How to build a $199 UMPC?
Evidently the trick to building a lowcost UMPC is to use a big case. That’s what Everex is doing with its just released $199 system which is available at Wal-Mart. Of course, you’ll want to toss in a “lowcost” Linux distribution for good measure and put a hold on the display. In terms of the display, though, what does a 7″ display cost anyway? $50-$100? I can’t imagine more. So that means a UMPC with a Via CV7 processor like the Everex system has should be down in the $300-$400 range. Who’s kidding whom here?
Seriously, pricing is all over the place when it comes to low end desktops and UMPCs and Tablet PCs as well as standard notebooks for that matter. Something is going on terribly wrong with prices. Who is holding them up on the now mainstream mobile devices? Something is wrong.
Here’s what I’d like to see: Everex or VIA or someone come up with UMPC shells with displays that I can buy. Make a slate shell. Make a keyboard flip out shell. Whatever. And sell me the motherboard separately. I don’t care. Just give me a shell. I’ll put the rest of the components together. If I want to, I’ll spend $1k on my system with a 32GB SSD to boot. If I don’t, I’ll spend $400 using spare parts as well as the VIA off the shelf components. Seriously, how card can this be to do?