled over the Libretto, I drooled over the Picturebook, and I'll drool over this while while using my Fujitsu Lifebook P2110.

At least I like where the technology is going.

[24va]

Whether it is this device, tablet PC or some other ultra portable PC... WHY O' WHY CAN'T THEY PUT A WINCE OS (and another power button) IN IT AND UTILIZE THE INSTANT ON FEATURE OF THAT OS/PROCESSOR WHILE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LARGER SCREEN AND ALL THE OTHER INTRINSIC FEATURES OF AN ULTRA PORTABLE PC?!!!??

[Janak Parekh]

Whether it is this device, tablet PC or some other ultra portable PC... WHY O' WHY CAN'T THEY PUT A WINCE OS (and another power button) IN IT AND UTILIZE THE INSTANT ON FEATURE OF THAT OS/PROCESSOR WHILE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LARGER SCREEN AND ALL THE OTHER INTRINSIC FEATURES OF AN ULTRA PORTABLE PC?!!!??
The upcoming Samsung NEXIO has exactly that ability. So did the old Vadem Clie. Take a look at the "HPC dying" thread...

--janak

[troyrogers]

http://www.sharp.co.jp/products/slc700/index.html

Not quite a laptop, but cool nonetheless

But regarding Paul's machine, there are already PCs like this in Japan. Sony has been making them for several years now and they are only about 20% larger than Paul's computer.