OQO: Difference between revisions
Corrected urban legend that TiBook designers founded OQO. Jonathan Ive designed the TiBook. The founders of OQO worked on the project and designed some components, but did not design the TiBook. |
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'''OQO''' is a U.S. computer hardware company, the manufacturer of [[subnotebook]], handheld computers named the OQO model 02 and OQO model e2. Its systems possess the functionality of a [[tablet PC]] in a [[form-factor]] slightly larger than a [[Personal Digital Assistant|PDA]]. According to ''[[Guinness World Records]]'', the "OQO" is the smallest full-powered, full-featured [[personal computer]].<ref>Guinness Book of World Records 2006, ISBN 978-0553589061</ref> The company's first version of subnotebook computer is the OQO model 01. Recently, it has been compared with the [[Ultra Mobile PC]] platform, although it was introduced before the UMPC took flight. The UPCs are capable of running slightly modified versions of Linux or other x86 based operating systems. |
'''OQO''' is a U.S. computer hardware company, the manufacturer of [[subnotebook]], handheld computers named the OQO model 02 and OQO model e2. Its systems possess the functionality of a [[tablet PC]] in a [[form-factor]] slightly larger than a [[Personal Digital Assistant|PDA]]. According to ''[[Guinness World Records]]'', the "OQO" is the smallest full-powered, full-featured [[personal computer]].<ref>Guinness Book of World Records 2006, ISBN 978-0553589061</ref> The company's first version of subnotebook computer is the OQO model 01. Recently, it has been compared with the [[Ultra Mobile PC]] platform, although it was introduced before the UMPC took flight. The UPCs are capable of running slightly modified versions of Linux or other x86 based operating systems. |
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== Company History == |
== Company History == |
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Revision as of 20:58, 17 June 2008
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with OQO Model 02. (Discuss) Proposed since June 2007. |
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
Key people | Dennis Moore, CEO Andrew Popell, Founder, Chairman, Office of the CEO Jory Bell, Founder, Director, Office of the CEO Jonathan Betts-LaCroix, Founder & CTO Bob Groppo, VP Engineering Bob Rosin, SVP Marketing and Alliances Nick Merz, VP of Design |
| Products | Subnotebook computers |
| Revenue | N/A |
Number of employees | 81 |
| Website | www.oqo.com |
OQO is a U.S. computer hardware company, the manufacturer of subnotebook, handheld computers named the OQO model 02 and OQO model e2. Its systems possess the functionality of a tablet PC in a form-factor slightly larger than a PDA. According to Guinness World Records, the "OQO" is the smallest full-powered, full-featured personal computer.[1] The company's first version of subnotebook computer is the OQO model 01. Recently, it has been compared with the Ultra Mobile PC platform, although it was introduced before the UMPC took flight. The UPCs are capable of running slightly modified versions of Linux or other x86 based operating systems.
Company History
Several of OQO's founders (who had worked on the industrial and mechanical design of the "TiBook" Powerbook G4) failed to persuade Apple Inc. (at the time Apple Computer, Inc.) into letting them develop a Model 1-like mobile Macintosh, but Apple's disinterest promoted them to leave Apple and found OQO. After some initial seed money from friends and family, they developed a prototype that attracted the interest of Mike Kwatinetz at Azure Capital Partners, and OQO's first large funding round.[2]
OQO Model 01
The original OQO model 01 was announced several years before prototypes were even seen, leading many people to call it vaporware until it was finally released in the fall of 2004. The computer shipped with Windows XP installed (Home Edition or Professional, but the Tablet PC Edition was not available until the model 01+ was released) and featured a 1 GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor, 20 GB hard drive, and 256 MB of RAM. It included USB 1.1, FireWire 400, a headphone port, and a built-in microphone, integrated 802.11b wireless radio, as well as Bluetooth. The OQO uses a magnetic stylus with a magnetically sensitive 800x480 resolution transflective screen. Retail shipments began on October 14, 2004. It's size is 4.9 in by 3.4 in by 0.9 in and it weighs 0.9 lbs.[3]
OQO Model 01+
The OQO model 01+ was announced and released on September 27, 2005. Representing an incremental update to the model 01, the OQO model 01+ features a larger 30 GB hard drive, 512 MB of RAM (Double that of the OQO 01), USB 2.0, and an internal speaker. It also adds support for portrait display mode (An update for the model 01 is available from OQO). It also has a redesigned screen bezel intended to improve the accuracy of its Wacom enabled display (By increasing the space between the bezel and edge of the display).
