September 1, 2009
Written by: Kenneth Kwok
Wow, it's September already! Time for students go back to school and for the rest of us to enjoy the last few days of summer. This will be our second review on Netbook Updates and to say the least, this is an interesting product. As a netbook and desktop user, I have always been looking for a portable and simple way to extend my desktop just a little bit or have additional space for widgets or even a dock. Surprising such a device does exist in the market these days. Today's product does just that with a slim design. The Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S that we are taking a look at is a touchscreen USB external monitor. Nanovision has been known for their Mimo line of portable USB external monitors. From their previous first generation and their new 2G, second generation slim monitors, they have gotten praise for their designs and innovation. The UM-720S which was just recently released was sent to us for review in a timely manner. We are one of the first sites to receive a sample and we are honored to have received this product so early on. However, the review took longer since we had to set a new standard for monitors with a touchscreen. Anyways, we will be taking a look at the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S today.
Our unit came in a NanoVision Mimo corrugated cardboard box. It's a nice touch to actually have a branded box for shipping purposes. It was shipped using UPS Saver which was quick to ship out the package. It came in pretty good condition with only minor damage to the box which was insignificant. Inside the box, some plastic foam was used to protect the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S from damage. UPS shipping was good as usual, kudos to UPS for such service.
The Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S came in retail packaging which is really nice in terms of design. It would go great for retail sales as well as for display at any showcase or such. The packaging is a cardboard box with easy open flaps from the front that opens the top of the box revealing the product itself. With such a design, it can be reused for accessories or for anything else.
Packaging on the front is dominated by a black backdrop and a flame colored background with a picture of the Mimo 2G on the box. Included as well is the product name, which happens to be both the UM-720S and the UM-710S which is the same except the 710S lacks the touchscreen. Using a cardboard box means easy opening and easy storage as well.
The rear of the package is the exact same as the top of the front. Meaning the same photo, just located on the bottom instead of the top. The right side of the box shows the model number, serial number and various certifications that the Mimo 2G has received. In turn the left side shows special features and the standard product specifications for both the UM-710S and the UM-720S.
Let's take a look at the specifications before moving further into our review:
-Display size: 7"
-Display resolution: 800 x 480
-Brightness: 300 cd/m2
-Contrast ratio: 400:1
-Color: 262K
-Connections: USB 2.0
-Features:
*Resistive Touchscreen
*Monitor Pivots 90 degrees
*Integrated Stand and Cover
*Ultra-portable, weighs less than 1 pound
-Certifications: CE FCC RoHS
Interior packaging was also carefully done and kept things from moving around inside the box. All accessories were kept under the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S which was held in place by two foam brackets. Everything inside were kept in good condition due to this and makes it easy to remove and possibly to repackage.
Included in the box are as follows: Dual USB to Mini USB cable, Drivers CD, User's Manual and lastly the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S. The Dual USB to Mini USB cable and Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S were both enclosed in plastic bags which provided protection from dust and other possible degradation.
First thing that I noticed when I took out the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S was just the size of it. It is so compact and small; I could take it with me in my netbook case or even in my backpack. In terms of design the Mimo 2G was also pretty pleasing to the eye. Even the build quality was solid; all the mechanisms did not feel flimsy and felt secure enough.
The Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S is made mostly of plastic as seen in the image above, the plastic on the backside of the panel is just given a rocky look to it, while the neck of the device is given a glossy finish on the black plastic. All of this is protected with plastic to prevent scratching or damage to the device during transit. This is a nice touch to make sure the screen arrives in a perfect condition for the customer. There is also a malleable plastic cap with the Mimo logo on it.
The backside of the device is less than exciting as it just a standard piece of black plastic in the shape of the device. This is used as the base and can be seen later on when the Mimo 2G is being used. Overall, as we said before, the build quality is solid and the design is good.
By raising the front cover and sliding the monitor forward, shows the display in it's standard position. The screen of course has a piece of plastic on it to avoid scratching and other possible damage to it. The screen is 7" as mentioned in the specification and has a brightness of 300 cd/m2 which is 50 cd/m2 less than the UM-710S which is the non touchscreen version.
The design and the mechanism of revealing and concealing the monitor is a grand idea. Although it may not be new in any sense, but it does allow for the Mimo 2G to keep it's slim contour and make it portable to boot. The monitor is protected by the base when the monitor is down. A Mimo logo can be found at the bottom center of the device on the bezel around it. A DisplayLink certified logo and USB Mini Monitor can be found on the base of the device.
Nanovision's Mimo 2G UM-720S can also be used in a vertical position. This monitor can only be adjusted 90 degrees to the right which gives a vertical display instead of the standard horizontal. This can be useful for toolbars or additional widgets that are taller than the landscape view can display. Rotating the device does not feel flimsy and it actually feels just right, as in not too hard or too easy to rotate. Unfortunately the hardware does not support auto adjustment on the system. Meaning everytime the screen is switched, it has to be manually set to either landscape view or portrait view.
From the left side, it is easy to see how slim the device is. It is portable and stylish at the same time, which is absolutely a plus. All the buttons for the device are located on the top of the left side when raised. As seen, there are two buttons that are closer together and one that is separated from the other two. From left to right, the first button is for brightness up while the next one is brightness down. The last button is the power button. Nanovision's Mimo 2G UM-720S has great design and has a very slim contour.
