Right on the heels of this Gartner report that recommends a non-holding pattern when it comes to UMPCs, Engadget posts an article from analyst Ross Rubin that forthrightly insists that UMPCs are overpriced and underwhelming.
The UMPC vultures are swirling.
Is it deserved? I can’t predict the future. Fortunately for those vested in UMPCs, neither can analysts. That’s partly why one has to toss in obligatory hedge words just in case the market does OK.
One such can’t-predict-the-future prediction:
Integrated high-speed wide-area wireless connections could tip the scales in favor of these neoNewtons, but such connectivity isn’t cheap, and so the question remains, “for whom?”
Yep. Wireless broadband is changing the market. If UMPCs can leverage this transition, they may do quite well. My guess is that we may have to wait for Intel to step into the game with WiMAX before we see enough adoption to make this worthwhile. It would be great if EVDO was included with UMPC devices today though.
Content bundles–whether movies, music, Skype minutes, or something else–could also make a difference. It would have been really good to launch with one of these though. (A shortcut to MovieLink doesn’t count. That’s not more than icon spam.) Let’s hope there’s more coming. Intel’s marketing might could make a big difference here.
Price is also a big concern. With no shipping units we’re all still guessing how this will play out. I know I’d like one. Can I afford one? Is there enough value? We’ll see.