As a road warrior, I'm always interested in reducing the baggage I carry with me on trips. I've left my laptop at home and tried doing everything with Windows Mobile devices. So far, the best experience I've had, without a laptop, has been with a Pocket PC Phone Edition.

The key to on-the-road success is having a small, powerful, and connected device. For good connectivity, you need a device with integrated Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a wireless phone with high-speed data capability (preferably, EV-DO). So when I heard about Microsoft's new Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), I got excited. Early reports about the new device, Code named Origami, were full of hype; it was touted as go-anywhere technology that would replace Tablet PCs, Pocket PCs, MP3/media players, and portable storage devices.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the Samsung Q1, one of the first of this new breed. I was eager to find out if it lived up to all the hype and if I'd really want to replace my Pocket PC with it.

UMPC vs. Tablet PC

The Samsung Q1 (http://product.samsung.com/m...) resembles a small slate model Tablet PC; it shares similar features with a Tablet PC, but also has significant differences. Both are based on the Windows XP OS, and both are pen-entry devices with built-in handwriting recognition, allowing you to write on the display to enter text, and to touch the screen to control the device. However, the screen on a Tablet PC uses an electromagnetic digitizer which requires a special digital pendon't lose the pen! Like the Pocket PC, the UMPC has a true touch screen. You can use a standard stylus with it, a plastic pen top, or even your finger.

Tablet PCs usually have more internal memory and faster processors. The Fujitsu Stylistic shown in Fig.1 is an example of a slate-style Tablet PC. It and other slates do not have built-in keyboards, but most have optional external keyboards that attach to the slate directly or via a docking station. The docking station may also add more connectivity ports, CD/DVD drives, and other features. The more useful Tablet PCs come with a built-in keyboard, swivel screen, and CD drive, like the Toshiba Tablet PC, also shown in Fig. 1.

The UMPC is a new device category, and the Samsung Q1 is the first such device to be released. Few accessories are currently available for the device, but Samsung does offer an external keyboard, a CD/DVD drive, and a high-capacity battery for the device (Fig 2).

In addition to more memory, a faster processor, and more built-in hardware features, Tablet PCs have a larger and more readable screen than the UMPC. However, the larger screen and built-in hardware features mean that Tablets are larger and heavier then the UMPC, making the Tablet less portable.

Text entry and control using the UMPC's touch screen

I have had a standard Tablet PC for a while and am accustomed to using a digital pen for inputting text. One of the big advantages of the Tablet's screen is that it only senses where the tip of the digital pen is. You can rest your hand on the screen and drag it across the screen as you write. The screen ignores your hand and only sees the tip of the pen.

When I tried writing on the Q1's screen, I was startled to see all kinds of jagged lines appear. I actually thought I had broken the screen until I realized the fireworks were a function of the touch screen. When any part of my hand touched it, the Q1 tried to interpret it as input. This made the handwriting recognition feature almost useless to me. Try writing without touching the paperit's almost impossible! Because of the problem I had with the touch screen, I strongly recommend getting an external keyboard for text entry. (You don't encounter this problem with the Pocket PC because the screen is so small, it's almost impossible to rest your hand on it while you're writing.)

I tested my ThinkOutside Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard with the Q1. At first, I was concerned that there were no Q1-specific drivers on the developer's Web site (http://www.thinkoutside.com/...). But the Q1 is based on Windows XP and the drivers included with the OS proved sufficient. I fired up the Bluetooth client on the Q1, paired the two devices, and the keyboard worked like a charm. (I wrote this article on the Q1 using the Stowaway BT keyboard.) I also tested the full-size Bluetooth keyboard I use with my desktop PC. It worked superbly with the Q1, but it's a little large to take with me on trips.

A couple of days later I received Samsung's Q1 keyboard and optical drive to test. The keyboard is slim and lightweight yet has full-size keys making it easy to use. It also has a joystick in the middle of the keyboard for easy navigation that obviates the need for the mouse.

In addition to handwriting recognition, the Q1 has two other input methods built in. The first is an on-screen keyboard much like the soft keyboard found on the Pocket PC, but much larger (Fig. 3). The size of the soft keyboard is a mixed blessing. Sure, it's easier to hit the larger keys. But in landscape viewing mode the keyboard is so large that it becomes a chore to move your stylus or finger between keys.

The other input method is the innovative DialKey. When activated, this feature displays translucent semicircular soft keyboards in the lower left and right corners of the screen (Fig. 4). I found it awkward to use, but didn't spend time trying to master it. With practice, it could be faster than tapping on the larger full-screen soft keyboard.

If all you want to do it is send IMs, SMSs, and very short e-mails, the built-in text entry features will probably suffice. Otherwise, get a portable BT keyboard or Samsung's optional portable keyboard with special Q1 features. Unfortunately, it doesn't fold up for travel like the Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard.

