I have had the Samsung Q1 UMPC for almost a month now.  In computer parlance, that should make it nearly obsolete as new models are being released almost daily.  So that means I should get moving on my ongoing series of articles about this remarkable device.  My next installment is going to review the look and feel of this device — how the controls work and how does the user interact with the device. 

The size and feel:  The Samsung Q1is about the size of a paperback book.  It is the ideal size to be held in two hands, while viewing a document or web page.  In fact, based upon the placement of some of the controls, as well as the software included (such as the Dial Keys shown above) this is clearly how it was intended to be used.  Unfortunately, as I will discuss, not all of the controls and plugs support this design, making it, at times, awkward and uncomfortable to use.

While the size of the device did not allow me to carry it in my coat or pants pocket, like I can with my Pocket PC, I was easily able to slip it into one of the side pockets on my backpack or briefcase.  At 779 grams (without any peripherals), it added virtually no weight to my bag, unlike my laptop which can make daily commuting feel like bodybuilding.

Power: The Power Switch is located in a sliding switch on the top of the device.  Slide it to the right to turn on the device.  Slide it to the left when the power is off to turn on AV Station Now Mode.  While I liked the sliding switch, the placement did not make sense to me.  Most of the controls are positioned on the assumption that you are holding the device in two hands, with your thumbs at the controls.  From that position, the power slider (in the middle of the top of the device) is not reachable without moving one of your hands.  Letting go with one hand to slide the switch, however, leaves the UMPC in an awkward position with unevenly distributed weight which can be prone to dropping.  It seems like this would have made more sense if it were placed on the front of the device where you could easily reach it without touching it accidentally.

Next to the power switch is the Windows Security Button.  Anyone familiar with a Pocket PC will recognize this as a soft reset button.  From a desktop standpoint, it is the same as pushing [CTRL],[ALT],[DEL].  Of course, this is a convenient way to restart the device if you have any problems. 

Controls: As I mentioned, the controls are ideally suited to be used when the UMPC is held in two hands.  In fact, you will find that your thumbs naturally fall onto many of the primary controls.  Under your right thumb is the quick launch button.  These four buttons are not assigned to a specific program but can be assigned to launch or open any program on the UMPC.  This is a handy way to quickly and easily open some of your frequently used programs.  Beneath that are the enter and menu buttons.  Use the enter button to run a selected item on your screen.  The menu button toggles the settings menu (note that this is different from the Start Menu).

Under your left thumb is the Joystick.  On its own, the joystick serves as an alternative to the direction keys, and is also useful for playing games.  Hold the menu button, however, and the joystick will also control the mouse (you must continue holding the menu button the whole time).  In my opinion, this should have been the primary purpose of the joystick.  I also found the cursor was sluggish and slow to respond when I tried to control it using the joystick. 

Beneath the joystick is the auto-scaler button which is used to toggle through three different screen modes (800×480, 800×600, and 1024×600).  This is another button whose purpose befuddled me.  While I can see the need to vary the screen resolution, I did not have a particular use for this function to be as immediately available as this device designed it.  I would have rather Samsung had put a button to access the Start Menu or some other menu here and kept the screen resolution options in the software.  Nonetheless, the auto-scaler button also serves a dual purpose.  Hold the menu button and it will serve as the click/double-click for the mouse control.

On the left hand side are the volume control (which can also be used to adjust the screen brightness) and lock (hold) switch.  Again, however, the placement of these buttons did not make a lot of sense to me.  The volume control was too low to be comfortably reached with your left thumb or fingers.  From an ergonomics standpoint, it was fine to locate it on the left side, but it should have been higher on the left side where it could be easily controlled with the left thumb or forefinger without being accidentally pushed with the palm of your left hand.  Likewise, the hold switch is a great idea to ensure that you do not accidentally bump something when while carrying your device.  However, its position at the bottom of the left hand side means that it can be easily bumped accidentally during use.  It would have made more sense to position it out of the way on the top of the device where the power switch is located.

There is also, of course, a stylus, which is slightly larger than one found in a Pocket PC.  Like a Pocket PC, the stylus is located in a sleeve on the back of the device.  Of course, with a touch screen, this is a necessity.  I found the included stylus to be adequate, but would have preferred a slightly thicker one.  This could easily have been accomplished without significantly impairing your use of the device.

One omission I did note, however, was the lack of an attached external keyboard.  With the extreme popularity of Smartphone devices and their QWERTY keyboards (such as the BlackJack, Treo, Blackberry and many more), it would seem that a keyboard could easily have been incorporated into the design.  Ideally, I would have liked a keyboard similar to one in a Tablet PC, which folds over the screen, pulls down into a working position, or spins around to fold into the back of the device when not in use.  This being said, however, I would have been satisfied with the ability to attach an external keyboard via Bluetooth (like I can with my Pocket PC), however, this Bluetooth Driver was not included in the device.  The lack of a keyboard has been a longstanding complaint among Pocket PC users, and it is one which could easily have been fixed on this device.

