Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Viliv S5 Premium Air review


Click to see the video




Review device:

Viliv S5 Premium Air

4.8 inch 1024 x 600 touch screen
1.33Ghz Intel Atom with GM500
1GB RAM
16GB SSD ( prototype SSD on this one )
Wifi, Bluetooth, 3G and GPS ( 3G is Huawei EM770 )
1 * USB 2.0
1 * mini usb
Connector for external screen cables ( VGA, S-video, composite, RGB and audio )
Headphone/lineout 3.5mm jack
Stereo speakers
9 way joystick
5 to 7 hour battery life
154/84/24 mm 395 g

Differences on this one and the Premium version are the SSD in place of HDD and the 3G modem.


Keep your eyes on UMPCPortal too as Steve is finalizing his review.. it should be up soon.

Details, News and Links for Viliv S5







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35 comments:

JKK said...

btw. my new LED video lights are used on this video... Getting better? Any tips?

Saperalot said...

Video is perfect with new LED.
Sound is louder than last Videos.

Device:
I think it is OK to whach Videos in normal Quality on that Device.
Brigthness is always a Problem. But, what until for Computex, i am sure we will see good Screens on MIDs there.
Man, Cabels over Cabels :-)

This Device with a Slide Keyboard will be perfect. But good for now.

Anonymous said...

Hi JKK

Do you have any idea if on the non-3G version there's enough room for a 8mm 1.8" drive?

run dmc said...

GREAT VIDEO GREAT LIGHTING. ? how much do you think it would cost to put 3g and ssd in the s5

FrozenIpaq said...

Excellent lighting indeed, everything on the device was easy to see and even the screen came out clear. Great review as always!

Josh24 said...

For the 4.8" device battle, Umid going to b a great rival to this S5

*S5 got build quality - Umid dont ( but it fixable on next production I think)

*Umid got mini sd port - S5 dont have any slot all!

*S5 got GPS - Umid dont(any possible gps upgrade to umid?)

*Umid got a keyboard - S5 dont

*S5 got an USB port - Umid Dont

*Umid got webcam - S5 dont

*s5 got joystick (usable?) - Umid dont

*Umid got microphone built-in - S5 Dont!

* S5 got some nice marketing strategy with add free-spare-battery to attract more buyers - Umid dont.

Both has a great battery life, same cpu, and almost on same size and weight. Perfect for mobility companion for doing light works on xp.

This all is really confusing, But if I had to choose, I'll put my choice down to Umid, eventough the keyboard is not look like normal layout with big angle of screen, personally it still better than no keyboard at all.
And somehow I saw that the problems Umid have is going more fixable than the S5 have( except for usb port and the handheld form factor of Umid )

So as personal I still can deal with Umid tough than the S5.
Btw, great video lights comes with great review! Thankss! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm sold. Tell me a date and where I have to stand in line. Good roundup Josh.

HeartBeat said...

I don't think you can compare Umid with Viliv S5 the way you did cause each one of them are targeted to different purposes of use.

I understand one point .. If a GPS is a priority for you and if you want a computer for your car that can control your DVD, Multi Media, Rear Camera, etc (check www.streetdeck.com software) and at the same time it can be taken with you on the run for internet browsing, light work and PMP Device then it is Viliv S5 and NOTHING ELSE.

If you want just a UMPC as everything else then umid is better than many available. But if you ask me? I wouldn't go to UMPC for such requirements but I would be more than happy using my Eee PC netbook for that.

Car PC + GPS + PSP + UMPC = Viliv S5

Anonymous said...

Does it come with mapping software for the US out of the box? Great video! The new lights are like night and day.

Josh24 said...

Well, I understand your desired to choose over S5 than Umid to be more as a PC CAR than a really Full-Function MID/UMPC that supposed to be. I'm not saying that s5 is failed to be an Umpc/mid, it's just not suited for me.

Personally if I'd choose a MID,I need specs just almost same as like your eeepc; which has a KEYBOARD to typing on chat, cam, skype, online video chat mesenger with my family, friends til bussines-relations, transfering photos/files from sd slot, while able doing light works with full xp programs everyday with full of mobility.
Since I always spent all day with doing all of this things and works more than inside a car to controling the dvd, mirror,etc so in this case s5 is not going to be my real UMPC/MId. While I already own a GPS router for my car that I don't need to take it out everytime I'm outside car :)

And my most priority of all is, all these requirements ofcourse should come with the ultra-portability size that could fit into on my jacket pocket + up to 6 hours of battery life, and Thats why on purpose UMPC/Mid was made right, so I prefer The Umid ones.
Then I also don't think you could coompared Umid/s5/ any UMPC/MID below 5 inch touchscreen with netbook like eepc/aspire one either.

Obviously its matter of personal need :)

HeartBeat said...

It is a matter of personal need indeed :)

But really I fail to understand why till now there is no perfect UMPC or netbook when the Technology permits all our requirements!
Why don't we have them allllllllllllllllllllllll in one unit ? :)

HeartBeat said...

yes its matter of personal need indeed :)

But I really fail to understand why till now we can not find the perfect umpc or netbook? The technology permits all of our requirements though!

