In late 2004, a San-Francisco based company, OQO, released the first actual PC computer that one can fit into a pocket. It featured a very slow 1 GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor, 20 GB hard drive, and 256 MB of RAM. It included USB 1.1, FireWire 400, a headphone port, and a built-in microphone, integrated 802.11b wireless radio, as well as Bluetooth. This OQO used a magnetic stylus with a magnetically sensitive 800x480 transflective screen. Some reviewers complained about the lack of power and memory while others, who didn’t expect this device to actually replace their other PCs, were fascinated.
The OQO model 01+ was announced and released on September 27, 2005. Representing an incremental update to the model 01, the OQO model 01+ featured a 30 GB hard drive, 512 MB of RAM, USB 2.0, and an internal speaker. It also added support for portrait display mode (480x800) and had a redesigned screen bezel intended to improve the accuracy of its tablet. Still, people asked for more power and just recently, OQO has answered the dreams and prayers us mobile enthusiasts everywhere.
The OQO Model 02 was recently released to the public and demand has been so high that many distributors have not been able to fulfill preorders that were taken since January. This item comes in many flavors with the lowest cost model having a 1.2 Ghz Via processor, 512 mb ram, 30 gb hard drive, and running Windows XP Home Edition while the highest costing model has a 1.5 gh Via processor, 1gh ram, 60 gb hard drive, Sprint or Verizon high speed EVDO wireless capabilities, and running Windows Vista Business. All models feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless capabilities.
I have a higher end model which comes with Windows XP Professional and Sprint EVDO. Even though it took hours to upgrade my new OQO Model 02 to Windows Vista Business, the results are spectacular. I don’t recall being this fascinated by a device since getting the very first iPod. This device has not only become my email and web browsing machine, but an excellent portable video player (with accepts video files though my Tivo), an excellent notetaking machine (you will need to buy your own Wacom enabled pen), an excellent mp3 player, and a great photo viewer as well.
Article comments
1 - gadget lover
Very nice review, Daryl. I ordered mine in February and haven't received it yet. How did you get yours?
2 - Liz
Interesting, but you need to decide if you want to be a music critic, a political writer, or a technology reviewer. Shall we expect your "food critic" column to come up soon?
3 - Brian Levy
Nice hostory lesson but you forgot to mention the 1st real successful unit, the Toshiba Libretto. I loved and used my 110 from 2001 until 2006 when the case finally cracked. It still works and I use it from time to time with an external monitor. The keyboard though smallish after some time of working with it rather than fighting it can easily be typed on. In fact I now find what we call full sized keyborads to be too big requiring too much finger spread. I actually had to find a usb keyboard that is smaller than the average laptop to use on my desktop and laptops.
I like the Eee but wish the dimensional sizing had been the video tape as was the Libretto.