Every year, Yahoo! hold a survey that includes the Yahoo! readership on the best gadgets of the year. This year's award winner at CES was Eye-Fi, which Warner covered on GottaBeMobile before. The Eye-Fi Wireless SD Card allows you to transfer your digital photos directly from your camera over a wireless network, to either your computer or the on-line service of your choice.

Other contenders should also be pretty familiar to the GBM readership:

• ASUS Eee PC 4G
• Fujitsu's U810 WWAN is an ultra-mobile PC with state-of-the-art connectivity.
• Verizon LG Voyager cell phone
• Dash Express is an Internet-connected GPS device that gives real-time traffic conditions based on data transmitted from other Dash users. Users can also receive up-to-the minute notifications via Yahoo! Local about everything from movies to gas prices.
• Sansa TakeTV offers a simple and less expensive way to move downloaded TV programs around the house. Using a cradle with standard RCA and S-Video plugs, your TV media is stored on the USB memory stick.
• iRobot's iLooj is a robotic gutter cleaner that will clean a stretch of gutter (60 feet) in ten minutes.
• Toshiba's TDP-EW25U wireless DLP projector can produce an image that casts 41 feet or 1.6 feet, create a 60-inch picture even when it's positioned 2.4 feet away, and accommodates high-definition video.
• The Logitech DiNovo is a wireless keyboard that fits in the palm of a hand and makes it simple to navigate media when a user connects a PC to a TV screen.
• Electric-Spin's Golf Launchpad Tour is a unique golf simulation input device that allows users to play golf in the convenience of their home, with their own clubs. 

You can read about the Last Gadget Standing competition on Yahoo!.

Not surprisingly, Fujitsu is pushing the U810 pretty heavily, with the T2010 running a close second. The P1610 is also on display and is apparently scheduled for a much needed update to the processor as well as an update to the already excellent screen.

The U810 also had a beautiful case on display. This leather case is a perfect form fit but still allowed use while in the case as well as access to all of the ports. Made out of a soft leather, it is sells for $59 on Fujitsu's site.

The case allows the extended battery to fit through a hole in the back.

All ports are accessible.

Splotch and I just got back from a lovely time in Mexico. That little guy really gets down with the traveling! We had a lovely time traipsing around Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas together.

Aas for the gear I took, on this trip I stuck with what are, for me, necessities and left some gear at home. Here's what I had in my gear bag:

• Fujitsu P1610: The P1610 is a great little traveling computer, but I'm still longing for my own OQO. Even smaller and more portable and easier to pack. Given the fact that I'll never go on vacation without a computer, even for a weekend, the OQO seems like a good safety net.
• AT&T 8525 cell phone syncing email from GottaBeMobile, personal, and work. My 8525 phone is the "old reliable". Sure, I'd love to upgrade to the Tilt, but work is providing this, so I use what they give me. As sexy as the iPhone is, that won't work for me. I've tried to shoe-horn my usage models into its available capabilities, and I just want more than it offers, mostly for advanced email. And it has to be a global phone, which knocks off anything non-UMTS.
• Amazon Kindle: I'm still deciding if Rob gets it back.   And just wait until he sees how his Kindle spent Christmas Day.
• Sony Reader - first generation model I've owned for a while, to compare to the Kindle. I still like this reader.
• Apple iPod Nano - in Hot Pink of course. Gotta have my tunes. The new Touch does look interesting...
• My old and trusty Casio Exilim Ex-Z4 camera. This needs replaced. Badly. I'm eying the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55P. My husband has a Lumix that he loves. He's an optical engineer, so he's fussy about having a good lens and the Leica lenses they use in the Lumix line are quite good.
• plus the power cables / docks for all of the above, of course

So was I happy with what I took? Moderately, yes, but I still need (expensive) improvements. In addition to the OQO, new camera, new phone, and the Kindle, I need a better power supply situation. The iGo everywhere85 looks like a good possibility for me, particularly if I combine it with the Monster Outlets to Go portable power strip. If I get the power cable tangle under control, it will help a bunch, but then I'll start noticing that I really need a 3G connection for my computer, probably through USB since I swap around a lot. I spent far too long in the lobby of a hotel in San Diego trying to get the free wireless to connect properly. It never did, so I'm grateful I had iPass to allow me to connect for free through the coffee shop.

I leave for CES on Saturday morning.  As Rob mentioned earlier, OQO is sponsoring us for CES, so I know I'll have access to an OQO Model 2 with EV-DO during the event and I'm THRILLED with that opportunity to try out what I think may be my next computer purchase. Unfortunately, little else will probably improve in my gear bag until then, but I'm hoping to find lots of new goodies at CES to fill up my bag for the next trip!

