My turn in the Meme Challenge

I first heard of the MEME challenge from JK’s Post here (and yes James, I have been taking a back seat during Christmas, but I’m back now). So when my NZ mate Craig Pringle looped me into the whole thing via this ping (which I admittedly caught via an ego surf) I couldn’t help but oblige.

So here goes; here are 5 things my readers may not know about me!

1. I was actually born in Argentina, and not Australia. I got to Australia with my parents at the ripe old age of 2.
2. I am extremely happily married with two kids. (one boy and one girl)
3. In 1995 I played semi-professional basketball for the Australian C.B.A and in 1994 I even represented Australia (Under 21’s Team) and Toured the United States playing College Teams which included CAL and UCLA Berkley (a total of 24 Games in 21 days).
4. In 1994 I took part in a Music Video clip in which we illegally stopped peak-hour traffic on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, jumped out of our cars, took off our shirts, had a dance while getting filmed by a helicopter and drove off. The idiocy irony was that when we drove off we all had to stop at the toll booths and pay the toll – this was a simple oversight that cost one of our friends a visit from the police later that afternoon.
5. I've worked for the United Nations (UNDP and UNV) in Post-war Kosovo 1999 – 2001. While there I setup refugee camps, child care centres and restored a Municipal Park in which I employed 100+ people for three months (including 20 Deaf and Mute) all under my guidance.

So there are my five facts, in no particular order, and with several omissions. LOL. Now I haven't followed this closely so if you have already joined into the challenge just point to your answers, otherwise here are the five bloggers I'd like to know more about:

• Dr. Neil Roodyn - drneil.blogspot.com
• Mitch Denny - NotGartner
• Long Zheng - istartedsomething
• Matt Propst - UMPC Toplist
• Gabriel Gonzalez - Chicken's Holy Place

Merry Christmas Everyone

A simple note to thank all the followers of the Ubertablet Blog; Wishing you a Merry Christmas with Family and Friends. May this post find you well and full of high spirit and surrounded by the happiness you all deserve. I thank you for your support this year and for the enthusiasm you have all showed towards Tablet PC worldwide.

Keep up the great work, visit here often, and always post your thoughts and questions...this is your space, and your forum for Tablet related matters.

Cheers, Hugo

Another week, another UMPC and I

Hi Guys and Girls. Knowing that it’s been a while I thought I better catch you up. Not only did I get my ASUS R2H today, and my Samsung Q1 last week, but I also sold my T4210 Fujitsu in the readiness for my new T4215 Fujitsu next week! You should be so luck!

I’ve been hanging out a little with my good pal Dr. Neil; we even recorded two Dr. Neil’s Notes (Show 32, and Show 33). Given that we both carry Samsung Q1s then it isn’t hard to imagine the two shows are filled with UMPC related banter.

I’ve also been visiting friends at Microsoft and planning some January/February stuff, which I can’t disclose. With a bit of luck I will be able to let you all know soon as I have some big things planned for Australia and New Zealand. One of the Microsofties I like best is Mr. Jeff Alexander. He and I recently caught up at his newly renovated home where he showed me through his Windows Media Center enabled Casa. No less than three media Centers and an XBOX 360 as the cherry – stay tuned as Jeff and I will post a video soon.

So how am I doing as a full-time Ultra-Mobile PC-er? Good thanks. Not only have I not got a device to turn to other than the Q1 at this point (i.e. running my main apps) but I have chosen to barebone and go naked all the way. My mobile office now consists of a Samsung Q1 with Organizer Pack, while my Home Office consists of; you guessed it, the same Samsung Q1 with Organiser Pack! So how am I finding it?

I believe that the platform has a lot of merit. I am honestly a convertee and now more passionate than ever. One obvious bottleneck that I found in the technology is the lack of Processing Power, for my liking. Not only did I come off a Dual Core 1.83GHz Tablet to the Q1 but I went from 2GB of Ram to 512. I tried my best to keep it as “real” as possible to I am glad with the transition I have made, but I must admit I am missing the packet crunching power of the Dual Core device.

On a brighter note I am pleased with the screen size (surprisingly) and the portability (not so surprising). I am finding it a really nice platform for in-car computing and mobile-office working. By this I mean, in the car I can type on the keyboard, or fold the device back over the keyboard and ink as a normal slate. By mobile-office I am talking about actually pulling the device out, as opposed to leaving it in the car, and using it during a meeting. I have managed to do this much more often than I did with any laptop I owned, so this must be a good thing. The main reason for this change of practice would mostly come down to one thing, the ergonomics.

I like my UMPC in bed too. I am in bed now about to go to sleep and am planning a lot of videos for these next few weeks over the Christmas period. I will do my best to keep you informed and entertained. By the way, I received my R2H so I will posting a video really soon about all the UMPC, at once. I now have the EO V7110, the EO 7209 and 7210, the Samsung Q1 and Q1B and the ASUS R2H…keep your eyes glued.

First P1610s get delivered Downunder

It seems as though the wait is over and the Fujitsu P1610 LifeBook is on its way to happy homes. Not only will this mean lots of new Tableteers but it may also inspire someone to start blooging in ink too! Come'on Aussies, show the world what we got...anyone???

Here as some pictures of one of the shipments heading to Melbourne from the Tegatech Australia offices.

If you want one, did you read this, or see this?

The Wicked Ink Blot Awards

Chippy from CarryPad pinged me earlier this morning congratulating me on my Ink Blot Award (and reminded me of my almost fatal smash-and-grab)!

Not only did I not know I'd received the award but I didn't even know what it was for. Now the list is long and the Awards all well substantiated; so if you've got a minute head on over to Warner Crocker's "Life on the Wicked Stage" and check out this Years "Second Annual Life On The Wicked Stage Ink Blot Awards."

By the way, my Award is:

Most Prolific and On the Edge Down Under Tableteer that Microsoft Should Clone and Use for Evangelism: Hugo Ortega

And we even got the front page of Techmeme too!

