Congratulations Amy! (entry #61) for winning the UMID mbook. Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway!
This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Intel.
Recently, I had the opportunity to try out a mobile internet device, Intel’s new UMID mbook, the world’s smallest PC. Given its tiny size (6.3 x 3.7 x 0.7 inches, weighing 0.69 lbs) and resembling a fancy compact makeup case, it’s a technology accessory you can take anywhere.
My first reaction when I opened the box was skepticism. It looked way too small to have any useful features, just another fad gadget I thought. But hey, I have an open mind, so I was off give it a spin.
The first logical stop with the mbook was of course, my kitchen. I usually use a notepad and pen to jot down my countless recipe experiments, or my laptop when I’m feeling really technical, but I hate to give up valuable counter space. I’d long been a little envious of friends who used their smart phones to watch cooking videos while they cooked. Now, it was my turn. I was surprised at the high resolution screen and the clarity and speed at which the videos played, even HD ones. No pesky pixels. The added plus was that the screen propped up and I could watch the videos or browse recipes from a distance, unlike the phones where you’d have to look down at the counter.
Though my husband (a big fan of being productive anywhere and everywhere) has been trying fruitlessly to convince me to get a smart phone, my biggest reason for not getting one is the size. Even though I carry a purse, I like to keep my cell phone in my pocket. I can hear it or feel it vibrate and it’s easy access. Try fitting a smart phone in the pocket of a tight fitting pair of jeans. The mbook easily fits into my purse (I have to say, it’s smaller than my wallet) and I can still carry my tiny cell phone in my pocket.
It has long been known that Intel builds processors, or the “brains” of your PC. Now Intel has gone a step further and designed the smaller and more power efficient Intel® Atom™ processor. It enables you to get devices with full PC functionality and still be small enough to fit into your purse or pocket. How I wish I had the UMID mbook during the Thanksgiving break while lugging kids, carry-ons and my bulky laptop through airport security.
The UMID mbook runs full Windows XP and I was thankful for the snazzy touch screen and stylus. I am a self proclaimed “mouse” girl. My biggest problem with laptops is the absence of a mouse. The touch screen on the mbook won me over. It’s better than a mouse! Guess I’m a “stylus” girl now.
With the size limitations, I found that I could not fit both my hands on the small sized keyboard. After a little adjustment time, I was able to type efficiently using the fingers of my left hand and the stylus in my right hand.
A big plus for the mbook is the on-board camera which made it perfect for me to Video Conference on Skype. The five-hour battery life is great for all my favorites: staying active on Facebook, Tweeting, uploading photos, downloading movies on iTunes, or even just to stay productive. I’m pretty sure that the next time I am on-the-go (or waiting patiently in the car-pool lane to pick up the kiddos), I can continue jotting down my next great recipe idea or answering the countless cooking questions that come daily.
For being the World’s Smallest PC, the UMID mbook is reasonably priced. You can find one at Dynamism.com for $449+. For a limited time, they are even including a free MicroSD Card with your purchase! And for all you girlie girls out there, the mBook is also available in pink.
Want a UMID mbook for yourself?
Of course, if you’d like to enter a contest for a chance to win a UMID mbook, just leave a comment below and answer the question, “How would this small Mobile Internet Device make your life easier?”, or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below.
The contest begins 12/08/09 and will end 12/30/09. You have 8 chances to win. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.
Contest Rules:
* No duplicate comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
* This giveaway is open to US-Residents, aged 18 and over
* Winners will be selected via a random drawing and will be notified by e-mail.
* Winner will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
Please see the official rules here: Official rules
Feel free to visit the Intel official site for more information: Intel Atom Official site
For other exciting offers, visit BlogHer.com special offers page
Review by Hetal Jannu
It would make the very long swim meets I sit through more endurable. I would be able to do some work, stay connected and check live result updates. This weekend I will be at a pool for at least twenty seven hours. No exaggeration!
This would make my life easier in two ways: It would help me to keep in touch with my older daughter, who is in her first year of college, and it would keep me occupied when my younger daughter goes in for back surgery – much easier than lugging around a bunch of books, I could just download them to read instead! Plus, it would help that daughter in her recovery when she wants to talk to her friends online but can’t get out of bed (she will be bedridden for at least a week following the surgery – and that’s after she gets home).