Couldn't Viliv have a keyboard ? :) or UMID with GPS and 3G!

HeartBeat said...

thought the first one did not go :)

Anonymous said...

Great review. BUT
- is the screen sunlight readable?: NO (GARMIN's product managers seems to be the only ones to be capable to do it right...)
- is the screen clossy and reflective, so reading the screen becomes worse?: YES
- can I purchase this device (SSD, 3G) at all?: UNLIKELY IN THE NEAR FUTURE
- is it likely this device is outrun by a better device once it can be purchased at all?: YES

A rather frustrating experience given what UMPCs can be actually purchased and what's desperately wanted...

Thanks anyway, jkk.

Anonymous said...

I wish S5 comes with webcam and a build-in micro for skype.

Anonymous said...

Here's what the device needs to achieve perfection:

OLED display
Atom 2.0Ghz
Texas Instruments DaVinci graphics chip
SD card slot
1.3MP front cam
4MP back cam
mic/line-in port

HeartBeat said...

and would you buy it for $1600 ??

Clayton said...

Hello there! Quick questions to the king of mods: did you check the internal space of Viliv? Do you think it would be possible to install a bigger SSD (128Gb) on it, without soldering etc. (just take the original off and replace it with a new one?). Is the original one PATA or SATA?

HeartBeat said...

JKK

I found a simple and easy solution for a microSD slot for Viliv S5.

Check this out :
http://www.yehsir.com/images/reader/TFrdW.3.jpg
http://www.yehsir.com/images/reader/TFrdY.6.jpg

with a little bit of modification .. get rid of the white plastic .. and get rid of that small rubbery filling on the Viliv inside door and you can install it with viliv usb door closed.

Sold on ebay for $10

Anonymous said...

Hei

I am really wondering of Starcraft 1 is working on this device ;)

Greetings from Switzerland and Thankyou for the interesting reviews

Anonymous said...

This would help the non-sd problem with the S5: http://usb.brando.com.hk/eagletec-usb-nano-flash-drive_p00892c041d15.html

HeartBeat said...

Anonymous
Read my previous post up there :)

Ali said...

no I wouldn't buy it for $1600 HeartBeat, I'd wait until it becomes affordable, then I would instantly buy it.

This device is as close to perfection with a neat price tag as commercially possible (shame about the OQO Model 2+ though). I was merely pointing out how perfection could be achieved with it in the future.

Anonymous said...

Out of interest, what happens if you push the power on button up again whilst the unit is already on? Does it hibernate/stand-by?

I am just thinking in case you accidently slide it

JKK said...

Power button design is good so accideltal push never happened to me..

You can set it to sleep, shutdown or ask what to do..

Anonymous said...

I wonder if you could make a video showing how navigation actually works with devices like this? That is, load up a good GPS/map program, walk around your local town with it, and find streets etc. Or maybe go for a drive.
I'd love to see how practical this is, as opposed to buying a dedicated satnav system.

Anonymous said...

Thanks JKK re "power button" query. I too would like to see how practical GPS operation is. Update speed, responsiveness, calculation times on planning routes, reliability, etc ..

-Jim

Anonymous said...

Navigation would be a major usage szenario in my case (Hiking, Biking, Flying - SSD is a must due to low air pressure at higher altitudes). Thus, some usability outdoor navigation tests would be great. And: how easy would it be to replace the spinning hard disk of a 'normal' S5 by an SSD?

- Andreas

Anonymous said...

How well is the design of the on-screen keyboard layout?
Do you need to keep switching modes for numeric/apha/symbol keys ?
Are there any annoying design flaws? Example being the numeric mode missing the "." ?

-Jim

billy said...

Don't know the result if I use it to browse www.hongkongtourmap.com in 1024x600 full-screen mode !?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said the perfect device would be da da da da...perfect for who? Himself maybe but not me. You can never have the perfect device different users have different needs & wants. These devices are very niche products & the companies that make them are small & nothing like yor Sony or Asus, etc. Be thankful that you can even buy these products as they are, because even if Sony was ever going to make one like it you can be assured that it'll cost a load more money.

Anonymous said...

ok it lacks card reader, mic, camera, 2nd usb etc. can somebody please inform us , if the only usb slot , has enough power to accept 2,5'' 500gb hard drive, or can by use of an usb hub, accept a card reader, a 2,5 hard disk , and an external tv stick the same time?

Anonymous said...

can the viliv s5 run older games like nfs porche unleashed and do you know if it can handle sim city 4 just wondering if i could stick my archive of windows 98 games on it my windows 98 has 0.33 gigs of ram so i assume it can run old games of a 98 from 1995(had it updated to 98)

Anonymous said...

what kind of keyboard are you using in the picture? I have the s5 and have been looking for a mini portable keyboard. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I'm interested in the keyboard as well. Viliv just released new Windows 7 drivers http://www.myviliv.com/eng/board/board_download/listbody.asp?idx=174&a_gb=help&a_cd=15&a_item=0&page=1

Anybody try them out yet to see if they overcome the shortcomings mentioned in this article?

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