They do seem pointless for home users and business users (aka: darn near everyone). But they seem to fit the bill for my data collection projects. Palms and Pocket PCs are too small and can't run the native Windows data collection programs. Convertible tablets are too expensive or too heavy for such prolonged field work. Slate (non-convertable, no keyboard) tablets are big and worthless, and laptops are two handed.

The 7" screen of a UMPC should do the job nicely. And the thumb keyboard seems like a far-out solution to the slate tablet problem. And they run real Windows, so I can lock them down and Ghost them like any other, making maintenance easy.

They are the missing link between palmtop and laptop. I can't wait (but should have ordered and OQO just for kicks).