Fascinating Look Back at Intel’s Prototype Windows XP-Based Tablet UMPC from 2006

This Intel prototype from 2006 is an early engineering sample for the Ultra-Mobile PC category. Believe it or not, the device was found at a flea market for $20. This unique piece bears markings indicating that it is Intel proprietary property and is not for sale or leasing. It serves as a software development platform designed to assist developers in building programs for the forthcoming UMPC standard.

Intel created this prototype based on a genuine 800 MHz processor with 1 GB of RAM for good measure. Storage came from a 30 GB Toshiba hard drive, which, let’s be honest, did not make it through testing, thus it was quickly replaced by a Samsung counterpart. The operating system of choice here is Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with Service Pack 2, which, as expected, includes pen input capabilities, handwriting recognition, and every Ink Ball function imaginable. The low-level starting was handled by a Fenix BIOS, with the Intel splash screen appearing before the desktop was loaded.

This device’s design is a bit of a mixed bag, as it’s smaller than a regular laptop screen yet larger than early cellphones. You have a rotatable display, which allows you to flip between landscape and portrait settings, although the hinge is a little tight, and auto rotation was switched off during testing. It also has a stylus that fits into the chassis for precise input, a flip-up webcam on top, and a real keyboard with a red trackpoint nub and click buttons for good measure. You can even use your thumb to operate the cursor, as you would with a BlackBerry.

Ports are kept simple yet functional, with a 3.5 mm headphone jack on one side, a single USB port, an SD card slot with a foam placeholder in place (because no one carries cards anymore), and a button to start the camera app for good measure. The other side contains a SIM card port that accepts a 3G card, allowing you to access to the internet while on the road, as well as a strange connector that could be used for a dock or debugging. There is no standard power port on the chassis, therefore charging is limited to mains power via an external barrel connector when the Sanyo lithium-ion battery bloated and died.

Software reflects its development heritage a little, with Intel branding all over the place on the wallpapers and the Centrino mark splashed over. When you boot up, you get a pre-release popup because you have to agree to the terms and conditions or you won’t be able to enter. The Drivers folder contains chipset files, audio support, touchscreen calibration, Quanta hotkey utilities, and a few other items, however some of them may require manual installation before they work properly. The touchscreen works very well once calibrated, the speakers make a sound when you unmute them (if you can hear it), and the trackpoint nub can be problematic at times.

Overall, performance is adequate for the time period. Basic operations work very smoothly, and Half-Life will launch in compatibility mode, which is more than some systems at the time could claim. Playing handheld is doable, with the trackpoint nub offering playable frame rates, although the high sensitivity and drift are somewhat annoying on the little screen. That 3G connection is useful for mobile internet, however the wireless drivers in this one were little incomplete during testing.