We’ve turned a corner into another year, and the New Year promises to bring lots more GBM InkShow, Shortcut, and Podcat goodness. But before we head off down the path of that New Year, let’s take a look back at the December goodies we left under your Christmas tree.

We covered a range of topics from Inking with a Bamboo Tablet, to the Fujisu U810, and a pen and paper note taking system, Capturx. So, set back, and enjoy whatever holiday leftovers you’ve still got in the fridge, and cue up a GBM InkShow, or a podcast, or a shortcut.

Happy New Year graphic furnished by Tablet PC artist Chad Essley.

All GottaBeMobile.com InkShows and Podcasts are sponsored by TechSmith.

Here’s my take, hunches, best guesses, and coin flips for 2008.

• Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) will dominate the conversation for the first half of the year. What happens in the 2^nd half is anybody’s guess.
• Call it Ultra-Mobile PC, call it UMPC, call it Origami. Call it what you will, but by the end of 2008 call it in its dying throes. The ultra mobile vision will remain, but in other devices. 
• Unlike Rob, I don’t see Dell re-evaluating their price point on the XT Tablet PC so soon. The high price point is consistent with the markets they have been targeting from the beginning. If the prices drop it will be a year from now at the earliest.
• Apple will not market a Tablet PC in 2008.  Instead it will be a communication device that takes advantage of the iPhone’s features as well as the Back to My Mac features for users to grab their data on the road. Because it will have a touch interface and be able to take advantage of InkWell, Tablet PC aficionados will call it a failure.
• Touch will again be a dominate feature and news story. The real question is will anyone develop an application that makes it more than a fancy way to play media, turn pages, or manipulate photos. Or is that enough?
• Multi-touch is still a ways off. Someone, somewhere, needs to develop a real use for it on the Tablet PC and mobile devices.
• With the exception of the MID and whatever Apple will do in 2008, next year’s headlines will be about technologies that change or provide new content delivery methods, similar to the Amazon Kindle.
• Microsoft’s marketing will continue to be mediocre at best and miss the mark more than it will hit.
• DRM will continue to cripple operating systems and content delivery methods. Most consumers won’t notice. Those that do will root for Amazon, Walmart, and Independent music producers to keep putting the pressure on.
• New releases of new products across the board will slow down in 2008. Some consumers will remember Apple’s iPhone price drop form 2007, companies will try to get a better handle on delivery inadequacies. Consumers are starting to notice that their voices can be heard, and companies will start to slow things down a bit, to hopefully improve on what they eventually release.
• The word “open” will get bandied around a lot. As in Google’s efforts to make mobile devices more open with its Google Android mobile OS. The word open will lose all meaning in the marketing miasma.
• OneNote 2007 will continue to remain a secret.
• The Asus Eee PC story is just getting started. It will have much more impact in 2008.
• The companies to watch in the mobile space who will have the greatest impact will be Apple, Nokia, HTC, Asus, and Google.
• HP, Toshiba, and Lenovo will continue to dominate the consumer Tablet PC space, although we probably won’t see anything really new until 2009. Fujitsu nees to make some noise here.
• Inking on Tablet PCs will continue to remain the ultimate niche in a niche product.
• There will be a major Internet outage or Bot Attack in 2008, prompting all sorts of chaos and howling. This will lead to a renewed interest in client apps vs. the cloud.

EverNote has announced that RitePen and their notetaking software is going to be bundled with Fujitsu Tablet PCs:

From emailed press release:

EverNote® Corporation announced today that the company’s flagship information capturing software will be distributed with all new Fujitsu LifeBook® and Stylistic® notebooks and Tablet PCs. In addition, all LifeBook P1610 ultra-portable notebooks that ship with Genuine Windows® XP Professional will come equipped with EverNote ritePen® advanced handwriting recognition technology.

“For mobile professionals on the go, EverNote’s information capturing software offers a quick and easy way to increase productivity,” said Paul Moore, senior director of mobile product marketing, Fujitsu Computer Systems. “EverNote – combined with Fujitsu LifeBook notebooks and tablet PCs – improves the mobile computing experience.”

