OQO personal computer

kuyu · Jun 15, 2004

This thing is different. I think I heard the guy in the video say that an IBM and an Apple engineer built the thing. It's supposed to be under $2000. Too expensive for me, but innovative nonetheless.

http://www.oqo.com/

http://news.com.com/

14 ounces
widescreen display
1 Ghz processor
256 mb RAM
20 gig HDD
802.11b
bluetooth
XP (booo!)
Apple on light
can function as a desktop with included dock

PowerMacMan · Jun 15, 2004

Wow, I'll stick with a laptop, they're portable enough for me...

And they have Mac OS

Anyways I recall seeing that thing a long time ago, when's it comming out (I am at my mom's house using dial-up and the page was taking forever so I gave up)

SiliconAddict · Jun 15, 2004

This thing has been vaporware for over a year and a half now but it looks like they are finally going to release it. They are talking 2nd to 3rd quarter of this year.
Its a nice system IF you have the cash. As a primary system its underpowered though. 1Ghz chip is slow by anyone's standard, 256MB of RAM is minimum IMHO (should have been 512 since there is zero upgradeability.), and 20Gb hard drive??!?! Umm I would fill that up in 5 minutes.

I give them a C+ for pushing form factors forward and raising the bar in portability. But a D+ for specs. The interview on cnet.com with the CEO of the company spoke of docking this thing and using a standard keyboard, mouse, and flat panel display to allow you to use thi thing as your primary computer. Naah. Not with those specs.

oldschool · Oct 14, 2004

SiliconAddict said:
This thing has been vaporware for over a year and a half now but it looks like they are finally going to release it. They are talking 2nd to 3rd quarter of this year.
Its a nice system IF you have the cash. As a primary system its underpowered though. 1Ghz chip is slow by anyone's standard, 256MB of RAM is minimum IMHO (should have been 512 since there is zero upgradeability.), and 20Gb hard drive??!?! Umm I would fill that up in 5 minutes.

I give them a C+ for pushing form factors forward and raising the bar in portability. But a D+ for specs. The interview on cnet.com with the CEO of the company spoke of docking this thing and using a standard keyboard, mouse, and flat panel display to allow you to use thi thing as your primary computer. Naah. Not with those specs.

siliconaddict: for business people who only ever use email and microsoft office, this thing is spec'd just right. You can even connect it to an external monitor at home. However, I don't think that its perfect. Apple could do a much better job.

This is however a step in the right direction in getting rid of all our separate devices.

½win½lin · Oct 15, 2004

But a D+ for specs

It's only 10Gb short of an iBook! Squeezed into the space of 2 iPods.

Enough people manage very well with <500Mhz PC's and G3 Macs plus it has sufficient connectivity (e.g. firewire) for you can add storage as you like.

Btw, catch the video here - watch carefully and you can see they acknowledge Apple as the latest evolutionary stage in computing - until oqo, of course

jefhatfield · Oct 15, 2004

if apple were a bigger company with a bigger market share, then i know there would be a mini mac laptop...and that would be nice

the 4.9 pound ibook used to be over 6 pounds...i suspect apple can shave off another pound eventually and that would be light enough for most people

the oqo mini laptop is a nice idea and i think for certain applications, it's the right tool

SiliconAddict · Oct 15, 2004

jefhatfield said:
if apple were a bigger company with a bigger market share, then i know there would be a mini mac laptop...and that would be nice

This is what irks me about Apple. What happened to real innovation at Apple? Seriously. Take chances. Push the limit. Apple makes some nice hardware but do you see anything out there that is edge. The closes you can get to edgy is the G5 iMac. While impressive its not pulling an OQO. Something that really makes people go "DAMN! THAT'S SOME OUT THERE ****!"
I think part of this really is Apple market share. Look at Windows. They are trying different things. Tablet PC. Pocket PC's. Media Center PC's. Media Player handhelds. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Apple can't afford to blow it on anything right now. So you have to steady, stable, somewhat predictable course. This isn't a bad thing. Just a boring thing.
I want to slap Steve Jobs, grab him by the shoulders and shake him hard. "Wake up man! Embrace cutting edge! Live life! Take risks! Put out a OS X Tablet. Team up with Moto to make a Mac PDA phone!"
Or not.