Margay
It would make life easier by eliminating the necessity of taking my laptop when I’m on the run.
This would be a great way to take my knitting patterns and recipes and photos with me to my parents house as well as my boyfriends house.
I need the mighty mini to make me a super mom/cook/woman 😉
This SMID would make my life easier because I don’t have to lug my laptop everywhere! I can write on the train, e-mail in the cafe, and make a Powerpoint while I’m waiting for the doctor. Oh, the possibilities.
How would this small Mobile Internet Device make my life easier?
I have my own business which is online. So when I am out talking with people, if I want to show somebody my website or products or register them, I can use this device to make running my business easier.
My husband and I are both on call for work. This would make things so much easier!
How would this small Mobile Internet Device make my life easier?
Well for one thing, I wouldn’t have to keep bugging my DH to get me one (which would actually make both of our lives easier). Plus it would be great to be able to take my work on the go and get out and about more without having to lug around a big laptop or go without.
My husband often has to take his laptop with to be able to connect to work. This device would be much easier than a laptop.
This would make life easier because I could jot down writing ideas when I have them, instead of waiting until i can get to the computer.
I would feel lucky
I would use this when I’m on the road
mjharvey26 at yahoo dot com
I travel quite a bit. Taking this wonderful, little gadget along would definitely make my life easier!!!
It is such a wonderful mini world….. I will say it mini world as i can take it anywhere where I will go….The world will be with me….I will use it specially to see recipes while cooking. It is very difficult for me to go every time to my bedroom to see the next step of cooking so if I will win this I can keep it with me while cooking and in this way I can save my time. Also, I have to make a list of groceries that I need but sometimes when I don’t find pen and paper I forget to write and then it becomes very hard to remember. So, it will also help me as I can keep it 24 hrs with me so I will never miss my grocery as I can jot down the item whenever I want. So, it is very needed for me as I am very forgetful!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, I want to win this for my twin sister. She has had a rough year and is disconnected from the world a lot of the time. This would keep her little chin up!
I would use my mini pc to keep intouch with my Mum.
I would love to have this & it would help in my quest to start my own engineering design/drafting freelance business!
Also, there would be less fighting with my children over laptop time. Now THAT is worth celebrating!
Oh, please, please, please, please, pretty please pick me. I want a friend I can put in my pocket. I promise to pet, water, feed and charge her whenever she needs it. I would even be willing to croon lullabies to her and post mock-worthy video of myself doing so on you tube while doing so if that might help my chances. My phone doesn’t have access to the interwebs, and I’m not really in a position to buy a new phone–I also have no sense of direction and need to keep my life organized. Also, if this helps, I NEED this to keep my business life organized and can’t afford a crackberry. I work for a company that provides in home nursing care to medically fragile infants. You can’t be providing better service than that, now can you? Please, please, pretty please? Oh, and Merry Christmas!
She’s so pretty . . . I think we could be very good friends.
I spread the word about the giveaway with a tweet on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/lipstickncandy/status/6534800593
Wow, this is fantastic! I love the sleek design of the mBook. It’s so cute! For my job, I constantly need to be connected to the internet, and to be able to access my email. Which means I usually have to lug my laptop around with me. This would be SUCH a big help to me! I could carry this with me in the purse, and not have to worry about carrying around a heavy laptop. This would even be amazing for traveling! This could be taken on an airplane, on a train, a bus, a car…the mBook opens up a whole new world of computer use and internet access! Thanks so much for this wonderful giveaway I would be thrilled to win!
OMG, I dont believe it, its so amazing dynamite. I wish I could get this as a gift for my Christmas. May be it would be a perfect gift for me and my husband,as we both are techies. I love this pocket computer
I love it, love it, love it! I would use it for shopping lists, checking mail on the go, etc. I don’t have an iphone so I NEED this!
As a single mother of a teen and a tween, I am constantly looking for anything ANYTHING that might simplify my life. And if I didn’t have to carry the big red bag with my laptop and my purse everywhere, that would be a HUGE improvement.