The Stand: On the back of the device is a stand which allows the device to balance at 20 degrees or 80 degrees.  This is ideal for occasions when you need to place your device on a desk or table, but still want to be able to use it easily.  For example, if you want to listen to digital music at work or view a picture slide show.  Additionally, it is a great way to make your device accessible for use while it is charging or plugged into external power.

Ports, Plugs, and Inputs: There are a number of methods you can use to connect peripheral devices or data to the Samsung Q1.  First, of course, there is a power cord.  This is used to connect your device to an external power source or charge the battery.  I suppose there is not necessarily a good place to put the power cord, however, there could not be a worse place than where it was actually positioned. 

When holding the Samsung Q1 in two hands, as intended, the power cord (when it is used on external power) falls immediately under your right hand, making it awkward and uncomfortable to hold.  I suppose there is an argument to be made that when you use it on external power, you would also be using it on a table or desk with the stand, not holding it in your hands.  I did not find this to be a reasonable assumption, however.  I found that even when I had the stand lowered, I was constantly picking it up to read something or make changes to a document.  Additionally, being right handed, I naturally tended to pick it up from the lower right hand corner…exactly where the power cord is.  This made it awkward and uncomfortable to pick up.  If Samsung intends users to hold this device in two hands (as the layout of the controls would suggest), then the power cord must be moved.

There are also two USB ports.  Of course, these are a necessity for transferring data and programs to your device via a USB thumb drive.  Additionally, they allow you to connect a printer or other computer peripheral to the UMPC.  One USB port is located on the upper left hand side, the other is on the lower right.  I would have preferred that both were on the upper portion of each side.  While the one on the upper left hand side was fine, the port on the lower right hand side significantly impairs your use of the device.  Unlike the power cord, it is clearly not reasonable to suggest that you would never use the USB port while you are mobile.  I frequently plug in a USB thumb drive holding numerous documents, pictures, video, or other data.  The placement of this port on the lower right hand side limits me to only one usable USB port which is clearly not adequate.

Additionally, there is a VGA Monitor port, allowing you to plug an external monitor into the UMPC (ideal for playing games and controlling a power point presentation);  a wired LAN (Ethernet) port, a headphone jack, and a Compact Flash (CF) card slot.   

There is also an External Optical Device Drive (ODD) Power Port.  This allows you to install an external CD-ROM drive (which is not included) to the UMPC.  While I like the idea that the UMPC is expandable and can grow to meet your needs, I was a little frustrated by the fact that the ODD is almost necessary to install most software.  As such, it should have been included in the package.  

Battery: I am extremely impressed with the 2600 mAh Lithium Ion Battery included with the UMPC.  So far, I have not been able to run it down past 50%…but not for lack of trying.  While there can also be a concern that batteries on portable devices will heat up, I found that after several hours of use, this battery was still relatively cool.  Additionally, I was impressed by the battery meter on the back of the device.  Just press the button and 5 indicator lights will tell you how much power you have left (each light represents an increment of 20% power remaining). 

The Screen:  The Samsung Q1 offers a 7" WVGA TFT LCD touch screen.  Its basic resolution is 800×480 pixels, however, it can be increased to 2048×1536 pixels with an external monitor.  I found the resolution of the display to be superb, and the touch screen was as responsive as any Pocket PC I have found.  Having a touch screen on a Windows XP machine is a huge improvement over the basic XP operating system.  Of course, now I frequently find myself jamming my finger into my laptop screen to no avail. 

Conclusion: I really wanted to like this device and to a certain extent, I did like it.  I liked the way the Samsung Q1 is intended to be used — as a two–handed unit.  That was a comfortable feel and made a lot of sense.  Unfortunately I found, that many of the controls simply did not make corresponding sense.  Some of them just didn’t have an obvious purpose, while others were simply not situated properly on the device, making it awkward and difficult to hold and use.  I also found the lack of an external keyboard to be a glaring omission.  In order for the Samsung Q1 to be used effectively and ergonomically, the controls should be redesigned and resituated to locations on the device which make them more easily accessible from the basic position of holding the device with both hands. 

Remember, I encourage you all to ask your questions about the UMPC by either posting a comment here or in our new forums, or by sending me an email at doug@justanothermobilemonday.com.  In future articles, I will try to address any questions I receive.  If I get enough good questions, I will post a Q&A article at some point in the future. 

Visit my previous article on the Samsung Q1 UMPC:

Out of the Box Photos

Initial Impressions

Connectivity

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