Wash!! · Oct 15, 2004

Apple has done it

SiliconAddict said:
This is what irks me about Apple. What happened to real innovation at Apple? Seriously. Take chances. Push the limit. Apple makes some nice hardware but do you see anything out there that is edge. The closes you can get to edgy is the G5 iMac. While impressive its not pulling an OQO. Something that really makes people go "DAMN! THAT'S SOME OUT THERE ****!"
I think part of this really is Apple market share. Look at Windows. They are trying different things. Tablet PC. Pocket PC's. Media Center PC's. Media Player handhelds. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Apple can't afford to blow it on anything right now. So you have to steady, stable, somewhat predictable course. This isn't a bad thing. Just a boring thing.
I want to slap Steve Jobs, grab him by the shoulders and shake him hard. "Wake up man! Embrace cutting edge! Live life! Take risks! Put out a OS X Tablet. Team up with Moto to make a Mac PDA phone!"
Or not.

Unfortunate Apple stuffs is so far ahead that it never makes it more than the cool factor look at the newton almost 10 ago a now Palm and pocketPC are almost about the same

zelmo · Oct 15, 2004

kuyu said:
This thing is different. I think I heard the guy in the video say that an IBM and an Apple engineer built the thing. It's supposed to be under $2000. Too expensive for me, but innovative nonetheless.

http://www.oqo.com/

http://news.com.com/

14 ounces
widescreen display
1 Ghz processor
256 mb RAM
20 gig HDD
802.11b
bluetooth
XP (booo!)
Apple on light
can function as a desktop with included dock

This has been floating about for a year or more. Nice that it is finally coming to market, but they really ought to update the specs. Better yet, don't update them, and have Apple put out a similar device that is more elegantly designed and far more powerful. The iTablet/videoPod/iPDA things that everyone talks about, all rolled into one indispensible device:

7" widescreen
< 1 lb. in weight
1.25 GHz G4
512 MB RAM
60GB hdd - gotta find a use for those Toshiba drives
802.11g
Bluetooth
FW 800
USB
clamshell case with k/b as cover - open it and rotate 180°
docking station
I/R to act as TV programmable remote
Airtunes remote
line out audio

$1599...sign me up

musicpyrite · Oct 15, 2004

Looks like another super expensive geek toy.... that I really want.

Windows XP, it could be worse, but I wonder if you could install Linux on it.

t300 · Oct 15, 2004

To all... See this thread here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/89872/[/URL

earthtoandy · Oct 15, 2004

i hate when people critisize a device for being made for a specific task. Just like how in reviews the 12' powerbook is critisized for its screen size even though it is made that size for a specific reason. This device serves a purpose... its not made to play doom 3!

JLS · Oct 15, 2004

½win½lin said:
It's only 10Gb short of an iBook! Squeezed into the space of 2 iPods

2 Ipods?!... no no no!

edit:

Windows XP, it could be worse, but I wonder if you could install Linux on it.

Yes - it runs Linux.

oldschool · Oct 15, 2004

wow thanks JLS i didn't realize it was that small.

is this your OQO???

JLS · Oct 15, 2004

oldschool said:
wow thanks JLS i didn't realize it was that small.

is this your OQO???

No, not mine. Too underpowered for my liking, the programs take ages to open apparently, and im not all that keen on waiting.

homerjward · Oct 15, 2004

i wonder what battery life is like real-world on that thing...
anyway that's pretty awesome. that'd be good for playing games that are a few years old. i used to run simcity 3k (best pc game ever) on a 200mhz K6 so im sure this would

. that's like what the laptop's natural evolution should be imho. get 2 docking stations and use it on the subway/bus on the way to work, take it to meetings, just holding it in 2 hands w/ a free lap. the only thing i wouldn't like is the point stick but a bluetooth (!) mouse would solve that. if i were buying a windows laptop i'd get that because it has more than enough power for me in the perfect form factor.

½win½lin · Oct 15, 2004

2 iPods was based on the volume

2x40Gig iPod 13.6 inches³ and oqo 15.0 inches³.

Nice to see someone else was thinking along the same lines though

Dr. Dastardly · Oct 15, 2004

I see this more as an innovation in computing rather than a big seller. In fact I think it will probably flop seeing the specs and price. People can buy a very nice latop for what they are asking for this thing. Shame though because it really is a cool idea.

JLS · Oct 15, 2004

What I think is the most stupid thing about this is that the screen can't be tilted.. meaning you couldn't lie it down on a desk to type (becuase you then couldn't see the screen)

RubberChicken · Oct 15, 2004

I've been watching this thing for years and it's pretty cool to finally see it come to light, even if it runs Windows. I spotted on TV recently... the bad guy on the last season of 24 used one.

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