Originally it was only available running Windows XP Home or Pro editions. The OQO model 01+ running on Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 was introduced on January 4, 2006, taking advantage of handwriting recognition and improved navigation.
| Component | Model 01 | Model 01+ | Model 02 | Model e2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Transmeta Crusoe 1GHZ | Transmeta Crusoe 1GHZ | Via C7M ULV 1.6GHz | Via C7M ULV 1.6GHz |
| RAM | 256MB DDR | 512MB DDR | 1GB DDR2 | 1GB DDR2 |
| Hard Drive | 20GB HDD | 30GB HDD | 120GB HDD or 64GB SSD | 120GB HDD or 64GB SSD |
| Display | 5" Transflective 800x480 | 5" Transflective 800x480 | 5" 800x480 | 5" 800x480 |
| USB | 1.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b | 802.11b | 802.11a/b/g | 802.11a/b/g |
| WWAN | n/a | n/a | EVDO from Sprint or Verizon | HSDPA |
| Bluetooth | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Wacom | Yes | Yes (Improved accuracy) | Yes | Yes |
| GPU | Silicon motion Lynx 3DM+ | Silicon motion Lynx 3DM+ | VIA VX700 | VIA VX700 |
| Removable Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh or 9,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh or 9,000 mAh |
| Battery Type | lithium ion polymer | lithium ion polymer | ||
| Docking Cable | USB 1.1 | USB 2.0 | replaced by dongle or dock | replaced by dongle or dock |
| Dock | Zinc stand | Zinc stand | Gloss Black w/ optical drive | Gloss Black w/ optical drive |
| Ethernet | 10BaseT | 100BaseT | 100BaseT | 100BaseT |
| Dongle | RJ45 & VGA | RJ45 & VGA | ||
| Keyboard | 57 key | 57 key | 58 key | 58 key |
| Weight | 397g | 397g | 413g* | 413g* |
- Depends on configuration. OQO computers with standard battery, solid state drive, and no WWAN weigh approximately 413g (14.5oz).
OQO Model e2
OQO announced the OQO model 02 at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2007, and the OQO model e2 in September 2007. An improvement over the model 01+, the model 02 is Windows Vista compatible and supports Verizon and Sprint's EV-DO connectivity; the OQO model e2 supports "open SIM" HSDPA ("3.5G") as well as UMTS, EDGE, and GPRS. The OQO model 02 and OQO model e2 come with a VIA C7-M ULV processor (1.6GHz, 1.5GHz, or 1.2GHz), up to 1 GB of RAM, up to a 120 GB hard drive, with the option of a 32 GB or 64 GB solid-state drive, has Bluetooth 2.0 (with Enhanced Data Rate), tri-mode WiFi (802.11a/b/g) and optional 3G mobile broadband (EV-DO in the US, UMTS/HSDPA internationally).
Linux-on-OQO
In theory it is possible to run any x86 based operating system on an OQO UPC but the most interest has been with Linux. The first challenge is getting an external USB CD drive that supports bootable discs as the UPCs lack a disc drive of their own. Many individuals have managed to install Debian, Suse, etc. on them, with or without Windows alongside. OQO has an unsupported (by OQO) Ubuntu distribution for the OQO UPC's available at [1] and some documentation and instructions at [2]; alongside this OQO says that installing linux on an OQO UPC will not void the warranty[3]. Many people posting on handtops.com [4] have reported at least partial success. Main problems have generally been driver related, as the UPCs have several special parts, like the Wacom support and the built-in wifi, which have caused many problems.
Leopard-on-OQO
In April, 2008 an independent enthusiast released both screen-caps and video showing the Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard installed in dual-boot fashion on his OQO Model 02.[4][5] The achievement, believed to be the first in its kind, was announced on the OQOTalk Community. It was quickly picked up by the technology writers at Engadget and Slashdot.
Few details are currently known about the specific methods used in this installation, or the man who pioneered them.
External links
- Official website
- Handtops.com Performance Tweaks
- OQO Model 2 press release
- OQO Talk forum
- Official info on the unsupported Ubuntu version for OQO UPC's
References
- ^ Guinness Book of World Records 2006, ISBN 978-0553589061
- ^ Azure Capital Partners
- ^ OQO Model 01 Ultra Personal (XP Pro) Specs. Tablet PCs Specifications
- ^ Engadget Article - Leopard on OQO
- ^ Youtube Video - Leopard on OQO