Review of HCL Mileap V India’s low cost tablet UMPC
Boot up time to load Vista Home Premium
HCL Mileap : Time taken to boot Vista to the logon screen was 45 seconds, from the user logon
My Desktop: Time taken to boot Vista to the logon screen 38 seconds, from the user logon to Vista desktop 1 seconds, waiting for the vista modules to load another 12 seconds, so the total time approx is 51 seconds on Quad core desktop machine.
HP Laptop: Not applicable as its running XP Media center edition.
I did not have a copy of XP tablet edition to install on this UMPC, but expect a 15-20% improvement over Vista in general performance with XP tablet edition.
Copying a 700 MB file from a 2 GB Sandisk cruzer USB thumb drive.
HCL Mileap: Took 58 seconds to copy the 700 MB file to its hard-disk averaging transfer speed was 12 MB/sec.
On my desktop the transfer took 49 seconds, averaging a transfer speed of 14.2 MB/sec which is to be expected as it has a faster hard disk.
On my HP Laptop the file transfer was again in 58 seconds.
Vistas Performance Index ratings for Mileap
Some decent figures by Vista built in benchmarks it’s just due to the 800Mhz processor it got a rating of 2.1 (do note that the highest rating a component can get is 5.9)
Shutdown Hibernation and Sleep timings.
The time Mileap UMPC took to shutdown in Vista was approx 20 seconds, the stand by time is very quick and it goes to sleep by mode in 2 seconds, you can just put down the screen lid and it goes into the deep sleep mode, it also wakes from sleep mode within 2-3 seconds but it can take upto 10 seconds more to establish the Wifi connection again, it’s a good idea to use the hibernate option instead of the shutdown option as them taken to come back from Hibernation is just 29 seconds, on the other hand to go into hibernation and shutoff it takes approx 40 seconds.
Pricing for Various Models of HCL Mileap in India
Conclusion: HCL Mileap Y is a good UMPC / laptop which does not disappointed you under Vista, you can do a fair bit of multitasking with it and this can be your true portable second PC, you can do most of day to day activities like browsing the web, email, working with office documents, excel sheets playing music and watching movies, its weights less than a kilo so you can carry it anywhere you like but if you are a heavy user and are into Video Editing and stuff which requires a powerful processor this might not be the ideal machine for you for the rest of us, this is a great UMPC at an irresistible price!
If you would like to see my first post and unboxing of this UMPC click here. If you have any questions regarding this Mileap UMPC please post you questions and I would be glad to answer them.
Update 24 Feb 2008
| If forgot to mention about the Laptop carry bag that is provided with this Mileap V series, it’s not a bag but a pouch to carry the UMPC it looks sleek but it’s impractical, after inserting the laptop in the bag as seen in the picture below you don’t have any space to put the power adapter & cables and you need to carry the power adapter because the battery last for just around 2 hrs, If you want to carry along this laptop on extended trips you would need to buy another laptop bag. |  |
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were the performance values with a 2 GB RAM. will it void the warranty if we install 2GB RAM. Is Windows tablet PC edition available off the shelf. If installed will the drivers have to be installed for the touch screen to work.
what is the free dos that they provide on the mileap Y version.
Hi Arun,
All benchmarks were done with the 2 GB setup and plugging in the laptop to AC power.
Regarding the question on if it would void the warranty I don’t know about the same, It was very simple to upgrade the RAM just unscrew one screw and you can change the memory module, but even with 1 GB RAM it should give good performance.
Currently HCL is not selling the Windows tablet PC edition, if you want to save some money you can get the Mileap Y version and then install XP on the same, HCL provided has all the drivers for both XP and Vista on the driver disk.
Regarding the free dos I don’t know coz I did not get it with this V series as Vista was already preloaded, my best guess is it’s freedos.org
I would also like to mention that under Vista I did not need any of the installation disks provided, Vista was able to update and get all latest drivers via windows update.
Thanks a lot. the review was very helpful. A planning to buy this. and this review has helped a lot
Wat if I remove Vista (or Linux)and install XP home? Would I be able to use the touch screen then?
[Ranjit] Mohit I guess you can use the touch screen with the stylus like a mouse but with XP Home edition you don’t get support for the extended tablet features and hand writing support, If you want to use XP I recommend that you use Windows XP Tablet Edition.
Is windows XP tablet PC edition available for sale anywhere or on the internet. Also how do we load the software if there is no optical drive on the system? How do the tablet PC features of XP compare with that of vista?
Hi Dr Arun,
Regarding the availability of XP tablet edition in the retail market, I will get back to you regarding the same after inquiring about it with my hardware dealer.
BTW Vista’s tablet functionality features and handwriting recognition are much improved and better than Windows XP tablet edition.
Also as there is no built in optical drive in these Mileap Series laptops you would need to purchase an external USB DVD / CD drive to load any new OS or softwares / drivers from the Installation disks.
It can be done via loading the installation files to the local harddrive of the laptop using an external USB harddrive, but if you don’t know how to do the same any local hardware vendor that you know should be able to do the same with ease.
Hope the above info helps!