Ultra-Mobile PC makes it on Television Australia

Cyber Shack s02 e02

This episode of Cybershack is probably the closest we’ve been to mass market exposure for Ultra-Mobile PC, other than the Hannover Fair launch. Obviously you’ve been following the Australian Space if you follow this blog, and you therefore know that we’re pretty passionate and very proactive down here. This time however Free-to-Air Television takes Microsoft’s Origami Project, and little Otto Berkes brainchild, to a whole new level! The Channel is Channel 10 Australia, and the show Cybershack airs on Monday night's at 11:15pm.

What’s my involvement?

Well it turns out that some of the folks at Cybershack were also readers of my blog. They asked me for some devices to which I happily oblidged. All I did was get some people, to talk to their people, and send other people some UMPC. You'll note that the array is small because the episode was probably filmed 8 weeks ago, at which point not even Tegatech had more that 2 UMPC available Downunder.

After watching this for the 5th time I just realised that Cybershack put the UberTablet Blog on Television as a reference for the Australian market to visit…wow…cool! Thanks Channel 10. I wonder how many bloggers can say that their blog has been promoted on Television? Maybe Rove will ask me on his show soon…Rove??? (sorry to hear about Belinda mate)

So without further delay here is the episode:

• View the Cybershack Website here
• Download the .M4V file here
• Download my video in full here
• Subscribe to Cybershack Feed here, or TV Podcast here
• View it on MyYouTube

Another Hugo's Notes with Dr.Neil

Yesterday Dr. Neil Roodyn and I sat down and ripped another podcast. It's almost a habit now and locked in as part of our weekly routine. If we keep getting feedback and comments the way we have been it may well become irreversible- scary!

I must admit that this topic was fun and insightful for us both. The topic was nominated by Matt Propst on this thread on my blog, and as usual involved some banter and some conflict - in the name of the greater community. What I find amusing about these podcasts is just how naked you become, even a friend of mine comments on something I let slip.

So grab some of your favourite fairy bread and listen to our latest edition of Dr. Neil's Notes:

Dr. Neil's Notes 31

Welcome to Show 31 staring Hugo Ortega and Dr.Neil Roodyn

Welcome to another show:

• News!
• Organizer pack for Samsung Q1
• IE7 - Good for screen space - bad for memory

Applications on the UMPC:

• What do we like?
• Outlook! - Craig Pringle on Getting More from a small screen
• OneNote 2007
• Games - Spider Solitaire
• Castblaster
• E-Reader pro

What we would like to see:

• More lifestyle apps (here's a link to the Album recorded on a Cell Phone)
• Education based applications that use touch

Happy Coding!

Any other topics you would like us to discuss? This podcast was recorded on a Samsung Ultra Mobile PC with Castblaster

Carrypad does Pepperpad

Chippy has once again performed as expected - outstandingly. this time reviewing the Pepperpad device, unique in may ways, he has submitted thought and image that should keep you entertained for hours - or at least 10 minutes anyway.

The review starts with this comment "The Pepperpad 3 is your Google-life companion!" and ends there too "The Pepperpad is an absolute pleasure to use as a sofa or bed surfing device. As a 'Google-life' pad it works wonderfully and if this style of thin and web-based computing takes off,"

I always appreciate the efforts Chippy goes to so if you get a moment head on over a have a looksy! Here are some of the thoughts I liked:

Real-World performance.
In the world of browsing the web and listening to music you don't really need much in terms of performance. Because there is no heavy weight graphical windowing system, all the applications start and run just as fast as you might expect them. If the Pepperpad has many applications open, you do start to see some slowing down but this is rare.

Heat and noise.
This section is easy. No noise and only a little warming after extended use. (Watching a video for example.) Very very nice.

Security
Security is minimal on the Pepperpad because from a network point of view there is nothing to attack. Attacks through http pages should be very minimal and so I don't regard the lack of firewall or anti-virus solution as a risk.

Pepper support and community.
Here's an area the Pepper seem to have a good handle on. Their support process is very easy and pro-active. If you have a problem, you can submit a report via the Pepperpad itself or via a telephone hotline. Engineers and product managers always seem to be around in the Pepper forum too. Not only that but there are plenty of other users in the forum that are happy to help.

Permanent Mobile Tech Roundups (hyperlink)

Being part of Tablet PC in 2006 has been a true highlight. I've met new friends and learnt a lot - and shared a little too ;-)

I wanted to let you all know that I have placed a permanent link to the Mobile Tech Roundup gang: James Kendrick (Houston), Matt Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (Philadelphia). I just love what these guys do and I want to permanently recognize their efforts. Thank you boys!

Permanent Ink Shows (hyperlink)

I am very selective about who I link to and where I get inspiration; so I'll make this short. I have placed a permanent link to The Team and GottaBeMobile and specifically their Ink Shows. The link will now appear, forever more, under the "Sites Hugo follows".

Thank you WC, Rob B, Denis and Matt. Your efforts push me past my comfort zone, and open my eyes often! I'm a big fan...

Samsung Q1 Organiser Pack Strikes Back

I just love how much passion everyone has put into my Q1 vs.Q1b article. I expect that thread to grow, and if anything it will become highly resourceful leading up to more VIA based releases.

Tonight I want to give you an update that I only realized recently. Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to be given a Samsung Q1 by Samsung Australia, with the lovely inclusion of the Organizer Pack [USB Keyboard and Leather Organizer]. Admittedly I was not as enamored with the Q1 when I met it in July this year as I am today (more on that in another post).

Today I want to share a development that we all might have overlooked, and it’s not PCB specs, but rather about a BAG! It seems that Samsung is being highly proactive, so much so that they have already reworked their Organizer Pack. How do I know this? Well, Dr. Neil, my good mate, came home from Redmond earlier this year with a Samsung Q1 and Organizer Pack. Not only were we both immediately taken by the shear practicality of this combo, but the benefits of owning a UMPC were now starting to become very obvious too. The only thing it needed was good battery life!

