iTechNote

During Bill Gate’s keynote at CES 2007, there was a show of hottest new PCs built for Windows Vista. These PCs are not just ready for Vista they are built for Vista. As part of the “Wow” campaign, Microsoft has unveiled details of these PCs on the updated Windows Vista website.

Among them are HP TouchSmart PC, Toshiba Portege R400 and OQO model 02, representing desktop, laptop and ultra mobile PC market segment. Let’s look at each of them in iTechNote way.

HP TouchSmart PC is built to serve as a family’s social hub. With large 19-inch touch screen and space saving design, nobody in your family should complain it is difficult to use. HP chooses Windows Vista Home Premium to power the device. A family’s social hub essentially acts like a BBS in the old days but now in a family.

Toshiba Portege R400 is the signature notebook for Windows Vista. It is both a notebook and Tablet PC. The most notable feature is “Always on” based on Microsoft Active Notifications, which helps ensure accurate and timely information is available to the user on secondary display - whether the system is on or in suspend mode.

The OQO model 02 is the first computer in the UMPC Pro category running on Windows Vista. The handtop is the second product from the inventor of UMPC. The device is not as exciting as its counterparts in desktop and laptop arena. It has a slow VIA processor, non Vista-ready graphics and expensive pricing - hard to recommend.