OQO's Model 01 Windows XP palmtop has for some time been due to ship this autumn, but the company has now narrowed that timeframe down to mid-October.

According to an email sent out by OQO, the device will be formally launched on 14 October in San Francisco.

The Model 01 is based on a 1GHz Transmeta processor backed by 256MB of RAM and a 20GB hard drive. It sports a 5in 800 x 480 widescreen LCD, and integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The unit's QWERTY keyboard slides out from under the display.

In development for several years now (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/10/07/transmeta_touts_the_ultra_personal/), the Model 01 is pitched as an alternative to both notebooks PCs - lighter, more portable - and PDAs - bigger screen and keyboard. The unit measures 12.3 x 8.5 x 2.3cm and weighs 397g.

The OQO machine ships after fellow palmtop specialist Bsquare device earlier this year to discontinue manufacture (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/30/bsqaure_drops_ph/) of its own, hard drive-less device. Bsquare's Power Handheld was a Windows CE machine running a Windows XP-like UI. Tiqit eponymous palmtop, like OQO's runs a full version of WinXP as does Vulcan's upcoming FlipStart (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/17/microsoft_cofounder_to_demo_alwayson/), a notebook-styled clamshell palmtop. Taiwan's Dialogue is working on a compact wireless sub-notebook (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06/02/dialogue_flybook/), the Flybook, that's pitched at the same role as the new generation of palmtops. ®

Related stories

Pocket-sized PC has PowerBook pedigree (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/01/09/pocketsized_pc_has_powerbook_pedigree/)
Transmeta touts the ultra personal computer (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/10/07/transmeta_touts_the_ultra_personal/)
Bsquare axes WinXP GSM handheld (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/30/bsqaure_drops_ph/)
Dialogue demos 'total wireless' sub-notebook (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06/02/dialogue_flybook/)
Sony unveils tiny wireless pen PC (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/10/sony_micro_pc/)
Microsoft co-founder to demo always-on mini PC (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/17/microsoft_cofounder_to_demo_alwayson/)
Vodafone UK to offer handheld wireless PC (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/12/05/vodafone_uk_to_offer_handheld/)

Related reviews

Bsquare Power Handheld (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/04/bsquare_review/)