There's a new class of computer on the market: the Ultra Mobile PC. That, at least, is what Microsoft and Intel would like you to believe, and what Samsung, the purveyor of the first of its kind to hit the stores, also wants you to think. But take a closer look, and in many ways the Samsung Q1 is just like a big portable media player.

It is certainly large, with its screen that measures seven diagonal inches, and yes, we accept that it is very un-media player-like in that it runs Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. But nonetheless, it does seem more like a media player or Web tablet than anything else.

For example, the Q1 seems to be designed to be used in widescreen format rather than portrait, with navigation buttons that sit under the thumbs, like a console, and a couple of folding stands on the back that allow it to rest on a table at angles of 80 degrees and 20 degrees, so you can sit back from it to stare at the screen.

And Samsung provides a customisable Application Launcher, which acts as an alternative to the Tablet PC interface for running applications via large tappable icons grouped by function.

If you are looking for a computer to produce documents with, then don't look here. A keyboard is an optional extra, and without that, all you have for document creation are the handwriting recognition and tappable keyboard of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, plus a thing called DialKeys, a rather neat screen overlay that divides the 'qwerty' keys in half and places them in two fan-like arrays that sit rather neatly under left and right thumbs for tapping on. It's cool, but it's not touch-typing.

On the other hand, the Q1 does share some characteristics with a 'proper' computer. It has a couple of USB ports, VGA out, a Compact Flash card slot, wired Ethernet connector, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, direct recording capability, stereo speakers and twin microphones.

Samsung bundles its AVStation software which you can boot into without bothering with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and from there look at photos, listen to music and run video. Just like a media player, in fact...

There is a 40GB hard drive, though if you want an optical drive, for example so you can use the Q1 as a player for your favourite DVD movies, it's an optional extra. And, cheekily, Samsung doesn't even provide a USB cable to allow you to easily share data with your PC.

One thing you need from a device like this is very good battery life. The battery itself is removable and the supplied one is 'standard', though you can buy a longer life one if you like. Samsung suggests you'll get 3.5 hours from the standard battery, or 1 hour and 40 minutes of DVD playback. We'd say those estimates are about right, and also that they aren't really good enough.

Verdict
Samsung's Q1 is unavoidably likeable, with its big screen and all round novelty value. But it is more expensive than many laptop computers, and doesn't really offer enough that is exciting to justify the price-tag.

Company: Samsung

Contact: 01932 455000

Tags: samsung group compactflash tablet personal computer windows xp editions samsung samsung galaxy tab ipad android