So this was in today's paper - Kinda surprised me, I can't remember the last time I saw a Tablet PC or UMPC in the newspaper around these parts... The ad is written rather weird though to me - is this the Fujitsu Intel Processor A110 or the Fujitsu U810? Or maybe it's me, but when did the processor become necessary to be the next most important thing on the ad, and bold for that matter.  If you didn't know it was the U810, you would think that the 'u810' on the bottom is just part of the code... Either way, I'd take one for Christmas if anybody is buying :)

Photo was from a Fry's ad - click image for a size that can be read

From looking at Matt’s InkShow on the Fujitsu U810 and this post from Rodfather, I’m jumping to a conclusion here that the Inking experience on Fujitsu’s tiny Stormtrooper really depends on the individual and how one’s hands lay on the screen and/or bezel when you are trying to Ink notes. That only makes sense given the small size of the device and how everyone writes differently. On the one hand, it argues for a more consistent “hard touch” or active digitizer. On the other hand it makes it difficult for any individual who is interesting in Inking on these small devices to make a judgement about whether or not this particular small device will work for them.

Of course it also argues for retailers to stock these devices in displays where users can get hands on. Methinks snowballs stand a better chance in very hot places before that’s going to happen.

So yesterday I received a package in the mail from Rob, and inside was a U810 UMPC. (Thanks to John Hill at AllTP) Last night I had plenty of time to look over the device as I was reinstalling Windows Vista after a failed SP1 install on my Lenovo x61...  yeah, not really what I wanted to be doing, but it's a good thing I did a backup before it started the update.  Since I did have some time last night and couldn't do any video, I thought I would post up my initial first impressions:

• Keyboard is really small - I have big hands so this is all but useless to try and touch type on.  It is possible though to use your thumbs, but I wouldn't want to do that for a long time...
• Took me a while to find the Tab key (reminded me of the Simpsons episode where Homer couldn't find the 'Any' key when he was told to "Press Any Key to Continue") - if you are wondering it is on the Space bar while pressing the FN key.  There are many keys not really in the 'right' place.
• Performance was much better than I imagined.  Loading office applications was acceptable for a Vista machine with a 800mhz processor.
• Mouse placement was intuitive once you use it for a few - scroll down keys are a little sensitive and I keep hitting the Fn key when trying to scroll
• Webcam isn't that bad either - I will try and record part of the InkShow using the webcam so you can see performance and quality
• Inking - I will go in depth on this in the InkShow - All I can say is bezel - bezel - bezel - you hand has to be on the bezel.  If your hand rests on the bezel the Inking isn't good, if it's on the screen - forget about it. 
• REALLY SMALL - and light - that was the first comment I had when I was showing it around the office to others.  The 'coolness' factor is definitely there on this one!

That's all for now - I am going off to do some more testing and to get ready for the InkShow - Look for it after this weekend!!

Well, Rob decided I could do a better job on the Fujitsu U810 UMPC than he could, so he sent it on to me. Man, this thing is small! What a fantastic tool this could be for the field force worker.

I'm filming the InkShow this weekend, so be sure to post the things you want me to focus on. Rob's already posted his quick impressions, and I'll be doing the same, too.

Meanwhile, I'm headed back to tiny UMPC land - later

Ok, Star Wars and Fujistu U810 UMPC fans, here’s a deal for you.  Costco.com is offering a $100 coupon for the Darth Vader (alas not the Stormtrooper) through December 10.

Make sure you check out Rob’s recent reports and Hugo’s InkShow reveiw of the U810.

Clip and link via Lora Heiny.

Allegiance Technology Partners sent me Fujitsu's U810 Ultra-Mobile PC ( better known as Darth Vader ) to try out, and the first thing that hit me was how small it was. I mean really, really small. The U810 is like a hobbit compared to the P1610.

Anyway, I wanted to share a couple of first impressions before I began using it this week in preparation for an InkShow next week. By the way, we've already covered the U810 / U1010 before, but in this upcoming InkShow, I'm going to focus on usability, portability, and inking.

• The keyboard is most useful when thumbing; after a while, though, that in itself gets tiring because the keyboard is too wide to use comfortably. It reminds me of Sony's UX series. OQO's keyboard, by contrast, is much smaller and more suited for thumbing. I find the U810's keyboard too small for even touch typing while the unit is resting on a table.
• Because the keyboard is so small, Fujitsu had to sacrifice some dedicated keys. Some of those sacrifices are the dedicated arrow down / up keys. For example, to scroll a web page, the function key has to be depressed while pressing the arrow down key, and I have yet to find a way to Page Down / Page Up.  The other major sacrifice is only one Shift key, which makes capitalizing words difficult with letters on the left side of the keyboard. The U810 does not support sticky keys natively, relying on Vista's support of sticky keys. They are not as quick to use as OQO's native sticky keys that get activated with two depresses rather than five, and are easily turned on / off.
• As the first Vista based Intel 800 mhz system I've used, the performance is more than acceptable and much better than I anticipated.
• The keyboard light is pretty cool, but I'd prefer a backlit keyboard.
• Inking is a mess - Fujitsu did not implement the palm rejection technology they used in the P1610. What a shame. 
• It is very, very light
• I like the included Compact Flash and SD slots. I miss that in my OQO Model 02.
• I really like the mechanical volume control, which is also accessible in slate mode.

