Engineering:SmartQ 5
| Manufacturer | Smart Devices |
|---|---|
| Type | Mobile Internet device / Portable media player |
| Operating system | Ubuntu Linux (LXDE); Windows CE 6.0 |
| CPU | Samsung S3C6410 (ARM11) at 667/800 MHz[1] |
| Memory | 128 MB DDR SDRAM (133 MHz, overclockable to 333 MHz) |
| Storage | 1 GB NAND flash (256 MB usable); SDHC up to 32 GB[2] |
| Display | 4.3 in, 800×480 resistive touchscreen, 16.7 million colors[2] |
| Graphics | SoC graphics, OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0 |
| Sound | AC97 codec, 24-bit PCM; 40 mW headphone output, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 94 dB SNR[2] |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, USB 2.0 OTG |
| Power | 2000 mAh lithium-polymer battery[2] |
| Dimensions | 120 × 74 × 14 mm |
| Mass | 160 g |
| Website | www |
The SmartQ 5 was a budget mobile Internet device and portable media player made by the Hefei-based Chinese company Smart Devices (Chinese: 智器; pinyin: Zhìqì). Announced on 11 February 2009, it shipped with a touch-adapted build of Ubuntu Linux and sold in China for 899 yuan (about US$132), a low price for its class.[3][4][5] The device stood out for running a full desktop Linux distribution on handheld hardware. Users could replace that system with community builds of Android, the Mer Linux distribution, and Windows CE.
Software
The SmartQ 5 shipped with a version of ARM Ubuntu Linux adapted for its resistive touchscreen, running the lightweight LXDE desktop environment.[4] It ran Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala).[6] Therefore, the device ran a complete Linux distribution, it used the apt package manager and could install ARM binaries built for Debian, Slackware and other distributions.[6]
Pre-installed software covered a broad of desktop applications: the Midori browser, the FBReader e-book reader, the Claws Mail client, the AbiWord word processor with the Gnumeric spreadsheet program, the StarDict dictionary, and media tools including SMPlayer, Transmission, Pidgin and Evince.[6]
The device could also boot other operating systems. Images of a Covia-ported Android and the Mer distribution were available for download.[6][7] Smart Devices released an official Windows CE 6.0 image as well, which was acquired by Smart Devices through an official license.[8]
Hardware
Processor and memory
The SmartQ 5 was built around a Samsung S3C6410 application processor with an ARM11 core, clocked at 667 or 800 MHz.[1] It carried 128 MB of DDR SDRAM, which could be overclocked from 133 to 333 MHz, and 1 GB of NAND flash, of which only 256 MB was available to the user.[2] An SDHC slot took cards up to 32 GB.[5]
Display
The front carried a 4.3-inch resistive touchscreen at 800×480 (WVGA), rendering 16.7 million colors.[2] The panel had no multi-touch, and the shipped Linux interface often needed the stylus for accurate input.[6]
Connectivity
Wireless support ran to Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR. A USB 2.0 OTG port worked in host mode at 480 Mbit/s, which let the device drive peripherals such as EDGE modems directly.[5] The SD slot and the mini-USB port could not be used at the same time.[6]
Audio and battery
Audio used an AC97 codec with 24-bit PCM output. The headphone amplifier was rated at 40 mW, with a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz and a 94 dB signal-to-noise ratio.[2] A 2000 mAh lithium-polymer battery powered the unit, good for roughly five hours of video playback in one review's testing.[5][6] The device measured 120 × 74 × 14 mm and weighed 160 g.
Reception
Launch coverage focused on the low price. SlashGear called the SmartQ 5 a bargain for its capabilities despite the limited usable storage.[5] Engadget highlighted the pairing of an ARM Ubuntu build with a sub-US$150 price.[4]
Anton Borisov, reviewing the device for Open Source For You, called running a full desktop Ubuntu on handheld hardware its "biggest attraction" and predicted it would "enthrall Linux geeks", since it could run any ARM Linux distribution, including Ubuntu, Debian and Slackware.[6] He was less taken with the interface, faulting a resistive touchscreen that needed the stylus for almost every action.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Samsung Application Processor S3C6410". Samsung. http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/productInfo.do?fmly_id=229&partnum=S3C6410.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "SmartQ 5 Specifications". Smart Devices. http://en.smartdevices.com.cn/Products/SmartQ5/200905/27-7.html.
- ↑ "Official Smart Devices site". Smart Devices. http://www.smartdevices.com.cn/information/news/200902/11-189.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "SmartQ 5 MID scores itself Ubuntu, a ridiculously low price tag". Engadget. 18 March 2009. https://www.engadget.com/2009-03-18-smartq-5-mid-scores-itself-ubuntu-a-ridiculously-low-price-tag.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "SmartQ 5 MID Specs & Photos Emerge: Just $132". SlashGear. 26 March 2009. https://www.slashgear.com/smartq-5-mid-specs-photos-emerge-just-132-2639014/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Borisov, Anton (5 April 2010). "An Ubuntu-powered MID". https://www.opensourceforu.com/2010/04/an-ubuntu-powered-mid/.
- ↑ "Mer". maemo.org. http://wiki.maemo.org/Mer/.
- ↑ "Smartdevices will release WinCE operating system". Smart Devices. http://en.smartdevices.com.cn/News/200906/11-15.html.
External links
- Official English Smart Devices site (archived)
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