Dr. Neil proceeded to pull out his 6-cell battery (nice) but we both realized that the Organizer Pack was poorly designed and could not even accept both Q1 and extended battery at the same time. At that moment in time, 5 months ago perhaps, the Organizer Pack (OP) had a fault in it that did not allow the Q1 with Extended battery to be docked at the same time – futile I know! What was the point!!! Both Neil and I lamented the experience and past it off as another fuck up learning opportunity for Samsung.

5-months later and I have sat with my 3-cell battery, Q1 and Organizer Pack for 2 weeks and lamented the fact that my 6-cell could not be used in conjunction with my OP. UNTIL, I try it, that is!

To my surprise, and sheepish shock, it actually does fit. I called Neil; we compared OPs, and realized that Samsung, as one of the most proactive UMPC hardware developers in the world, had realized their mistake and reworked the bag. So this has been a rather long-winded way of giving Samsung a pat-on-the-back. I felt it was important to point it out as the Organizer pack is one of the compelling reasons to get involved with UMPC today.

I chose to outline the benefits of the OP here, my mate James Kendrick pointed it out here, and Denis Rice cleverly saw what I saw many months ago – that the Q1 lacks the Cursor joystick – on this video, which by the way is a non issue now with the advent of the Organizer Pack. Interesting.

Photographic proof:


Q1 with New OP sporting 6 cell



Close up 6 cell nicely in new OP



OP with 3 cell



Dr. Neil's CD Carry Case Q1 Carry Case.

Linda Legend's List for Santa

Now many of you follow the Tablet PC MVPs with passion and vigor. On this occasion I'd ask that you follow on over to MVP Linda Epstein and view her TabletPc2.com 2006 List for Santa.

This is an annual event that Linda puts A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT INTO. Not only does she get all "Christmassy" but she also manages to keep the entire affair very "Geekish," and we all like that don't we!

So without further delay Linda Legend spreads Christmas Cheer here, Tablet PC cheer here, Ultra-Mobile PC cheer here, and much more:

Good Job Linda, so much effort, so great!

Q1 vs Q1B

When looks can deceive

Today I thought it important to define a "couple" of differences between the Samsung Q1 and the Samsung Q1b. At first glance they appear the same device with the later containing "b" generation benefits. While this holds true for a couple of the specifications it does not hold true for all. Because one of the most common questions I get asked at the moment is, "when will the Q1b become available Downunder?" I thought I'd help you all understand the differences.

So before we get too excited about Q1B lets look at the differences between the two...and it might interest you to know that the price should be "about" the same.

Processor:

Q1: Intel® Celeron® M ULV (900MHz)
Q1b: Via C7 ULV 1.0 GHz (Ultra Low Voltage) VIA Processor (Slightly faster than above, and slightly better battery life) [Update 28.Nov.2006: VIA Processor is in fact slower that the Intel Celeron. See comments below for more info.]

The Screen:

Q1: 7" WVGA Touch Screen
Q1b: 7" WVGA Touch Screen (280 nits, 800 X 480) (Brighter Screen)

Chipset & Graphics:

Q1: 915 GMS Intel, GMA900 (128MB)
Q1b: VX700 Integrated (I'm not sure on the technical difference here, anyone???) [Update 28.Nov.2006: C/O Long Zheng, VX700 here]

The Speakers:

Q1: 2 Stereo Speakers (4w total), H/P out, Array Microphone and SRS Sound
Q1b: One Mono speaker (2W total), H/P out, and SRS Sound (Ouch...yuk)

Connectivity:

Q1: 802.11 b/g, 10/100 Base-TX Ethernet, Bluetooth® v2.0,USB 2.0 Data cable
Q1b: 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth® v2.0 (NO ETHERNET)

I/O Ports:

Q1: 2 USB (USB 2.0), 1 Type II CF card, H/P Jack, VGA, DC-In
Q1b: 2 USB (USB 2.0), H/P Jack, VGA, DC-In (No CF Slot)*

Optical Drive:

Q1: Nothing
Q1b: (Included)

• 3 External Drive choices w/Power DVD and Nero Express Software included
  24x CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
  Ultra-thin 24x CD-RW/DVD Drive
  Super-Multi 8x DVD+/-RW Drive

Keyboard:

Q1: Nothing
Q1b: (Included)

• Keyboard
  Ultra-thin notebook-style
  With mouse "pointing stick" and left/right mouse buttons built-in
  

*The CF (Compact Flash) Slot in Australia will be (hopefully) replaced by a HSDPA (i.e. Next G) enabled card...COOL!

By the way, this post was proudly brought to you by my shiny new Q1 with Organiser Pack!!!

EO one minute, gone the next

FedEX man came today and left these; shame they were gone 45 minutes later. Atleast he is back again tomorrow.

Since pictures speak louder than words, enjoy this:

TabletKiosk EO i7210

Australia's Tablet Guy week in review

This week has been more fun than usual, i.e. funner!

With the first deliveries going out of the Samsung Q1 it was nothing but happy happy all round. It seems that Aussies were so excited about the arrival that they even drove from hours away to come in a pick up their orders. I was lucky enough to be around for some of these handovers and took a quick photo of one of the packages.

Later in the week ASUS announced the R2H and R1F in Australia and again I was able get a look, and spend a few hours with, the new little UMPC. In Australia it turns out that GPS, fingerprint and Camera were standard as usual but the package also seemed to contain a foldable Bluetooth Keyboard and External DVD RW too. From what I know the initial orders came in thick and fast and now the “happy-to-be” customers sit and wait for the first week of December to clock over for deliveries.

On Thursday I had a great meeting with one of the leading Media Groups in the country and performed my “Australian Tablet Guy.” What they needed was UMPC info, and what I provided was just that. It tirns out they were quite lucky as I had 3 out of the world’s 4 UMPC available, i.e. EO V7110, i7210 and the Samsung Q1. Not only were they very pleased but they received quite the information overload” that day too. If you’re interested here is a little copy of something I prepared for them – obviously missing all the juicy details. Let me know if you need something like this done for your people?

Well now I’m finishing off some pancakes for my son an beautiful wife, and I’m going to go join my son (who is on the TC1100) with my new Samsung Q1 with Organiser Pack. Luv ya later!

