Haier raises UMPC to new heights

IDF Chinese PC maker Haier previewed its X6 ultra-mobile PC this week, but while the handheld incorporates the 945GU chipset from chip giant Intel's new Ultra Mobile Platform (UMP), its processor is the more powerful Core 2 Duo.

The X6 sports a 6.5in 800 x 480 display, 1GB of DDR 2 memory, a 30GB 5,400rpm hard drive, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a GPS pick-up. Particularly neat touches include the slide-down QWERTY keyboard, micro touchpad and mouse-button keys to make typing and navigation a doddle.

There's even a front-mounted 0.3 megapixel webcam above the display.

Haier will offer a choice of processor: 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo L2500 or the 1.66GHz L2400. The X6 runs Windows Vista.

The 19 x 12 x 2.8cm, 720g unit's fitted with a 3,900mAh battery which provides 4-5 hours' continuous runtime, Haier said.

The X6 is priced at CYR8,998 ($1,163/£580/€858).