If smartphones are as powerful as computers these days and hybrid formats are gaining more ground in the market, how crazy would it be to imagine the return of ultraportable systems derived from the old netbooks? The folks at GPD believe it's possible, and their Pocket 7.0 computer has already raised more than two million dollars on Indiegogo. However, the product is a concept for now, and its campaign leaves us with some doubts…
The search for lighter computers with longer battery life seems to have hit a limit. Many users are willing to sacrifice aspects like thickness in favor of larger batteries, plenty of ports, upgrade options, and flexible repair processes. Unfortunately, few manufacturers listen to users, and the independent market (or rather, the one that operates outside traditional brands) does what it can. Despite trends, the people at GPD believe they have what it takes to claim a place in the market by bringing back the UMPC format with their Pocket 7.0.
The Pocket 7.0 is a computer based on the Intel Atom x7-Z8750, with four cores at 1.6 GHz and a Turbo mode of 2.56 GHz. RAM amounts to 8 GB of LPDDR3, its solid-state storage is 128 gigabytes, and it features a seven-inch touchscreen at 1200p resolution. It comes with two USB 3.0 ports, one standard and one Type C, a 3.5mm audio output, an HDMI port, a trackpoint, and the classic array of wireless connectivity. The manufacturer reports a battery with a capacity of 7,000 mAh, equivalent to about twelve hours, depending on usage intensity.
The GPD Pocket 7.0 campaign has already raised more than two million dollars on Indiegogo, selling thousands of units at a base price of $399, with the option to get a model with Windows 10 or Ubuntu preinstalled. What are my doubts? First, there is no functional prototype. All images are renders or mockups. Second, this is GPD's fourth campaign, two of which have failed, and they still have delivery issues with the first one. And to close, the campaign started in mid-February. Something tells me their fundraising grew too quickly, though maybe I'm being more paranoid than necessary. If all goes well, first deliveries will be in June.
