Review: Samsung Q1 Ultra-Mobile PC

Now we’ve examined the hardware, it's time to delve into the software installed on the Q1.

There's a mixture of new features included - some native to UMPCs while others are Samsung-only applications.

The main applications can all be accessed from the Program Tools menu screen.

Similar in style to Microsoft’s Media Center interface, the large buttons make it easy to operate using your finger.

It’s split into seven categories: Connect, Communicate, View, Listen, Play, More Programs and Tools.

Each category can be customised , with up to nine allowed at any one time.

Samsung's manual states: 'It is recommended to connect and use an external keyboard and mouse when using the computer for a long time', and we'd have to agree.

In the absence of a keyboard, UMPCs house a tool called Dialkeys. Developed by a company called Fortune Fountain , it involves two translucent keyboard arcs being placed on either side of the screen.

You can then type directly onto the screen using your thumbs, just as when sending a text on a mobile phone.

Initially we found Dialkeys extremely hard to use, but after time we began to grow accustomed to it. It’s certainly not something we envisage people using to type out a long document, but it’s good for entering small amounts of text.

Thanks to it running the Tablet Edition of XP, you can also use Microsoft’s excellent handwriting-recognition software to enter text with the stylus.

Voice-recognition accuracy is given a boost with the twin array microphone . This also helps improve voice quality when making VoIP calls.

The Menu button on the front right of the Q1 brings up Samsung’s various shortcut options. These include brightness controls, buttons to toggle wired and wireless Lan on and off, and a screen-rotation option.

You can see the Menu options in greater detail in our software Image Gallery .

Go to the next page to read about the Q1's performance