Cowon finally shows off its W2 tablet UMPC/MID
Originally leaked last October with barely any details, Cowon finally released some new information and an image of its new W2 tablet UMPC/MID during CES 2010 (though as far as we could tell, it was not actually shown there). The previous snippets regarding the screen size and identity of the processor have proven to be correct with the unit including a 4.8-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1024×600 and a 1.33GHz Intel Atom CPU. Although the exact model of the chip is not stated, judging by the clockspeed it is likely to be a Z520 (Silverthorne) chip rather than the recently introduced but less energy efficient N450 Pineview chipset.
Other known specifications include WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, USB/mini-USB/ethernet ports, built-in speakers, monitor output, and composite and component video output. Unlike many other tablet UMPC/MIDs the W2 will run Windows 7, although the exact edition was not mentioned. Storage type and size and the amount of RAM are also unknown at this point but some rumors suggest a 32GB SSD and 1GB, respectively. There is also no confirmed information regarding battery life, but the report from Moveplayer has quoted a number of 10 hours, which would be very impressive. The original story from DAPReview reported that Cowon had launched a teaser site on its website, but as of this moment it seems to have been taken down. There is also no mention of the price and availability of the W2.
I quite like the look of this UMPC/MID, especially the brushed metal finish, and it would be amazing if it really had a 10-hour battery life. I do have some slight reservations regarding the legibility of the screen with a WSVGA resolution squeezed into 4.8 inches, though many users of the Viliv S5, UMID mbook M1, and others devices with the same combination seem to have few complaints about that. It also looks like the touch screen is the primary input method, which is fine depending on the quality of the touch experience, but I would have liked to see the inclusion of an optical mouse providing a nice alternative for users. Any thoughts on this latest addition to the growing tablet movement?