The Fujitsu U810 reviews are coming out of the wood work - some good, some not-so-good.

Check this one out from Joel Johnson of Boing Boing. Joel has a good point - the Asus Eee PC certainly poses some interesting challenges for current UMPC OEMs. FYI: review contains some cursing.

Via RodFather

The Fujitsu U810 (or U1010 depending on your location), also affectionately known around here as The StormTrooper, continues to excite quite a few mobile warriors with its potential. Hugo did an InkShow awhile back and there have been numerous reviews of this published. MiniMage has joined the ranks of those impressed with this small Ultra-Mobile PC and published a review of it on TabletPC Buzz. Here’s an excerpt:

While it's not the speediest portable I've encountered, I found the U810 to be quite capable of assisting me with both work and play. I stayed primarily in OneNote, Outlook and Internet Explorer (always using multiple tabs), and they worked well, as long as I didn't try to have four or five applications running at one time. Sometimes there would be some sluggishness when I used the touch screen to launch apps or access menus, or when beginning to write in OneNote, but the system would catch up and react readily enough after the initial second or two. Sometimes I’d get some initial stuttering when watching a streaming video, but this didn't happen throughout the viewing, and I had no problems viewing video that was stored locally on the drive

Read the entire review here.

I'm always interested in seeing what PC Mag's Cisco Cheng has to say when reviewing Tablet PCs and UMPCs. His reviews leave me scratching my head sometimes.

I have to say, though, I'm pretty impressed with his treatment of the Fujitsu U810 UMPC. He is right on track with what a lot folks have to say about the U810, and praises it for it is designed for: ultra-portable computing. Pretty fair and balanced review, if you ask me. Give his review a read if the U810 has your interests piqued.

via UMPCPortal.com

If you’re looking to get your hands on a Stormtrooper (our sexier nickname for the Fujitsu U810), then you might want to check out Computer Geeks.com. At the moment they have the U810 on sale for $899.

Don’t forget to check out the GBM InkShow on the Stormtrooper.

Via CrunchGear

A lot of folks, myself included, have been looking for some solid info on the Inking ability of the Fujitsu U1010 (U810) UMPC. Marauderz Chan has provided a video showing how these devices with passive digitizers work with the pen, or don’t depending on your perspective. I have to say I’m disappointed, but not surprised that the passive screen does indeed have vectoring and registration issues, adding this to another UMPC that won’t really work for those who need to use Ink for their tasks.

Video: Demo of the U1010's Touch Screen

I can't remember where I saw this headline, but it does a good job of highlighting just how small the Fujitsu U810 UMPC is:

"Did Frodo Lose His Laptop?"

Great, huh? Anyway, we've got more user reviews coming in on the U810 from various sources.

The first one is from Steve Hoffman of Active Ink Software. He's being testing the U810 to see how it would work for his customers to ink forms. I think you'll find his insights regarding ink very helpful. Check it out.

The second one is a video review from GBM reader Marauderz - see below.

It is a shame that it appears Fujitsu is not using the same palm rejection technology they used in the P1610, as vectoring / ink bleeding issues are reporting in from just about everywhere.

Video: Fujitsu U1010 Quick Look

 Fujitsu U810 Lifebook Review
By Jeff Christiana 10/17/2007

(First Impressions)
Today I received a wonderful treat…. What sits before me is a little bundle of joy from Japan. My newly adopted Fujitsu U810 Lifebook! When I removed the plastic from the little package, I saw before me the smallest laptop I have ever seen. There are no pictures that can truly show off what a marvelous piece of hardware this is. I have seen all the galleries and I have seen countless videos, but nothing compares to actually holding one in the palm of your hand.

The U810 has a classy sharp look to it. Very solid feeling with a nice non-scratch/smear finish (won’t show your friends greasy fingerprints after they touch it). This Laptop SCREAMS Sexy… Well at least to me it does... You will not be ashamed to use this in public. It is almost guaranteed to draw a crowd. The size and weight with the extended battery does not seem to be bad and is hardly noticeable. The flip/swivel hinge on the screen feels very solid, and looks to be engineered exceptional well. The screen pivots only one direction.

Folks are showing a lot of interest in the Fujitsu U810 UMPC - their $50 off sale ought to help, driving the price down to $949. Sale ends midnight October 17th. Use coupon code: FALLSAVINGS