Inkia 500 Sub-$500 MID Gets Early Review

Remember the 5-inch Inkia MID from back in July?  The Intel Atom Z510-powered handheld has finally landed with a reviewer, in this case Shanzai, and in the process gained a (rubbish) name: the Inkia 500.  They've found it's an affordable device, albeit a not especially inspiring one.

The combination of a 1.1GHz ULV processor, 1GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD won't add up to the sort of device you'll be processing video on, but there's reasonable connectivity: two USB 2.0 ports, a TransFlash card slot and a headphone jack.  WiFi and Bluetooth are standard-fit, and there's apparently optional 3G or GPS modules.

Finally there's a 2-cell 1,900mAh battery which Steve at UMPC Portal tips as likely good for around 3hrs runtime with WiFi switched on.  It measures a portly 165 x 95 x 25 mm and weighs 360g, with its touchscreen running at 800 x 480 and a 0.3-megapixel webcam.  Shanzai reckon that if it can keep its tipped price – under $300 – then it might be able to find a niche in Western markets:

"A nice product. What it lacks in sleek design it makes up for with usability and price. If you're interested in MID devices, this is well worth a look" Shanzai.com

[via UMPC Portal]