There are two ways to launch applications and activate menus on the Q1. The first is to use a stylus or your fingers to tap on the touch screen. I found tapping on the screen to be a bit imprecise, even when the screen was properly calibrated. This was especially so when selecting items on the diminutive drop-down menus. The device also has a navigation pad on the left of the display, similar to the one found on the Pocket PC. You have to use it in conjunction with two other hardware buttons for full functionality, and I found it slow and frustrating to use. If you are going to use the Q1 on a stable surface, it's far better to use a mouse instead. I plugged my WOW Pen Mouse into the USB port; this yielded precise navigation and selection (http://www.wow-pen.com).

Free PC programs augment a limited set of built-in applications

Unlike the Pocket PC, the Q1 has a limited suite of built-in applications. In addition to the OS, you get PC versions of Internet Explorer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Windows Media Player, MSN Messenger, AVS Now, Sticky Notes, Windows Journal, a few games, a program launcher, and a trial version of Norton Antivirus. It lacks Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Since the Q1 is powered by Windows XP, you can install the more feature-rich versions of Word and Excel on the device. In fact, almost any PC application will work on the device. Of course, you have to pay extra for these applications. Since I didn't want to do that, I decided to give the free version of Open Office a try (http://www.openoffice.org). It not only worked superbly, it had functional and compatible equivalents of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Open Office includes a database and some graphics programs as well. With Open Office and an external keyboard, the Q1 became a very practical device.

The display: pros and cons

The default resolution of the Q1's seven-inch touch screen is 800x480 pixels. Although this renders graphics and text sharp and clear, it also cuts off command buttons in some instances. To make sure you can view everything, you need to change the screen to one of the two higher resolution settings. This is accomplished by pushing the button immediately below the navigation pad. Of these two, 800x600 is the better setting1024x800 can cause the text to appear small and blurry.

The screen is hard to see in direct sunlight (you may as well be staring at a blackboard), undercutting the go anywhere concept of the device. Fortunately, a little shade remedies the situation. I also had a mixed Web browsing experience because of the display. On the Pocket PC, you can configure Internet Explorer Mobile to display a Web page in one column mode, eliminating the need to scroll from side to side. Unfortunately, the PC version of Internet Explorer does not have this capability. Web browsing on the Q1 in landscape mode is fairly easy. But you end up doing a fair amount of side-to-side scrolling in portrait mode,

I had no problem reading eBooks on the Q1, at least not with MobiPocket Reader (http://www.mobipocket.com), my favorite eBook reader program. It formats the text to display properly on the available screen size, no matter what font type or size you are using. It worked well in landscape and portrait viewing modes. I see great promise for the Q1 as an eBook reader. If it were not so expensive, I would promote it at library conventions all over the country, and encourage Samsung to advertise it in library journals, and stock it in college bookstores.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, but no built-in phone

According to the Origami rumor mill, the Q1 and other UMPCs were supposed to have cell phone capability built into them. The Q1 doesn't, but it does have built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I decided to test the Q1's VoIP capability over a broadband Wi-Fi connection using Skype (http://www.skype.com). The Q1 had no difficulty finding and quickly connecting to my Wi-Fi network, and Skype worked like a charm. The sound quality, both incoming and outgoing, was as clear as a landline.

I tested the Q1's Bluetooth capability in a number of ways. First, I paired my Plantronics P590 Bluetooth headset (http://www.plantronics.com) with the Q1 and listened to a music CD playing on the Q1's optional external CD/DVD drive. Everything functioned fine and the sound quality was exceptional. I also had no problem using a Motorola H500 headset (http://promo.motorola.com/bl...) for a VoIP chat. I also synced my Treo 700w (http://www.palm.com) with the Q1 via Bluetooth and was surprised at how quickly and how well it worked. The 700w works with Verizon's EV-DO high-speed data network. My final test was to connect the Q1 to the Treo 700w and use the phone as a Bluetooth modem to connect to the Web. This also connected easily and while faster than dialup, EV-DO is still slower than a Wi-Fi connection.

Unlike the Pocket PC, the Q1 (and presumably other UMPCs) lacks an infrared port. That means you won't be able to beam business cards and files to other devices, or to use infrared keyboards with it. Fortunately, Bluetooth supports those functions.

A great portable media device

The Q1 comes with the latest PC version of Windows Media Player built into it, and the AVS application pre-installed on the device allows you to play media without having to boot the system, which reduces the drain on your battery. I used Media Player in conjunction with Internet Explorer to listen to several streaming radio stations over the built-in speakers. The quality was acceptable and there was enough, but not a lot of volume available. The Bluetooth headphones produced a much better experience, and I thought I was in an acoustic chamber when I connected the Q1 to Logitech's new flat-panel mm28 Portable Speakers (http://www.logitech.com).

