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by Kevin (Kilmo) Kang, Korea

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Yukyung Tech releases Intel's Classmate PC as Viliv Duo in Korea

Oct 18, 2009 20:08

Korea-based Yukyung Technology is known as one of the top MID (mobile Internet device) makers across the world. It has released Viliv S5, S7 and X70 and recently added the S10, which is an Intel Atom-based tablet Netbook.

It looks like Viliv is one of those PC makers that are oriented with Intel's Atom platform (Silverthorne). Now, it is expanding its PC lineup to feature the Atom Diamondvile in the Viliv Duo.

This is an unexpected product from Yukyung because it is a newcomer to the PC industry, with Viliv S5 one of bestselling and high-performance MIDs out there. It added the S7 and X70 within a year, with the S5 really focusing on this market. Originally, Viliv was a PMP brand in Korea with the fourth-largest market share in the country's PMP pie. The company has since expanded to MIDs to survive and get into the international market.

It seems Yukyung did a great job in the MID category against its competitors. Only UMID's Mbook is its main rival since most of the other international MIDs are based on ARM solutions and not Intel's Atom.

Most of customers expect the new S5 from Viliv, but it keeps expanding its lineup to a 10-inch tablet Netbook, and now, a Classmate version. Well, the 10-inch tablet Netbook was okay since it's been developed by Yukyung, but the Viliv Duo is a different story. It's one of rebranded Netbooks, developed by Intel as an Intel-powered convertible Classmate PC.

Yukyung has the ability and technology with the Intel Atom processor. I hope it can develop something unique and different from other PC makers and keep its identity in this industry, particularly with the three MIDs it has already launched worldwide.

If it keeps expanding its PC lineup like this, we may see a Viliv Nettop and desktop in the future. Of course, this product will be another rebranded PC. CES 2010 in Las Vegas is about two months away, I'm sure the company is working on something new and an upgrade version of the MID which can replace its successor, the Viliv S5.

Let's see Viliv become a PC brand with a unique identity for the mobile PC category, just like OQO.

Viliv Duo is available in two configurations, with the basic package going at 699,000 won and the Wibro (WiMAX) package at 499,000 won.

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About Kevin (Kilmo) Kang

Kevin (Kilmo) Kang is a self-professed IT-savvy guy who's been having the time of his life making tech deals with new business partners in the Asia-Pacific areas. Like every Korean, he's gadget-crazy and is glad he lives in a country with one of the fastest-growing tech markets in the world. His taste for international work, however, arose from a nine-year stay in New Zealand where he fortunately made more friends than there are sheep.