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The Age
Tuesday November 20, 2007
LifeBook, abridged
Fujitsu's LifeBook U1010 takes the concept of a portable computer to the extreme. This tiny tablet PC (which Fujitsu is calling a UMPC, or Ultra Mobile PC) weighs 600 grams with a 5.9-inch display - the whole thing is smaller than a DVD movie case and about twice as thick. It runs Vista Home Premium and it comes with Microsoft's Origami software, a collection of menus and applications optimised for use on a small screen. The bright, crisp display offers vivid colours with a choice of 1024x600 or 800x600 resolution, although the latter distorts the desktop. Unfortunately, the high-gloss finish makes it very difficult to use in bright sunlight. It has a tiny keyboard that even two-finger typists will struggle with but the design suggests it's intended to be held in two hands while you type with your thumbs. The trackpoint is at the top right corner of the keyboard so it sits under your right thumb, with a function key and two cursor keys next to it. The left and right mouse-click buttons are under your left thumb. This works reasonably well until you need to press the Shift key with your left thumb and push another key on the left side of the keyboard at the same time. Typing even a short document quickly becomes tedious. Around the edge of the screen is a 0.3 megapixel webcam, fingerprint reader, ALT and display rotate buttons as well as two programmable buttons. The screen rotates to fold back against the keyboard but you can still access all those buttons along with the stylus that slots away at the top of the screen. Under the bonnet is a 800 MHz processor and 1 GB of RAM, generous for a UMPC but barely enough for Vista. The LifeBook U1010 is rather sluggish even before you open a few applications. The inclusion of a webcam is a bold move, considering the lack of processing power. The battery life is also mediocre at just under three hours. The user experience isn't improved by the amount of noise and heat generated. When you fire up an application such as Word or Internet Explorer, the fan cranks up like a jet. Even when the device is idle, the fan noise is quite annoying. When it comes to features, the LifeBook U1010 offers enough to get by: 40 GB hard drive, Bluetooth, wi-fi and one USB port along with headphone and microphone jacks. There is also SD and CF card slots along with an expansion port with an adaptor for ethernet and VGA. Obviously, there's no optical drive. The optional port replicator cradle ($165) includes VGA, ethernet and USB ports. The LifeBook U1010 is cheap for a tablet but expensive for a UMPC. It's a truly amazing device but what you think of it depends on how you intend to use it. Fujitsu's LifeBook U1010 retails for $1899. For more details, call 1800 288 283 or visit lifebook.com.auCruzer controlSanDisk Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise USB flash drives offer hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption, requiring no software installation on host computers running Windows 2000 and above. The Cruzer Professional lets users create a secure, password-protected zone on the drive, while the Cruzer Enterprise features mandatory password protection for the entire drive. They are available in 1, 2 and 4 GB. SanDisk is also introducing Cruzer Enterprise CMC (Central Management and Control) server software. It supports password recovery and renewal through the network, remote termination of lost drives and central back-up and restore, as well as central usage tracking and auditing.SanDisk's Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise are targeted at corporate customers, with pricing available on request. For more details, call distributor Tudor Australia on (02) 8221 9560 or visit www.sandisk.comCharged and ready to goTargus' Rechargeable Bluetooth Mouse is a wireless Bluetooth-enabled device weighing a mere 80 grams. Designed to work with a notebook's in-built Bluetooth, the mouse doesn't require a USB receiver but its two AAA batteries recharge via a USB cable. Featuring a scroll wheel and 800-dpi optical sensor, the mouse is designed to work with Windows 2000 and above. It uses Bluetooth 2.0, which features adaptive frequency hopping to reduce the chance of interference from other 2.4 GHz wireless devices such as wi-fi notebooks or cordless telephones.Targus' Rechargeable Bluetooth Mouse retails for $79. For more details, call 1800 641 645 or visit targus.com.au
© 2007 The Age
