Samsung announces new UMPC release

Warner Crocker at GottaBeMobile.com points to a press release from Samsung announcing the official launch of the company's latets Ultra Mobile PC offering, the Q1 Ultra. This device is the first offering from Samsung, an early leader in the UMPC market, to feature an integrated thumb board split across both sides of the display. Here's a link to the press release. Two items that make this announcement particularly interesting are the price point – starting at $799 – and the large number of retailers who will be carrying the device. According to the release, this list includes:

• Best Buy
• Circuit City
• CDW
• CompUSA
• Amazon
• NewEgg
• Buy.com
• Costco
• And a host of other retail outlets

That's welcome news. Like the Tablet PC, it's important that people be able to see and touch one of these devices before purchasing. Hopefully they'll get decent shelf placement in the brick and mortar shops and good page position and promotion from the e-tailers.