Another Dr. Neil's Notes with me (AUDIO)

Dr. Neil's Notes 30

Welcome to Show 30
Staring Hugo Ortega

What is cool about Windows Vista?

• Start menu search
• Programs grouped in Start menu
• Sync Center - Dr. Neil's webcast next week
• Better TIP
• Flicks
• Splash dots when pen down
• Vista on UMPC

Happy Coding!Any other topics you would like us to discuss?

This podcast was recorded on a Samsung Ultra Mobile PC with Castblaster

ASUS R2H & R1F now available in Australia

I think this post will create some real excitement Downunder. Not only has Australia officially announced the release of the ASUS R2H Ultra Mobile PC, and the R1F Convertible Tablet, via Tegatech Australia, but the specs look pretty good too.

Given the maturity of the IT market in Australia and New Zealand it comes as no surprise that ASUS has held nothing back. The package Downunder includes all the usual International specifications but also the Bluetooth Keyboard and an External DVD RW. Interestingly it is one hundred dollars cheaper than the TabletKiosk i7210 so it will be interesting to see how this affects overall UMPC takeup. It looks as though it will ship with the smaller battery here, no sign of he "big battery" my friends in USA have blogged about.

I know many of you were almost waiting for this announcement like little kids at Christmas time - so without further delay head on over to the Tegatech Australia website and have a look! Apparently this solidifies Tegatech as the only Company in the Southern Hemisphere officially entitled to wholesale all the Microsoft Origami Devices.

I had a play with the device recently and just loved the "all-in-one" concept. I didn't try out the GPS, or the camera but I did try the handwriting abilites and loved it. It seemed like a heavier device than some others but overall the quality is awesome.

Related Links:

• Official Press Release
• R2H UMPC
• R1F Convertible Tablet PC
• Tegatech UMPC Range
• R2H Unboxing Videos (Aussies also get a keyboard and DVD RW)
• Matt Faulkner R2H Video
• Chippy specs and links
• What's in the box? (Aussies also get a keyboard and DVD RW)
• Nice group of photos

UMPC gets 3G, sorta

With all the PCMCIA-less UMPC floating around the marketplace it was somewhat inevitable that the big Telcos would come to the party and provide a USB solution. So far we have seen a various USB to PCMCIA cards of which most rate very poorly, here is a list of a few a friend of mine found:

• Two cards proven to have "some" success
• Another contender
• Or, type PCMCIA into this website's search box

If that's not enough how about pairing your phone, and using it as a modem?

It seems the frutopia we're all looking for still alludes - or does it? Now some of you may have seen this but, as usual, I'm keen know your thoughts. Vodafone Australia has released a USB 3G Modem!!! No longer do we need to buy a PCMCIA modem, and a futile USB adapter. Now we have an all-in-one solution from one of the world's biggest providers. I know James Kendrick follows these developments very closely so I'm interested if James has something equivalent in the US of A??? Maybe my man Chippy can tell us about it in Europe?

Here are the details of the Aussie aproved card:

Technical specifications

• 3G broadband with a maximum download rate of 3.6Mbps and upload rate of 384kbps
• 3G with a maximum download rate of 384kbps and upload rate of 128kbps
• GPRS with a maximum download rate of 49kbps
• 3G broadband/3G 2100MHz
• GPRS 900/1800/1900MHz
• Internal antenna
• Weight <>
• Dimensions 89 mm (D) x 43 mm (W) x 14.5mm (H)
  

System requirements
PC User

• A PC with Windows 2000 or Windows XP
• 1 x USB port. USB 2.0 recommended
• At least 100Mb free disk space and 128Mb RAM Apple Mac
  

PowerBook G4

• Mac OS X 10.2.6 or higher
• Mac OS X 10.4.3 recommended
• 1 x USB port. USB 2.0 recommended

So, is the future in a dongle transferable from device to device? Or is everyone swaying to embedded sim card slots in our Mobile pcs? Maybe this is good enough, if not better??? Over to you.

Windows Embedded Technical Seminar

If you're a developer, and real one at that, why don't you attend this upocoming event hosting by our friends in the Microsoft Building. Not only will there be the latest and greates information - straigth from the source - but you can also go into the draw to win a Toshiba Gigabeat S60!

The date: Tuesday 28th
Where: Micrsoft Head Office, North Ryde, Sydney
Why: Becasue you love it!

More details:

Windows Embedded Technical Seminar

Microsoft is hosting another Windows Embedded focused technical seminar in Sydney at the Microsoft office on Tuesday, November 28, and then in Auckland on Thursday November 30.
Come and hear directly from Microsoft system engineers about what’s new in Windows Embedded CE 6.0 (Microsoft’s hard realtime operating system), the enhancements to Windows XP Embedded in Feature Pack 2007, what can be achieve in retail and hospitality devices with Windows Embedded for Point of Service, and finally the latest updates on the Specialised Server family for Embedded Server devices, such as Windows Storage Server.

If you work in the

• development of Embedded systems
• application development for POS, Kiosks
• or are looking to build devices based on the Windows Embedded family of products

then this is an event you should attend.

For more information and to register for the
Sydney event: click here
Auckland event: click here

For more info: Don Kerr

24 hours with a P1610 Tablet PC

Need I say more

Rob Bushway, of Team GottaBe, has done a thorough job of the new Fujitsu P1610. Since pricing was released last night for the device in Australia (and orders have already been taken) then I thought it only apropriate to let you all see the video (Ink Show as they call it). Well done Rob.

From Rob:

Well, it has been 24 hours since I received the Fujitsu P1610 Tablet PC, and I have to say I'm very, very pleased with it.
I'm working on an InkShow that should be up sometime this weekend, so I'm hoping this article will answer a few questions folks have until I can get that video shot. For a quick "First Looks" at the P1610, take a look at this InkShow I shot last week while at Mobile Connections. That InkShow and this article should keep you satisified for just a little while. By the way, all the pictures on this article can be clicked to view the larger image.

read more

Linda Legend has First Look X60

Lenovo Thinkpad X60 Tablet PC

Lenovo must be one of the few manufacturers that understand that “bloggers are the future.” No only did they give the team at GBM a first look at the new Lenovo X610 tablet, but on this occasion they’ve gone for the feminine touch too.

