New Vista UMPC slims down, adds webcam

An anonymous Taiwanese system builder has developed the US700W, a thin ultra-mobile PC that stands in contrast to the characteristically bulky designs introduced in 2006. The company promises a design only 0.8 inches thick while still maintaining a 7-inch touchscreen and at least a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats. Choices will also exist for more performance-driven owners: while the basic 700 model starts only with an 800x480 screen and the essentials standard with every UMPC in the range, the uprated 701 adds a sharper 1024x600 display, a GPS receiver, and a 2-megapixel camera. A mid-range 702 will swap the receiver and improved camera for a dedicated keyboard.

All models will have a 1.06GHz Celeron M, 1GB of RAM, and connections through Bluetooth 2.0 as well as Wi-Fi; storage is flexible and varies between 20GB and 60GB. No information has surfaced indicating an official launch, though the US700W design should be available through third-party system builders in the near future.