By raising the plastic cap with the Mimo logo, the Mini USB port is revealed. As we said before, the monitor uses USB for both input and power. One dual headed USB to Mini USB cable does both of these things for the device. The location of the Mini USB port is well hidden and located in a fair spot to keep it from getting in the way. The good thing is that the cap stays attached even when a Mini USB cable is plugged in, so there is no chance of losing the protection of the Mini USB connector.
Putting the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S on top of our Asus N10L-X1 gives a good look at the size of the screen in comparison to our 10" monitor on our test system. It looks somewhat smaller and is comparable to the size of an old Eee PC 701 screen. In terms of bezel size, the Mimo 2G is exceptionally small giving this the compact figure that it has. The screen has a matte finish which is good for daytime usage in direct sunlight compared to the glossy screen on our Asus N10L-X1 that gives a reflection. The matte finish is a good idea and it costs less than the glossy finish which allows for some cost saving measures that get passed along to the user.
After installing the drivers and the included software, we were ready to use the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S. Installation of the driver was simple by just following the steps that are listed in the user's manual. However, setting up the software to work with the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S was a bit flawed. The software is just generic software that is used by a couple of companies. The biggest problem is that it doesn't auto detect the monitor, so it has to be set up manually in the software as the monitor number that is detected.
The device looks great next to our test system and adds some additional space for all things. In terms of installation and setup, it was somewhat slow but after understanding everything, it was pretty easy to use. It would be nice if Nanovision added an auto detect feature for the external monitor and also some specialized software just for the Mimo series of monitors.
As seen in the photo above, the screen quality is decent, although the brightness and image quality is said to be worse than the UM-710S due to the touchscreen digitizer which makes it look similar to adding an old fashioned anti glare filter screen. The additional desktop space allows me to put in a dock on the top of the additional desktop space. It can be used for almost anything, from widgets, docks to additional shortcuts. Also seen is the blue power LED on the left side of the device.
This picture gives an accurate account on the image quality. Since the screen only works at 800 x 480, we chose this resolution to show a sample image included with Windows Vista. The image looks pretty good from this angle but it is still somewhat grainy and it looks similar to a portable GPS screen. The added touchscreen really does depreciate the image quality somewhat, although it looks fine in most usages, a bright and colorful screen will look quite grainy.
The Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S is not meant for gaming or even HD videos, it is just for accessories and extras onto the screen. Some light video testing proved it worked fairly well but it did lag and stutter at times. YouTube is fine though, as long as it isn't HD. Don't expect too much from this monitor in terms of quality or video replayability. I only wish they could improve the image quality, 3D acceleration isn't as big of a deal.
The touchsceen on the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S is what differentiates it from the UM-710S other than the price, which we will talk about later on. The touchscreen works pretty well for a resistive touchscreen. However, the drivers for calibration are flawed due to the generic software. For calibration, there is a white screen with four separate crosses that appear one at a time near the four corners of the screen. The problem is that only the top left cross can be seen since the resolution is too small. In essence the next three required some guessing. I actually have to press at the corner of the screen to attempt to calibrate the screen. This only occurs when using it as a secondary monitor, as a primary monitor, it calibrates perfectly. That's a little poor to say the least, which sort of hurts the main point of the device.
The image quality on paint shows the graininess of the screen. The white feels grainy and pixilated as well as the gray color on the sides of the screen. I used the touchscreen to draw out the words Netbook Updates just to give a feel of how well the touchscreen works. As I stated before calibration and accuracy is a pain. Good thing we can also use a stylus on this screen, so pack along your DS, smartphone or even a toothpick for the next trip with the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S.
In our second usage of the touchscreen we used the included drawing software to draw out the same thing. This time it tracks the location of the touches. Looking at the logs, I can say even after many calibrations, it is near impossible to use it as a secondary monitor with perfect accuracy. That is due to the failure of the calibration. Even with a stylus, it is still hard to use accurately.
Another important factor is the pricing, at a price of $229.99; it is hard to recommend the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S. Especially when the UM-710S costs only $149.99 which is $80.00 less than the touchscreen version. Since the touchscreen doesn't work too well as a secondary monitor, especially when the calibration is flawed and the drivers are generic. Another problem is the lower image quality versus the UM-710S.
In essence, this device is device is a good idea, especially when there is a need for more desktop space or just a portable monitor. It's built well has boasts a slim and attractive design. From the glossy and grainy black plastic to the stand and even the mechanism for opening and closing the device is all great. However, that is not where the biggest problem lies, it lies in the software and the image quality completely. The software is generic and does not feel like it was built for this device. This is especially true when we got to the calibration. The image quality is also a bit too grainy for some fine usage and could be improved. The software is the sticking point and can easily be fixed by Nanovision. The last issue is the price of $229.99, it is hard to see this as other than a luxury item. As we said before the UM-710S costs $80.00 less and has better image quality. So if there is a need for a portable monitor the non touchscreen version is the better choice. But if you really do need the touchscreen or have that extra $80.00 lying around, by all means get the Nanovision Mimo 2G UM-720S.
Shouts out to Michael from Nanovision for providing us the sample unit
Awards: Deviation Award
Score: 76%
80%: Still a great product with minor setbacks that should not affect the reader.
70%: Good product with many positive traits to it but has certain unsubstantial flaws that should be considered
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