My mate Linda Epstein is at it again. This time with the Lenovo X60 she once again does a great job of showing off, and teasing us, with her thoughts on the new X60 device. If you’re a fan of Lenovo (or IBM for that matter) then I think you’ll be pleasantly suporised. I can just hear the bean-counters in Government and Education departments firing up the PO machine!

If you don’t know Linda, she’s the one with the Skier on her desktop (what’s that about Linda?) and also a fellow Microsoft MVP [Linda A. Epstein: Windows - Tablet PC].

Full review here

Linda is also one of Santa's little helpers. Linda, take it away: "The List for Santa is an Annual feature on my site, the link to TabletPc2.com's 2005 "List for Santa" is http://www.tabletpc2.com/ListForSanta2005.htm" 2006 list out soon.

The Chalice on sale Downunder

Unquestionably, this is one of the most exciting announcements I’ve blogged all year. Apart from the release of the Ultra Mobile PC at the start of this year it seems that Fujitsu’s P1610, once codenamed The Chalice, has been the most commented topic on my blog thereafter. Interestingly my original video (the world’s first look at the P1610) has 61 comments on it, and, even the blog post letting everyone know that the Video was back up (after Fujitsu asked me to pull it down) has 19 comments.

SO without further ague Tegatech Australia would like everyone to know that the Fujitsu LifeBook P1610, and the Fujitsu LifeBook T4215 are now on sale in Australia, and will be deliverable by the end of this month!


P1610 Improvements (View Flash 3D here):

• Intel® Core Solo ultra-low voltage U1400 Processor NEW
• 1.20GHz ULV NEW
• 80GB HDD (An upgrade from previous 60GB) NEW
• PCMCIA Type II NEW

T4215 Improvements:

• Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T7200 NEW
• 2.0GHz NEW, 2MB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB
• Ships with 2GB DDR2 NEW Standard
• 2.5" 120GB HDD NEW
• And, PRICE DROP from $3,995 to $3,799

As Australia’s Tablet Guy I couldn’t help but get involved – so if you’re going to purchase directly from Tegatech Australia just type “Uber Tablet sent me” in the comments section of the order and you’ll receive a free* extended battery for either model!!! Exclusive only to readers of this blog. Bloggers Buy P1610 here, Buy T4215 here.

*only applies to direct retail purchases coming via the UberTablet blog. Those customers near Tegatech Australia authorized resellers will be sent to purchase from there.

From the Doctor

This is a perscription from the Doctor, Dr. Neil. Sorry it's late but you may still be able to join in. If you're interested in UMPC development then this one is worth getting out of bed for...even at noon you geeks!

From Neil's Blog:

MSDN Webcast: Overview of Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) Development for Windows Vista

A few weeks back Todd Landstad was a guest on my podcast. Tomorrow you can hear more from Todd on how to build great UMPC applications on Windows Vista.I can recommend attending this if you are in a timezone where the time is acceptable - hint hint...No need to register just head over here

Here is the offical blurb:

An ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a fully functional computer that is small, mobile, and runs a complete version of a Windows operating system (currently Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 and soon Windows Vista). UMPCs present many new and exciting opportunities for application development. Although your existing knowledge and skills transfer directly to the UMPC, there are some unique circumstances to consider when you are developing applications for these devices. Join us to find out what is involved in developing for the UMPC, and learn how to create outstanding applications for these new devices.Presenter: Todd Landstad, Product Specialist, Microsoft Corporation

GottaBeMobile has Gotta Lenovo x60

*Update 14th of November 17:26* These guys don't muck around...GottabeMobile Exclusive Video Review of the Lenovo X60 Thinkpad Tablet PC.

Kudos to the family at GBM. Not only do they bend over backwards to get content that is meaningful and insightful, but on this occassion they've got themselves a scoop. Lenovo, previously known as IBM, has gone and given the GBM Team an exclusive look at their latest Tablet entrant, the X60; kind of like handing a monkey a gun really. :-)

Snipping:

Well, we are pretty excited at GottaBeMobile, and we have got some great exclusive video for you! If you have been folowing our site for the last week or so, you may have seen several references to a secret mission we have been mentioning, and we can now bring you information on what the big mission is all about. Well, the mission is officially over, and it was a raging success! Here’s the scoop on what all the fuss is about.

read more...

The specs look good, especially the 4GB of RAM??? What the!

OnTheRun with Tablet PCs #32

How good is the team at JK OnTheRun! Not only do they provide content that roncks, but this time it's highly visual. If your anything like me, and I know a lot of you are, then grab some popcorn and enjoy minutes (close to hours) of Uberly delicious Tablet Vlogging (Video Logging).

Snipping (or, click here to go straight to the show):

Marc Orchant and James Kendrick sit down for show #32 and have a look at the official Office 2007 release, talk about the Blue Man Group, discuss the affect Vista will have on the UMPC and give shouts out to the creators of some cool videos. Are UMPCs fully functional Tablet PCs? You bet and we tell you why on this show. Plus, according to the Tablet PC duo, get ready for some great Vista devices early next year (think CES 2007). There is a lively discussion about the convergence of communications with computing devices and smartphones and the impact that will have on mobile technology.

Enjoy the show!

Links of interest from the show:

• Jensen Harris' blog
• Office 2007 UI Bible
• Asus R2H UMPC video on GottaBeMobile
• Asus R2H unboxing video on TinyScreenfuls
• JK's day in the life of a Samsung Q1 SSD video
• Comparison video of Samsung Q1 and TabletKiosk eo i7210

Special thanks to Tiedye Keith for the great song "Vulnerable" with vocals by Tony Lindsay of Santana.

UMPC Fabric Keyboard (Video)

Glyn's Photo from Pocket PC Solutions

When I was emailed a photo of the Elektek Fabric Keyboard by a friend in England I couldn’t help but be intrigued. Shortly after posting a picture the manufacturer sent me an email and said, “hey, I’ve got one with me and I’m in Sydney.” I just love being Australia's Tablet Guy!!!