I’m a total baby when it comes to carrying anything extra in my bag, even a few pennies — my back would be so grateful for this device!
Good Gracious me! Having taught a Gizmo fanatic how to cook, you now show a mouth watering piece of a gadget. What can mortal men like us do? just salivate. Keep up the good work. does not matter if I win the prize.
George Marshall
ohhhh, it’s great.. If I won this, i will give it to my Sweet Hubby as my gift, B’coz he likes these things very much……
This thing would make this mom’s life easier while I tote my daughter around to karate, tap, ballet, jazz, gymnastics, swimming. I could use it to help me organize PTA events (I’m the chairperson), karate tournaments (I’m the event coordinator) and help with my mom blogger schedule. Where has it been all of my life? SOS! Pretty please?
To be happier because life will be simpler
Oh my what a great little gadet. It would make my life so much easier because I would be able to keep up to date with all the online activities even when I am away from home.
arlene
How awesome would it be to have recipes on the screen right there in front of me instead of having to print them off or run back and forth frantically between the computer in the office and the stove?? That would be so so awesome.
See, I am a bus commuter. Two hours each day. I would love to have something more entertaining than the latest paperback to do on that bus ride! Please, please, please!!
How would it make my life easier?! SO MANY WAYS! I keep my calendar online because I kept losing track of what I was doing with a calendar at home and at work. But now, if I’m away from a computer, I lose track of where I’m supposed to be going. Also, my husband and I are trying to start our own businesses and having this while out dealing with potential clients or working out details would be AMAZING! I could keep better in touch with my family and friends while we’re traveling. There’s just SO MUCH this thing could do for me!!
tweeted http://twitter.com/annedoggett/status/6518603526
I have always loved to cook since I was a child and is now one of my biggest hobbies. I maintain a file with all my recipes on my laptop. The new UMID mbook would definately be convenient as a reference while cooking, list while shopping and reference while sharing recipes with friends anywhere, anytime. That makes it not only a gift for me but family and friends as well.
Good idea…it would help me stay on top of things, especially if I could login from anywhere and check my calendar to make appointments or for reminders. Being organized, and keeping in touch with FB and my email and all the websites I haunt frequently. It would be great as a travel tool , organizer and 5 hours of battery ???? That would be a big boost !!!
Mmmm, curry. Oh, sorry, I got distracted. I would love to be able to look up recipes from my kitchen!
It give speed so i wouldn’t have to use my dinosaur of a laptop.
My laptop is so close to dying for good and I will be lost without my internet connection. I’d love something that I could easily take along in my purse and I would appreciate the added bonus of being able to entertain my toddler for 10 whole consecutive minutes with videos and movies so that I can paint my nails or use the bathroom (ALONE!) in peace.
I know this is totally a first world problem, but I have a hard time pulling out the big laptop with a baby at home. You’d think it would be easy: pull out of case, plug in, turn on, type with two hands. Yeah, not so much with a six month old. As a matter of fact, the only reason I’m able to type this comment is because she’s having a very rare moment of not flailing. She definitely wants me to win this thing. It would make checking email, doing internetish things much easier. 🙂
I’d have internet access when my husband is home! It would be so cool to be able to check my email on the go, too- no iphones or blackberries in this household!
this will make going through airport security a breeze!
https://twitter.com/bdhurka
I am a mum of four, and busy juggling housework, and studying full time. This gadget would be an awesome help to me.
My wife would just love this
greglee87@gmail.com
What a cute little gadget and a great stocking stuffer.
karina@ussery.net
This gadget would be awesome to receive in my stocking this year.
I am a Graphic Design student and I feel like this could really enhance my potential for working outside of the home. Also when I get back to school in the spring to be able to take notes on it in class would be priceless!
Thanks for letting me submit to this contest!
This would be a HUGE help with keeping up with my kids. And I think my high school yearbook class would LOVE it!
How wouldn’t this make my life easier? The possibilities are practically endless!
Less is more in this case! What a wonderful give-away. I would put it in my dear husband’s christmas stocking. I would love to see the surprise on his face. He deserves it all.
This thing seems small enough that I could use it while bottle feeding my daughter without bothering her too much. This way I can multi-task!