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OQO was co-founded in 2000 by Jory Bell (CEO) and Jonathan Betts-LaCroix (CTO). Bell had previously worked in the Product Design arena at Apple Computer, as well as at IBM’s Almaden Research Centre. From stand-by to desktop about 25 seconds. Word 2007 launch about 2:00 minutes. This would be ok if one could suspend at length, but with virtually no battery life, it's not worth it. Get the OQO 02, the newer version resolved all these problems and is worth it. The OQO Model 02 Ultra Mobile PC is a tiny, ultra-portable computer designed for the mobile professional. The computer features a 5' widescreen LCD and powerful wireless capabilities. The Model 02 can rest in the palm of your hand so the screen slides up to reveal a comfortable QWERTY keyboard with an integrated track stick-pointing device.
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Reviewed August 1, 2005 by Lisa Gade, Editor in Chief
Update Fall 2007: Read our review of the OQO model 02 that replaces the model 01.
OQO Laptops & Desktops Driver Download
Make no mistake, the OQO model 01 is one of the most impressive technological feats of the decade. OQO spent five years developing this handheld computer, and likely it took every day to fit a PC into a device the size of a large PDA. The model 01, currently the only OQO model, runs Windows XP Home Edition rather than a PDA operating system, yet it will fit easily in a purse, brief case or roomy pocket. At 4.9 x 3.4 x .9 inches, the device isn't much larger than large Pocket PC and Palm models such as the Palm LifeDrive and HP iPAQ hx4700, though it is heavier at 14 ounces. For those who must have full blown Windows on the go in a tiny package, the nearly $2,000 OQO might prove indispensable. Since Windows XP wasn't designed for use in such a small format, usability does suffer, and we'll talk more about that later.
Yes, you can run your favorite Windows applications on the OQO. Don't expect much in the gaming department however from this 1 GHz Transmeta Crusoe powered machine with 256 megs of RAM and an 8 meg graphics card. Obviously there's no internal CD ROM drive in a device this size, but you can hook up an external USB or even FireWire CD or DVD drive to the OQO to install applications and watch movies. The device has one USB and one unpowered FireWire port along with a headphone jack. For a full set of ports, you'll use the included docking cable. The cable itself is an interesting concept: rather than cramming ports into a dock small enough to mate nicely with the model 01, OQO includes a long, rubbery 4.5 foot long docking cable that's peppered with ports.
Above: the OQO docking cable
In the Box
Oqo Laptops & Desktops Driver Downloads
The OQO model 01 comes in an elegant and classy large black box which holds the computer, stylus, world charger (notebook style inline brick), a metal stand, slip case, docking cable and a software restore CD. There is no comprehensive printed or PDF manual, but you do get a basic guide.
Features at a Glance
As mentioned, the OQO model 01 has a 1 GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor, 256 megs of RAM, a 5' 800 x 480 color display with digitizer, USB and FireWire on board but no internal speaker. It has both Bluetooth and WiFi, and via the docking cable, 10/100 Ethernet as well as Ethernet. This means you can dock the OQO at your desk to a monitor, keyboard, mouse and wired Ethernet, then unplug it for use on the road.
Design and Ergonomics
The model 01 looks elegant in its bronze colored metal casing and has a minimalist design. It's a basic rectangle with the 4' display taking up most of the front face. The OQO logo, power button and mic holes are the display's only companions on the front face. The docking connectors (3, all of which plug into the cable's end, and the far left port doubles as the charging connector) are on the bottom left edge, and the multifunction jog wheel and USB port are on the bottom right. The 4 pin unpowered FireWire port is on the left side and the standard 3.5mm headphone jack is on the right. The back of the computer is finished in matching bronze and has a battery charge indicator, as the entire back plate actually is the removable battery! The unit feels good in reasonably large hands, though it does run hot.