The announcement of Microsoft's Origami concept, which promised a full-fledge computing device in a pocket-sized form factor and all-day computing, spawned the first UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) in the form of the Samsung Q1. Unfortunately, poor performance and a paltry 2 hour battery life fell short of the Origami promise.

As the second Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) to hit the Asia-Pacific market (The Sony Vaio VGN-UX17GP is technically an ultraportable tablet and does not follow Microsoft's concept design), the Asus R2H adds features such as a Webcam, biometric fingerprint sensor and GPS to the mix, while at the same time promising a longer 3 to 4 hours of computing time. Retailing at S$2,298 (The Samsung Q1 sells for S$1,999), it's bundled with the necessary accessories for it to be used straight out of the box.

Upside: Though it lacks the integrated stand and VGA connector of the Samsung Q1(the video out of the R2H requires the use of an included VGA adapter), Asus more than makes up for it by incorporating a slew of features. Corporate users will appreciate the inclusion of a biometric fingerprint sensor which makes remembering easy-to-crack passwords a thing of the past. Video conferencing buffs can use the integrated 1.3-megapixel Webcam for communication on the run. For the frequent traveler, just flip up the flat antenna on the rear and engage the GPS radio to determine your exact coordinates. Though with so many features, juice sufficiency may be a concern. Asus claims the unit will run for 3 to 4 hours away from a power outlet on the four-cell battery. The Taiwanese maker is also including both a two-cell and a four-cell power pack as part of the standard bundle.

Connectivity-wise, it meets all the basic needs of an ultraportable. Included are two USB ports, one mini USB connector, SD/MMC card reader, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless network and Bluetooth radio. For hooking up to larger displays, you can either use the analog AV-out jack, or the included VGA adapter which plugs into the expansion port of the R2H. Navigation on the R2H is a simple affair using the directional pad, joystick or the extendable stylus on the touchscreen. An external DVD dual-layer writer, keyboard and optical mouse completes the S$2,298 package.

Downside: Though it has a faster 900MHz processor compared to the 600MHz chip in the Samsung Q1, the Celeron M platform is no speed demon and is usually relegated to simple computing tasks like office productivity tools and Internet browsing. Power users who regularly does photo or video editing may not find the R2H a suitable system for them.

Though the GPS radio is integrated in the unit, Asus does not provide the software or maps for use with this feature. Therefore geo-caching buffs will need to fork out extra for the mapping application which may easily add another couple of hundred dollars to the price.

Outlook:  As a first attempt by the Taiwanese vendor in the UMPC arena, it brought out the big guns by adding a Webcam, fingerprint sensor and GPS radio while promising a respectable 3 to 4 hours of battery life. Just as impressively, it managed to price the R2H affordably while adding two batteries, an external optical drive, keyboard and mouse to the bundle. Though the missing GPS application and preference for the slower Celeron platform is lamentable, the Asus R2H can be said to have made a big step in the right direction for Ultra Mobile PCs.