So a few coffees later and here we are; I must admit I am a fan. Not only does it function but it also looks funky. Be warned though…don’t tear or pierce the fabric as the circuitry will die! Stay tuned to hear more about these sort of devices; and ask me anything you may want to know as I too am interested.

In regards to Bluetooth regrettably this in an interface that we will not see in this device; if you want to know why you’ll be unpleasantly surprised. The reason is licensing…too expensive to buy the rights to Bluetooth so you won’t see it happen…lame I know!

Watch the Video:

See it on MyYouTube.com

Fujitsu Ex-Demo Sale in Australia

If you live in Australia or New Zealand and are interested in purchasing some Ex-Demo Fujitsu Tablet PCs (both Slate and Convertible) then read here. From what we know Fujitsu is reboxing them (as new), re-imaging them, and supplying a brand new 3yr warranty with each device.

So if you've ever thought of owning but had no excuse - check out this PDF. (there's 2x P1510s available).

Australia’s tablet PC guy

"Why Tegatech boss Hugo Ortega lives and breathes tablets"

This is how this Month's issue of CRN decided to Title a front cover photo...of me. You see, they called me several weeks back wanting to know just how any business in Australia could afford to call itself "Tablet Specific." They were so shocked because their belief was that Tablet PC was not a substantial market here.

The article is "well" written however I am concerned about the amount of grammatical errors throughout the double page spread. Either I can't talk, or they can't spell; and either one is surprising if you follow my blog, or their magazine. Kind of reminds me of Frank Arrigo every time he gets quoted, he too analyses how he is portrayed.

In case you're interested head on over and read the article here:

Australia’s tablet PC guy By Byron Connolly,
CRN,
30 October, 2006
Infrastructure

Hugo Ortega, self-described misguided geek and CEO of Tegatech, says he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his reseller business until he saw his first tablet PC and realised the need to distribute the product.

In 1999, Ortega came up with the Tegatech concept after a two-year stint with the United Nations. He came back to the country with no idea what to do, however a love of everything IT led him to create the company.

read more

Nice to see that Dr. Neil got credit where credit is due i.e. I can thank him for meeting my first Tablet.

Another set of Notes from the Doctor (audio)

As many of you may know I've been tied up with my new baby Daughter, Amber. Her arrival has been very exciting so regrettably blogging has falling a bit behind - promise I'll make up for it though.

Here is another session of Dr. Neil'sNotes (with Hugo Ortega). This was recorded last week and worth a listen as we tackle active digitizer vs. passive/touch...and more.

Dr. Neil's Notes 26


Welcome to Show 26Staring "UberTablet"

• News - Hugo plays with ASUS devices
• Dr. Neil off around the world again - DevConnections
• Digitizers - touch, active, external:
• What does it mean to the user?
• What does it mean to the developer?
• How should applications behave?

Happy Coding!

Any other topics you would like us to discuss?

This podcast was recorded on a Samsung Ultra Mobile PC with Castblaster

Dr. Neil Roodyn new Regional Director

Not only as a friend, but as an inspiration, Dr.Neil has again attained another milestone. From Frank Arrigo's blog comes an amazingly pertinent announcement for Microsoft Australia - and all of us involved here:

Dr. Neil Roodyn announced as Microsoft Regional Director.

Snipping from Frank Arrigo's Blog :

It gives me a great pleasure to announce we have a *new* Microsoft Regional Director for Australia -- Dr Neil Roodyn

We now have 3 excellent RDs downunder.

• Adam Cogan
• Dr Greg Low
• Dr Neil

Welcome to the family Dr Neil !

[And yes, this is the same Dr. Neil from Dr. Neil's Notes.]

In case you need more info...hw's this from the Horse's Mouth (so to speak)...

"Update: A number of people have been asking if this means I am no longer an MVP or if I am now 'employed' by Microsoft. The answer is no. I am still a Windows Live Developer MVP and I am not what 'softies call an FTE (full time employee) or a Blue Badge. You can find out more about the Regional Director program here."

Fujitsu P1610 Video (back)

My original post was pulled down due to the massive attention Fujitsu received...and yet today they flicked me an email saying "put it back up." I guess the Chalice has been let out of the bag!

Just for the record, I was the first in the world to vlog it!

Me, myself R2H and R1

This is the blog post I've been wanting to write for quite some time. As Australia's Tablet Guy (not pharmeceuticals) I am blessed with "first looks" at almost everything that comes Downunder. On this occassion it's the ASUS R2H and the ASUS R1...no joke:

You could almost expect another cheesy grin from this Australian Exclusive - FIRST IN AUSTRALIA TO HOLD TOUCH SMELL FEEL THE R2H UMPC.

"I love being a geek"

31st October 5pm Update:

It’s with much pleasure that I can report a couple of quick findings:

• The R2H does in fact support palm rejection technology (lean and write),
• GPS is standard,
• The weight is heavier than the Samsung Q1 and yet lighter than the EO V7110,
• The Touchscreen sensitivity is about the same as the EO V7110, in that it requires a good push or a fingernail/pen to mark an XY coordinate. It also means that navigation with finger only is not that pleasurable (another thumb cracker for DialKeys),
• The camera is very crisp at 1.3MP,
• The simple stand is nice but does not support height adjustments – one angle only,
• The pen is very nice as it is adjustable in length and has a nice metal feel about it,
• Not much heat although I did have it on for only 40 minutes, or so.

I think this is a very promising device. With lots of ASUS PCB happiness built-in this device will surely suit road warriors, business corporate types, and geeks alike.

I’ll post a video review shortly although regrettably I could not hold onto this device as it is one of only three in Australia at present.

Innovative or Inconclusive?

I was just sent these photos by Mobile PC specialist, Pocket PC Solutions in the UK. Not only does this get me excited about the concept but I can also see an immediate increase in productivity for my own UMPCs.

What do you think guys? Does it rock or is it a shit idea?

