Not too long ago, one's idea of a small computing device would have meant a Palmtop PDA or Windows CE device. All that changed when Microsoft announced its 'UMPC' platform – with devices that try to bring the joys of powerful computing to a usable SFF (small form factor).

It’s been a while since that platform launched, and in that time quite a few devices came and went, from manufacturers like ASUS, Sony and others. A new entrant in this space is Fujitsu... and it’s the Fujitsu U110 that I will be reviewing today.

Design & Features:

The U1010 at first glance looks fairly impressive. Not only is it compact, it is surprisingly a tablet. Due to this fact the U1010 has a single hardened hinge that is part and parcel of all tablets. Though the device has a sober black/white finish, its real appeal lies in its shape, size and weight. It weighs in at less than 600 grams, has an astonishingly large 5.7 inch screen and a good soft-edged shape that makes it comfortable to hold and use. Overall the device manages to exude both a cute and serious appeal at the same time.



There's a saying that goes “there's many a slip between the cup and the lip”, and the same philosophy can be applied to the U1010. For all its size and compactness, it suffers from a few design flaws that make it very awkward to use. For starters, the keyboard is quite unusable. It has a rather weird positioning that make it neither 'thumbable' nor usable as a normal QWERTY keyboard. The keys are very small and even for someone like me with small hands it’s at best a very uncomfortable experience.

Another design flaw is seen in the location of the heat vents. Instead of placing them at the back of the device, they are located on the right-hand side. Therefore, as the device heats up, it could make for a rather warm experience. However this may not such a big concern for most of us as the U1010 runs surprisingly cool.