Always on the run as a Realtor and traveler, I need a computer that can keep up. The Samsung Q1 (Model: Q1U-SSDXP or NP-Q1U/SD1) keeps pace perfectly.
The ultra mobile PC is nothing like the heavy brick laptops and notebooks my associates lug around. Measuring a mere 8 1/2" by 4 3/4", it weighs about a pound and is barely noticed in a backpack. It's certainly not pocketable, unless you always wear a trenchcoat, but it packs a lot of power by running Windows XP on 1 GB of memory and a 32 GB solid state drive.
The Samsung Q1's 32 GB solid state drive might sound like a small amount of storage space. And it is in many situations. But I don't use this computer for data-hogging activities like storing lots of photos, movies and music. I use it primarily for writing, surfing the Web and working with specialized real estate-related programs. If you need a lot more memory, you can put an SD or SDHC card in the expansion slot. A 32 GB card would double the storage capacity -- and serve as a great place to keep your music, movies, photos and other large files.
The Samsung Q1 SSD's solid state drive actually has critical advantages for on-the-go professionals. The flash-type memory has no moving parts, so it can stand up to getting bounced around on the road. It's also lightning fast, booting up in well under a minute and takes even less time to wake up from sleep mode. This speed has saved me plenty of times when clients called and needed information fast or when I needed to surf and find a hotel at the last minute. (Pair this computer with a wireless card from your cell phone provider and you'll be a Ninja Road Warrior.)
One feature this computer lacks that you may miss is a CD/DVD drive. I don't miss it. I have a CD/DVD drive at home I use to install software. The drive is becoming obsolete. A lot of software can now be downloaded right off the Web -- as can movies and music.
Battery power is another huge plus. The manufacturer rates it at 4.5 hours. I've never run it down that low, but I've gone hours without a problem.
There are only a few issues that might not appeal to some of you. The touch-screen is only 7" on the diagonal. This shouldn't be a problem for anyone who is able to read a paperback book -- some of which are even smaller. If it is, you can always enlarge the type.
Another challenge is that Samsung did not backlight the QWERTY keyboard that appears in halfs on the left and right sides of the screen. I don't understand why they didn't do this, and it can be a problem in low-light situations. Fortunately, you can always call up an onscreen keyboard and use the stylus or your finger to enter text. The computer also has handwriting recognitions software. My scrawl is so bad it doesn't work for me.
Finally, Samsung does not include any productivity software with the computer, so you will have to purchase it on your own. I also recommend that you purchase the Q1-specific protective portfolio and external USB keyboard for when you have a lot of data to enter.
All told, I am thrilled with my Samsung Q1 Ultra SSD. It has been my constant companion since Spring 2008.
Samsung packed a lot of productivity power in a little package with the Q1 Ultra Tablet PC. The front sports a 7" diagonal touchscreen, a full QWERTY thumb keyboard split on both sides of the screen, and mouse controls. The ultra mobile PC also has an SD card expansion slot, dual speakers and three USB ports. Finally, there's a fin that opens on the back so the unit can stand on its own.