Cheers Glyn, can't wait to get them downunder.

Jordan and Hugo up to mischief in MAC shop

Recently I blogged about Jordan, a student that held me completely responsible for the Ultra Mobile PC being in Australia – so much so that he called his EO…hugo!

Today I received an update and I just think it’s so novel of him that I had to post it (with his permission). I’m a sucker for enthusiasm and boy does this kid sport tones of it. He’s now boasting about a new carry bag that EO hugo is running around town in.

hie email:

Hi Hugo,

Just felt like saying hi and telling what me and my Hugo have been upto. I'v been showing anyone who will listen about the new UMPC's coming into Australia and they all love them!

I just showed two good mates of mine about Hugo and they loved it. Do you know who is the distributor in Qld or Nsw? If you could email me there email addresses so that I can pass them on and hopefully get some more UMPC's out there!

I have been looking for a new home for my eo (Hugo) because the little yellow bag that came with him just isn't cutting it anymore... Anyway I found a great place that sells some great bags for just about anything called Crumpler (crumpler) and Hugo fits great!

have a look at the pics attached...

Ill have to keep you posted on what we get up to as time goes on.
We went around to a few computer shops in Adelaide yesterday and there is alot of interested out there about UMPC's. I went into a Apple Mac shop and even they thought the platform was great! (apart from win XP...)

Well have a great weekend,

all the best,
Jordan

By the way - and in case you're interested - this is my 200th post..."Hi, my name is Hugo...and I'm a blogger." Uh? Houston? Over? Do you copy?

Tablet PC Surgery (Video)

A friend of mine phoned recently – rather sheepishly – proclaiming that he’d dropped his slate and cracked the screen. Oops! That’s the phone call you don’t wanna get. So a few emails, some serial numbers, and a touch screen later, here we are with another session of UberTablet Surgery. The slate is the TabletKiosk Sahara i215, and the gloves are genuine latex baby!

Rather than handing it to someone else I thought it might be a good opportunity to let you into the inner workings of a modern slate PC. Not only will you get to know the intestines, but you may learn a thing or two about just how much glass walks around with you on a daily basis.

Because you want it – here it is:


Download Hi-Res Video - right click & "Save as"

My last pictorial of UberTablet Surgery was this episode of BIOS PHLASH

Ink Desktop - REALLY!

On this occasion I have been graced with the arrival of a brand new Wacom Graphire4 Pen Tablet. The reason: Well the reason is that Wacom has chosen to ride the Vista experience for all it's worth – which includes Tablet enabled Desktops…

A Tablet enabled Desktop is one of the most exciting “next gen” steps towards Tablet bliss. Due to Microsoft Tablet-enabling all of the Vista SKUs (except for Home Basic) what we’re now faced with is a world of Ink Enabled Desktops - REALLY. What does this mean you may ask? It means that Journal, Tablet Input Panel (TIP), Gestures and Ink-on-Office are only but a Wacom away!

So this is me (cheesy as ever) accepting graciously my new Vista Tablet Board – VIDEO SOON! If there is anything you want me to test please drop me a comment.

Hugo Ortega and Dr. Neil (our fourth podcast)

This to me is a special show in that it derives from a comment left by one of my readers. At the end of each show we ask for suggestions and last week Chuck suggested we talk Windows Mobile vs. UMPC - Good call Chuck! This is how it went down.


Dr. Neil's Notes 25

Welcome to Show 25

• Welcome back "UberTablet"
• News
• Where UMPC has gone this week: Vic Police, Country Fire Service
• Dr. NeilWorking on Windows Mobile app development
• The Main show-UMPC and Windows Mobile
• Any other topics you would like us to discuss?

Happy Coding!

Raon Digital Vega in Australia

If you’re anything like me – and I know a few of you are – the smell of freshly pressed Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is considered an absolute turn-on. So when Tegatech Australia, Master Distributors of the Raon Digital Vega, released photos of Australia’s first Vega shipment I couldn’t help but post them on the UberTablet Blog.

What I found to be the highlight, other than the device, was the sexy packaging! It surely looks like OEM’s are getting their act together and releasing shit hot Retailable products – either that or ex-Apple Marketing Execs are getting paid more money (and dealing with less headaches away from Steve J) by getting involved in the UMPC/UPPC market.

Check out one of the batches on its way out here:

matte black boxes - minimilistic

User Manual - in English (how novel)

It only gets better inside - smells like retail

Finally...we have Vega

Since I’ve owned my Vega I proudly reported that I completely avoided the need to buy an iPod. Not that I hate iPod, I do believe that there is little that could ever compete with the look, however, without an Operating System I can’t see the point. The Vega now sits in my car and plays my VLOGS and BLOGS happily, and even simultaneously, and I only need to charge it once a day due to its 5.5hrs batter life (7hrs + if I turn of the screen via hotkeys) ...Apple meet iVega!

SO perhaps Neil was right, these products should be in Retail.

Snipping Tool and R2H - Redmond steps in

When one of my readers, Aviruth, reported that the ASUS R2H Ultra Mobile PC shipped without the Microsoft Snipping Tool it was enough to raise some concern. Not only is the Snipping Tool a powerful Tablet enhancement but it also makes disseminating information a lot easier when in a keyboardless environment, i.e. UMPC and Slates.

The Snipping Tool was released as part of the Microsoft Experience Pack for Tablet PC in 2005, and later as art of the combined Education Pack/Experience Pack named The Enhancement Pack. Dustin Hubbard, group manager on the Tablet PC Mobile Platform team did a great job of demo-ing the User Interface (UI) on Channel Nine – this video.

So when I heard the Snipping Tool was not part of the R2H internals I left a comment recommending that Aviruth download the Experience Pack and install the Tool from there…surprisingly the results came back negative, i.e. the Tool would not install. So after a few emails to my friends in Redmond the results have come back from their investigations. Although there is nothing too surprising the results are defiantly worth posting.

So Aviruth, try out these suggestions and get back to all of us on your results.

