Price as Reviewed $500
CES 2008 will be the platform where the Noahpad UMPC is paraded, and the device has been dubbed “classmate, roommate, and travelmate”. It is powered by Ubuntu 7.10 by default, but has more than enough firepower to run Windows XP thanks to its 1GHz VIA C7 Eden processor (CX700 chipset)
Other hardware specifications include a 30GB hard drive, 512MB RAM, a 7″ LED backlit display and a QWERTY keyboard. According to E-Lead, the Noahpad’s manufacturer, it will feature a yet-unknown input technology that claims to be revolutionary, but I will take that claim with a pinch of salt. While it might be called the Noahpad, you won’t find any waterproof capability on this little UMPC.
For some time now, the new Noahpad UMPC has been compared to the Asus Eee PC. It has, however, a range of features unique to it. Taiwan's E-Lead Electronic will showcase their Noahpad UMPC in CES 2008 next week. It features two 2.76-inch square touchpads which apparently mimic the feel of a real keyboard when pressed. It's also used as the as the trackpad. The screen is only 7-inches but the UMPC uses virtual screen technology which expands the viewing area to ten inches. Also, when the screen is flipped (as the Noahpad can be folded pretty much like a notebook), it turns semi-transparent. The Noahpad features 30GB HDD, 512MB RAM, and uses Ubuntu 7.10 by default although it is Windows XP compatible. The price isn't determined yet although it seems to be in Asus Eee PC range, meaning around USD$500.
