Gizmodo: wibrain

WiBrain I1 UMPC Gets Intel Atom Processor

Sean Fallon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:57:00 EDT

The original WiBrain B1E was relatively inexpensive for a UMPC at $699, but it definitely fell well short of greatness. However, the manufacturer has made some upgrades with the upcoming I1 model that should address some of its predecessor's shortcomings. New features include: your choice of 1.1GHz (Z510) and 1.33GHz (Z520) Atom processors, a WWAN antenna, SD card slot, an optional SSD and a slightly different finish. Users can also choose between a Linux and XP machine with a 30GB or 60GB hard drive or a 64GB SSD. Pricing and a release date have not been announced. [Dynamism via Pocketables]

Lightning Review: WiBrain B1E UMPC

Jason Chen — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:20:40 EST

The Gadget: WiBrain's B1E UMPC, a slightly wider (and much thicker) than PSP-sized UMPC with full QWERTY keyboard, touchscreen, trackpad and on-board webcam.

The Price: $699

The Verdict: Meh. The keyboard feels great and the trackpad works about as well as a standard laptop trackpad, but the speed and quirkiness set this thing back a bit. It's decent enough when you're just browsing the net, but startup times and shutoff times are atrocious. CNET says it's the slowest UMPC they've tested, which we agree with. The 4.8-inch screen's 1024x600 resolution is sharp, but renders text so tiny that anyone over the age of 30 will not be able to read it.

We also had trouble getting the webcam to work with Skype, which might have been just us, but we had a lot of trouble doing a lot of other things (Wi-Fi connection, Windows Update) with it as well. It's definitely not a great Windows machine. The relatively low price of $699 may make this worth it to you if you need an XP machine on the go, but we'd recommend a small laptop instead of the WiBrain if you don't mind the extra space. [WiBrain]

Wibrain B1 Hitting US Stores Next Month

AddyDugdale — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 04:24:35 EST

Looks like the Wibrain B1 has finally made it over here, just in time for the holidays. There are two models: the B1E, with 512MB of RAM and costs $699; and the 1GB B1H, which costs $849. The Wibrain B1, with its cute pop-up camera and mic, is available from mid-December. Full specs are below the gallery.

512MB and 1GB versions
HDD
Chip: VX700 (3D support)
1024 x 600 pixel resolution
4.8" WSVGA Touchscreen
Integrated 2 Channel stereo speakers (1.0W)
HSDPA/UMTS - 850/1900/2100 MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Mobile WiMax, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Webcam
1 x Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0)
Microphone in
Headphone jack
24PIN connector
Pointing Device:
QWERTY 50 thumb keys
Touchpad with scroll capability
A/C adapter: 4Cell Lithium Ion Battery
100-240V / 50-60 Hz
Physical Features Size:
7.56 x 3.23 x 1.10 inches
1.12 lbs / 510g
Operating System: A/C adapter; standard battery; English manual
Windows XP Home (English)
[Dynamism]

Wibrain's B1 UMPC is Super Connected, Super Ugly

kthompson — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:14:03 EDT

Getting a UMPC with every wireless connection capability you could dream of will cost you. If that UMPC is Wibrain's business-centric B1, that price will be largely social as your peers ridicule you for toting your goofy gadget around the office. 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, GSM/GPRS/EDGE and HSDPA are all yours along with a 4.8" touch screen LCD running at 1024x600. Owners can also customize the innards with a CPU (1GHz, 1.2Ghz or 1.6Ghz), memory (512MB or 1GB) and HDD space (30/60/80GB) for about $650 when it launches in Korea this October. [AVING via Wired]