The Email:

Hugo,

The UMPCs ship with the Origami Touch Pack only. I believe this decision was made by OEMs because the UMPC display resolution is lower than how the Tablet PC packs were designed. As you mentioned to “Anonymous”, the download files are available freely on microsoft.com. If the default language is not English, use the Enhancement pack in the language of choice (8 languages supported).

The last email that you pasted makes me wonder, however, if the person is not actually installing the individual components. The pack installs a menu and then each application needs to be installed individually. An option is available to install all, except for the Snipping Tool, which needs to be installed on its own. Do you think the person is actually doing this?

If this isn’t the issue, then Redmond should be able to direct your inquiry to the team handling the packs.

-- Redmond

(Names were replaced by the word Redmond to protect possible email hounding)

Redmond lends a hand

When one of my readers, Aviruth, reported that the ASUS R2H Ultra Mobile PC shipped without the Microsoft Snipping Tool it was enough to raise some concern. Not only is the Snipping Tool a powerful Tablet enhancement but it also makes disseminating information a lot easier when in a keyboardless environment, i.e. UMPC and Slates.

The Snipping Tool was released as part of the Microsoft Experience Pack for Tablet PC in 2005, and later as art of the combined Education Pack/Experience Pack named The Enhancement Pack. Dustin Hubbard, group manager on the Tablet PC Mobile Platform team did a great job of demo-ing the User Interface (UI) on Channel Nine – this video.

So when I heard the Snipping Tool was not part of the R2H internals I left a comment recommending that Aviruth download the Experience Pack and install the Tool from there…surprisingly the results came back negative, i.e. the Tool would not install. So after a few emails to my friends in Redmond the results have come back from their investigations. Although there is nothing too surprising the results are defiantly worth posting.

So Aviruth, try out these suggestions and get back to all of us on your results.

The Email:

Uber Tablet (me) on Engadget (P1610)

Obviously I created a stir when I posted my video of the Fujitsu P1610 - Fujitsu's follow up to the P1510. But to see the Uber Tablet blog on Engadget this morning, now that was something else.

It seems as though Fujitsu have a lot to answer for by making me take down the video. "The Chalice" as it is codenamed is a remarkable device and has impacted many prospective Tablet PC buyers.

Come on Fuji, let me put the video back up!

So where does UMPC belong (podcast)

First it was my readers, then GottaBeMobile jumped onboard too; so back by popular demand it's the Hugo Ortega vs. Dr. Neil Show. Designed to be contentious and yet loveable too, the show will make you squirm and jeer cheer in astonishment as two MVP's banter their way through this podcast.

Enough BS!

Welcome to Show 23

• Welcome back to Hugo "UberTablet" Ortega
• 2 weeks as MVP for Hugo - does it hurt yet?
• UMPC retail or enterprise?
• Any topics you would like us to discuss?

This podcast was recorded on a Samsung Ultra Mobile PC with Castblaster

Microsoft banks on Vista, and so will I

Reading through the blog of Mr. Frank Arrigo today I picked up on an Article that was pushed onto the internet on October 10th (Microsoft banks on Vista). The article was written by columnist Adam Turner and is focused on the readiness of Vista in the workplace; and I must say it is executed very well. (Adam and I have met on several Melbourne trips)

I liked the feel of the article as it focused on key characters on the Microsoft Australia team, and their own Vista Intentions. This was a good tactic on Adam’s behalf as Vista readiness is still considered somewhat of a myth. Since the operating system has witnessed repeated delays, and subsequent bad press, I thought it was very interesting to hear of Vista tales coming from deep within the inner circles of Microsoft.

Microsoft MVP, Mitch Denny, gets a Readify word in by talking highly of living on the bleeding edge. He felt that being ahead of his clients is almost common sense, and not as some would see it, risk taking. Great photo Mitch! (I helped Mitch buy his Fujitsu T4210)

Then the Frank Arrigo had a say by putting a Vista emphasis back on Developers; feeling that developers need to know just what the Vista beast will do if they ever are to tame it. (Frank is Australia’s head of developer platform group). (We had fun at TechEd recently together).

Adam Cogan, a Microsoft Regional Director, got his say in by exclaiming that the Vista experience was now “good” and therefore his company SSW had to commence their own internal tests because clients were beginning to ask for feedback. (Adam and I had a really nice geek breakfast a few months’ back).

Even one of Australia’s leading banks, Westpac, has become part of the Vista vista by conducting their own internal tests of the operating system. With a desktop fleet of over 27,000 the bank is playing a small role currently via a test environment of 30 PCs.

What I learnt most from the article was that Vista had turned over to a new era of computing. It had moved into the phase of adoptable, as opposed to what it had been, mistakable.

My 2.5” SATA drive arrived and I’m going to finally get Vista on my T4210 – I’ll be sure to let you know how I go. I know Jeffa will be happy as our little attempt at the Microsoft Office (physical North Ryde Office, not Microsoft Office office) went a little pear shaped recently, we did end up have a great lunch though, but no Vista that day.

South Australia sees first Ultra Mobile PC

One thing I am an absolute sucker for is "enthusiasm," or for fans of Anthony Robbins, I'm talking "passion!" With the permission of the sender I am publishing an email I received today (rather unsolicited) from a new UMPC owner.

I thought it was really creepy cool and showed just how transformational your first UMPC experience might actually be. For those of you that own an Ultra Mobile PC I apologies for preaching to the choir; but for those that don’t, this is perhaps an indication of what you might be install for.

The original email:

Hi Hugo

Today is a big day for me, because i just recived my new eo7110 (white)!!!
This is the best pc ever, and I thank you for bringing these to Australia.
there is a bit of learning involved (with the touch screen) but im loving it.

Greg swift told me that this is the first one sold in SA. I like that,and i will be showing many people about the wonders of umpc's

here are two pics, 1) me and Greg in a cafe (where it all
happend) 2) my sister with 'her' new pc, on the way home...

i have decided to call my new eo 'hugo' because it is because of you that we have the eo is Australia! (hope this is ok)

well must carry on playing (um working)

Thanks again,
Jordan Weier


ps, this email comes from the eo...


As JK says, “I love what I do!”