The most notebook-like UMPC we've seen to date, the clamshell-format Vulcan FlipStart offers welcome features including a touchpad, but it's still not the practical ultramobile system we've been waiting for.

Measuring 15cm wide, 11.4cm deep and 4.1cm high, the FlipStart looks like a cross between a shrunk-down notebook and a vintage-'80s Franklin Pocket Dictionary. The blue clamshell look is somewhat clunky, especially compared to the slick mockup images of the FlipStart that have been seen online since the project was first announced in 2004. The system weighs a mere 771g (1.04kg with the AC adapter), but the thick, boxy design makes it a tough fit for coat pockets and small bags. In comparison, the Asus R2H is even larger, closer to a portable media player (with a massive 7in. screen), while Sony's new VAIO UX1XN is slightly smaller and has a much sleeker design, typical of Sony's focus on aesthetics.

Flip open the clamshell design and you'll find a full QWERTY keyboard with input options at the bottom and a 5.6in. wide-screen display on the top. The keys are of the hard-to-use, thumb-typing variety, which is disappointing because unlike the VAIO UX1XN, you can actually put this system down on a desk and attempt to type much as you would on a normal notebook (the Sony VAIO, for example, needs to be held in both hands). It does, however, include several useful shortcut keys designed to offset the disadvantages of the miniature setup. We especially liked the Ctrl+Alt+Del key, located above the keyboard, and the Desktop key, which automatically minimises all open windows. A webcam sits right below the screen, which might prove useful for bloggers on the go. There's also a key for launching FlipStart's custom options interface, which puts important settings right in front of you, from managing wireless devices to power settings.

The screen has a 1,024 by 600 native resolution (the same as the VAIO UX1XN), which is decent for maximising screen real estate without sacrificing readability. Like the Sony and Asus UMPCs, a zoom feature is available, but we found the fuzzy text of the zoomed-in image distracting.

Unlike other UMPCs, the FlipStart doesn't have a touch-screen, but you do get other input options — a ThinkPad-style trackpoint and a tiny 1.5in. touchpad. Despite its small size and unusual placement (above the keyboard), we found the touchpad to be the best navigation tool on any UMPC we've reviewed to date. There's also a scroll wheel on the right edge of the chassis.

There's also a second display, similar to the SideShow displays we've seen on some Vista systems, on the outside of the clamshell. This 2in. screen syncs to Outlook and can display your email while the lid is closed. The screen is extremely small (and works only with Outlook, not Outlook Express or other programs), so its usefulness is questionable.

The system has a limited set of connections — a single USB 2.0 jack and a headphone output. You do, however, get a small port replicator that snaps onto the back of the system. This adds two USB ports (although you lose the onboard one), a mic-in jack and a VGA output for hooking up an external monitor. Networking connections include an Ethernet port (on the replicator), integrated 802.11b/g wireless, Bluetoot, and — in the US — Sprint Mobile Broadband.

Components are fixed and include a 1.1GHz Intel Pentium M Ultra Low Voltage CPU, just 512MB of RAM, and a 30GB hard drive. Some UMPCs, such as the VAIO UX1XN, are moving to solid state hard drives, to improve battery life and decrease the number of moving parts in a vulnerable mobile device. Our review unit came with Windows XP Pro, but Windows Vista Business is also available (although hard to recommend with only 512MB of RAM).

At best, you're going to get performance on a par with a budget notebook out of the FlipStart, but it was faster than the (US-reviewed) Vista-based Sony VAIO UX390, with a 1.33GHz Intel Core Solo U1500 and 1GB of RAM, in both our Multitasking and iTunes encoding tests. We were able to surf the web, work on Office documents and play back media files with only occasional stuttering. As long as you keep your expectations in check, an ultramobile PC like this can suffice for basic computing, physical usability issues aside.

Even though it lacks the power-saving solid-state drive of the VAIO UX390, the FlipStart had a nearly identical battery life performance, delivering 3 hours 31 minutes in our DVD battery-drain test using an external DVD drive powered by a USB port. That's an improvement over earlier UMPC models, but you'll have to shut the system down, put it to sleep or hibernate it whenever you're not actively working to get a full day's use out of it.

Vulcan backs the system with an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labour warranty, although the AC adapter and the battery are only covered for 90 days. Telephone support is available and the company's web site provides a knowledge base, driver downloads and documentation.

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