The good: Dual-core performance capable of rendering HD videos; mini-USB jack allows the Everun to act as an external storage device without powering up; exceptionally portability with a touchscreen; optional HSDPA radio.

The bad: Expensive; no Ethernet port; inadequate battery life.

The bottom line: Possibly the first UMPC with dual-core performance, the Everun Note is a must have for those who demand performance in a portability package and are willing to pay for it.

Read full review of the Raon Digital Everun Note (AMD Turion X2 processor 1.2GHz, 1GB RAM) »

By Darius Chang, CNET Asia
Nov 17, 2008

The previous UMPC from Raon Digital pushed the boundaries of battery life. The latest iteration, however, went in a different frontier-busting direction.

Possibly the first UMPC with a dual-core processor, we were amazed that so much power could fit into a chassis smaller than a hardcover book. Forget Atom-based Netbooks, this machine is not only snappy with most Windows applications, it can also handle HD videos. Though it has a form factor of a Netbook, the Everun Note comes with a touchscreen like an Mobile Internet Device (MID). The only thing which we found a little hard to stomach is its price. At S$1,238 (US$881.64), one can easily get a budget laptop with a larger display, better performance and even an optical drive, though without the portability.

Design

Granted it's not exactly shirt pocket size, but the Everun Note is the smallest UMPC with a keyboard we've seen. At only 28mm thick with a 742g heft, the machine takes up a space of 200 x 118mm meaning that it can easily sit on the palm, or go into the large pocket of a pair of cargo pants. This is amazing considering that we expected the dual-core platform to require more space for heat ventilation. But despite its petite size, the Everun Note surprisingly did not heat up much during use. The built-in fan only became noisy during periods of high computing loads, but was relatively silent for surfing and other productivity tasks.

The sturdy white chassis feels solid with little flex. The lid is held down by a magnetic latch, which keeps the machine tightly closed while maintaining a sleek look. The battery protrudes from the rear end slightly and, in an unusual move, the Webcam is located on the hinge instead of above the display. The Everun Note can be opened flat to a full 180 degrees. However, considering that the touchscreen display can be used in both landscape and portrait modes, it would have been more useful if the clamshell can be fully flipped for use as an ebook reader.

For a 7-inch machine, the keyboard is surprisingly usable. By moving the punctuation keys to the top, Raon Digital managed to put in reasonably sized keys with good tactile feel. However, don't get the wrong impression that you can write long essays on this UMPC, unless you have the fingers of a 12 year old. Instead of a touchpad or trackstick, the Everun Note uses the same optical sensor found in its predecessor with two mouse buttons flanking it. This saves a significant amount of space and contributes to the puny form factor. Unfortunately, it was difficult to use for precision work but can suffice for clicking on Web links and icons. Another alternative is to tap directly on the touchscreen.

Tags: Dual-core, Ultramobile PC, Keyboard, Webcam, touch screen

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