For those of you hoping that Viliv's aesthetic excellence will somehow make magic out of the 4.8-inch flip MID form factor, you might want to look away right about now. We too were hoping that Viliv could somehow sprinkle fairy dust on the errors of something like the UMID mBook BZ, but sadly the N5 is no such MID. It's good looking, to be sure, and might even be better constructed than UMID's entry, but it has the same squint-inducing 1024 x 600 display and aggravating optical mouse pad holding it back. In reality, both of these little computers are more akin to "observing" what it's like to have a full computer running on an impossible form factor, instead of anything appropriate for actually using that computer.

Perhaps the CE-based Viliv HD5 PMP will find a truer calling. We saw the slate unit pumping out some HD video at a steady clip, and its hardware is certainly refined -- if only just a little chubby. Unfortunately, none of the buttons were working, so we couldn't hop out of the video and see what the rest of the player has to offer. At least it's not Windows XP under there, daring us to use it. Videos of both devices are after the break.Continue reading Viliv N5 MID hands-on, HD5 PMP makes a cameo
Viliv N5 MID hands-on, HD5 PMP makes a cameo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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