New H9 UMPC runs Linux
Is this the world’s first Linux-based UMPC?
Depends on who you ask, I guess, but manufacturer Beijing Peace East Technology Development, Inc. certainly thinks its H9 device is in the running for the title. And why not? Sporting a 7-inch TFT touch screen (800 x 480), integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, GPRS/CDMA connectivity, and PCMCIA and SD card slots, the H9 could easily go head to head with its peers. Assuming it had any, of course.
A quick scan of current and upcoming UMPCs reveals that the H9, despite its ridiculously meager 20GB hard drive, may really be in class of its own. Powered by a rather outdated 520MHz Intel PXA270 processor, the H9 runs Linux with a preinstalled application suite that has the potential of pleasing even long-time Windows users: mobile office, email, multimedia player, photo editor, business-card manager, PDF viewer, and some kind of recording and multimedia file manager. Okay, so those "titles" don’t tell you much, but it doesn’t really matter. The Linux community is so active that access to software is practically limitless. Other specs of the H9 include EMS memory (64MB ROM, 128MB SDRAM – this doesn’t sound promising at all, but I don’t know what EMS is), USB port, headphone jack, microphone, 4000 mAh lithium battery, and built-in speakers.
Anyone interested? Either way, the company should be getting back to me with more details soon.
UPDATE 3/16: Check out the short video demo from CeBIT 2007 here.
