Ultra Mobile PC Buyer's Guide

The Gigabyte M528's mere 512 MB of memory is sufficient, given its Linux operating system.
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17. MSI Wind
Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
Chipset: Intel 945GMS
Memory: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 80 GB
Graphics: Intel 945GMS
Screen Size & Resolution: 10-inch 1024x600
Size: 10.23 x 7.08 x 0.748 inches, 2.6 lb.
Run Time: 5.5 hours
Operating System: Windows
Web Site

If you can get past all the possible "Wind" jokes, MSI says the name is supposedly an acronym for "Wi-Fi Network Device." The Notebook UMPC has a 10-inch screen with a 1024x600 resolution, an 80-GB hard drive, and 1 GB of memory. It is a retort to ASUS' Eee PC and it supports both Windows XP and Linux.

18. Gigabyte M528
Processor: 800 MHz Intel Centrino Atom
Chipset: not listed
Memory: 512 MB
Hard Drive: 4-GB SSD
Graphics: not listed
Screen Size & Resolution: 4.8-inch 800x480
Size: 6 x 3.1 x 0.88 inches, 0.75 lb.
Run Time: not listed
Operating System: Linux
Web Site

We don't need no stinkin' Microsoft! Or so it seems for the M528, which is Linux-based. The 6 x 3.1 x 0.88-inch UMPC packs a 4.8-inch touchscreen with 800x480 resolution and is stuffed with a 4-GB SSD and 512 MB of memory. (The latter would be an inordinately small amount were it not for Linux.) There's even a keyboard should your touch prowess or handwriting prove less than adequate. According to Gigabyte, the unit weighs in at just about ¾ of a pound.

TabletKiosk eo TufTab v7112XT is a rugged version of the v7110e.
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19. TabletKiosk eo v7110e
Processor: 1.2 GHz VIA C7M
Chipset: VIA VX700
Memory: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 40 GB to 160 GB
Graphics: VIA VX700
Screen Size & Resolution: 7-inch 800x480
Size: 8.98 x 5.75 x 0.98 inches, 1.98 lb.
Run Time: 3.5 hours
Operating System: Windows
Web Site

The i7110 sports a VIA C7-M processor, 1 GB of memory, and hard drive choices from 40 GB to 160 GB. While sized similarly to other models, the 7-inch touchscreen has a native resolution of 800x480 but also provides a zoom function to display 800x600 and 1024x600 at 800x480.

20. TabletKiosk eo TufTab v7112XT
Processor: 1.2 GHz VIA C7M
Chipset: VIA VX700
Memory: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 40 GB
Graphics: VIA VX700
Screen Size & Resolution: 7-inch 800x480
Size: 8.11 in x 5.32 in x 1.22 in, 1.98 lb.
Run Time: 3.5 hours
Operating System: Windows/ Linux
Web Site

If you have a need to toss your UMPC MID around like a football or otherwise bring it into a business environment, the TufTab might be your choice -- if you have an expense account to which you can bill it. Picture the i7110e wearing a leather jacket and carrying brass knuckles and you basically have the v7112XT.