Next, I tested the presentation capabilities of the Q1. I transferred a PowerPoint presentation to the device via CF card, connected my video projector to the Q1's VGA-out port, and opened the PowerPoint file using the Open Office clone I had installed. Everything worked fine. Tipping the scales at 1.5 pounds, the Q1 is a much more portable presentation solution than a laptop PC, and the resolution is better than is possible on a Pocket PC. You can also write more easily on the screen, allowing for easy annotation of a projected slide.

That brings up another matter. I wonder why Samsung chose to equip the Q1 with a single CF slot instead of CF and SD slots. SD cards are more prevalent these days and have become the de facto standard for Pocket PCs and digital cameras. I keep most of my music, video, images, and document files on SD cards and can't use them on the Q1 without a card reader. Future versions should have an SD slot.

Finally, to test the video characteristics of the device, I downloaded a movie from Vongo.com and viewed it using Windows Media Player. Windows Media provides an array of controls for setting video screen definition, and I enjoyed watching the movie in full-screen mode without any problems. You can do the same with video DVDs, but that requires the optional and somewhat bulky external drive. It's better to download the movies you want to the device and forego the external drive. Of course, you can download movies to a Pocket PC or Smartphone and view them using Media Player Mobile or a third-party application. But the screens are way too small for extended viewing. All things considered, the Q1 is a great portable video device.

Will the UMPC replace the Pocket PC?

The Q1 or another UMPC could be great for students, traveling businessmen, and perhaps lawyers in court. However, the problem I described with the touch screen will limit its usefulness as a stand alone note taker, and I highly recommend an external keyboard for extended text entry. The Q1/keyboard combination should make it a good traveling companion.

I have grown fond of the Q1 and consider it a resourceful and useful companion. I appreciate its presence on my desk; it offers a quick way to access the Web, and I enjoy using it in the shade in my Japanese garden, for work and pleasure. I take it to bed with me at night so that I can read the local paper online while I'm listening to Sirius satellite radio. I use it as a culinary companion and keep in on the kitchen counter when I cook; it lets me look up recipes online and add to my shopping list. And whenever I'm close to a Wi-Fi Internet connection, I use it to make free VoIP phone calls. It seems that I find new uses for it every day.

Will the UMPC replace Tablet PCs, media players, portable storage devices, and most importantly to readers of this magazine, the Pocket PC? The Samsung Q1 provides many of the capabilities found in these devices. However, it's larger and less portable than MP3 players and the Pocket PC. Instead of slipping something into your pocket, you'll need a briefcase or a tote bag of some sort, and that starts to sound like you're carrying and planning for a laptop. The combination of power and portability will, in my opinion, assure the longevity of the Pocket PC in some form, probably as a converged device with PDA and phone capabilities. As usual, the final decision will be made by consumers everywhere.

Spec Sheet

Model: Samsung Q1 Ultra-Mobile PC
Price: $1,099.99
Contact:http://product.samsung.com/m...

Hardware

CPU: 900 MHz Intel Celeron M ULV
Display: 7" diagonal WVGA color touch screen with adjustable resolutions (800 X 480, 800 X 600, 1024X600)
Graphics support: 915 GMS, Intel GMA900 (128MB)
Memory: 512 MB SODIMM DDR2 400 MHz (upgradeable to 1 GB); internal 40 GB hard drive
Input and Control: Pen entry with handwriting recognition, soft keyboard, DialKey soft thumb keyboard, 8-direction navigation pad, screen resolution toggle button, Enter & Menu buttons, 4 user keys
Built-in wireless: Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), Bluetooth v2.0
External ports: Two USB 2.0 ports, audio jack, VGA out, DC (power) in, 10/100 Base-TX Ethernet port
Card slots: One Type II CF
Battery: L-Ion removable / rechargeable (mfg. est. up to 3.5 hrs use)
Dimensions/weight: 8.96 x 5.49 x 0.97 inches (22.8 x 12.9 x 2.5 cm); 1.7 lb (0.77 k)
In the package: Q1, data sync cable, carrying pouch, stylus, user manuals.
Optional accessories: External cabled keyboard, external CD/DVD drive, organizer/carrying case, auto adapter, Power Bank (extended capacity external battery).

Software

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005
Application and utilities: BUILT-IN from Microsoft: OS, Tablet PC versions of Internet Explorer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Windows Media Player, MSN Messenger, AVS Now, Sticky Notes, Windows Journal, a program launcher. USER INSTALLABLE: Trial version of Norton Antivirus.
Comments: Small device lets you bring Windows XP capability with you wherever you go; a bit expensive; recommend external keyboard.