Samsung releases revamped Q1 Ultra

SAMSUNG is to release a new version of its Q1 Ultra, ultramobile PC which is not only cheaper than its predecessor it also has a better spec.

Q1 Ultra was shown off in March at Cebit, but Samsung had been quiet about when it was going to hit the shops.

Samsung said that it will sell four models of the Q1 Ultra at prices ranging from $799 to $1,499. The original Q1 was being sold at in the $1,300 to $2,000 price range. The lower price means that the ultramobile PC can be pitched as a lightweight gadget to work with a desktop or notebook PC.

It has the same 7-inch display as the Q1, but comes with a split QWERTY keypad for thumb-texting which makes it look similar to a BlackBerry.

The new Q1 also has 802.11 wireless networking and optional HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) cellular connectivity. However if you suggest to Samsung that it might just be seen as another smart phone, officials will hiss at you. Bret Berg, Samsung's senior product marketing manager for mobile computing muttered that the Q1 was too big to fit in your pocket for a start. µ