Thanks a lot
Hi Dr Arun,
I just spoke to my hardware vendor and he told me that Microsoft does not sell XP Tablet Edition separately in the retail market, the only way you get it is with pre-installed on a new computer.
thank you . the reviews and the information is extremely helpful. I hear ACi is coming out with a similar model. will you have a review
Yes ACi is also coming out with umpc there is not much info but there is going to be one for around 15,000 with the following specs
7-inch LCD screen
• VIA 1.0 GHz ULV Processor
• 512MB Memory
• 40GB HDD
• WiFi & Bluetooth
• Webcam
• No Optical Drive
Again i guess it would use Linux or other open O/S at this price point. I cant promise if I will review the same coz i could do this indepth review with Mileap V as i purchased it and I can’t purchase all the UMPC that come in the market but if I can get a demo piece my hands I will surely do the review.
But the reason why I did purchase this Milep V UMPC coz just around 4 months ago smillar machines were in the price range of 55,000 – 70,000 last year something like this would cost almost a lakh and I felt that this Mileap is true value for money as of now
I do not need the handwriting thing. Wat other extended features are there in the Tablet thing?
And wat about the Vista discs you got were they install discs or recovery discs? Was there any OEM branding in the installed version like it comes in Dell?
And wat about the preinstalled software? Was it only Kaspersky AV and Works or did you get some other crap like Adobe’s PDF reader and unwanted toolbars and demos an the sort.
Sorry for recommenting so soon but are XP drivers included?
The main features of tablet are hand writing recognition you also get the virtual keyboard and the screen rotation features bywhich you can change the screen orientation.
I did not open the disk of the Vista home premium disk but they are with HCL branding, also there is not much blotware installed on the system apart from the anti-virus, IE live toolbar and a simple HCL tips notification that can be easily disabled.
There is a seperate disk provided that contains the drivers for XP and vista, uder vista I did not need even this disk as Vista updated to all the latest required dirvers via the windows update.
Dear Ranjit,
Thank you for your review and other information. What about extended warranty and customer support?How much would it cost for the upgrade into 2GB RAM?
Your reply would help me to make a decision.
Thanks
Jose
The default warranty is for 1 year, there was a thing for extended warranty in the warrant book but I dont recall about it now.
Regard the 2 GB Ram I dont think so its offically supported via HCL but I can be wrong you should check out with your HCL dealer, I did the Ram upgarade myself I bought a 2 GB DDR Ram stick for around 2,200 bucks and installed the same.
I am indeed facinated by the Mileap V. Was wondering if the PC could be used for voice dictation using dragon dictate. considering the slow processor.
Any info on this would be highly appreciated.
Piran
Hi,
Saw your reviews about HCL Myleap UMPC. Hav you run any of the falvors of GNU/Linux on the same? If so how was the experience? Am an open source s/w developer planning to buy an Ultra Mobile PC but a machine which is not compatible with Linux is a strict no for me.
Please share your thots.
Thnx
_raghava_
Piran: I don’t think so this Mileap V is suitable if you would liek to use Dragon dictate with its as the CPU is just 800Mhz.
Raghavan: I haven’t personally tired to install Linux on this machine as Mileap V comes installed with Vista and I use Vista as my primary OS, but Mileap Y comes installed with Linux so these machines should not have any problems running linux.
What is the procedure for install Windows XP using USB DVD RAM. my usb DVD not support at booting time.
Hi Kalyan
Looks like your USB DVD Ram doesn’t support booting via the interface, did you try booting via a USB Memory stick, you can load XP on the memory stick and install from the same.
Here is a article explaining exactly how to do the same http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-6346-5928902.html
You can also check this one http://www.eeeguides.com/2007/11/installing-windows-xp-from-usb-thumb.html
cheers,
Ranjit
Thanks Ranjit, I will try it.
[...] installed the USB modem on my HCL Mileap UMPC running Vista Home edition and it installed without any issues, the software used to connect is [...]
800 Mhz Intel A110 Ultra Mobile processor….how fast is that?..
i have a dual core 2.6 ghz processor in my desktop and i find it fast enough for me..
i multi task and use heavy applications like maya photoshop and some games on my desktop…
how will it be with mileap v series….
Hi Manoj,
My primary desktop is a Quad Core 2.4 ghz Intel processor that I use as my primary computer.
Regarding the the Mileap with 800Mhz processor it is not a machine to run heavy media softwares like photoshop / Maya but or even games but it is to be used as a portable second computer not as your primary machine.
This UMPC is great for everyday tasks like checking emails working with medium-small office documents, browsing websites, blogging, playing videos etc.
Incidentally I also have a proper 14″ laptop computer with a Intel dual core 1.8 Ghz processor and for the last couple of months I have noticed that I am using this Mileap UMPC more than the laptop while traveling just because of the awesome portability that it offers.
Hi Ranjit,
Very interesting and informative posting, looks like you are enjoying the new gadget.
I am looking at his as replacement of my notebook, so primarily looking for
- Blogging
- MS Office
- Notes – to take notes of meeting and etc..
- Browsing
Do we get MS Office and Notes with this from HCL? If so how much would it additionally cost? Also I travel a lot to Europe, US. Does HCL itself provide a connectors to these countries or have to pick adaptors? Planning to pick this when I travel to India next month!!
Regards,
Partha
Hi Ranjit,
One more question does this come with Origami Software’s like Origami Central and Origami Now?
Origami – copyright Microsoft, are set of software built specifically for UMPC kind of devices on top of Vista.
Regards,
Partha
Hi Ranjit
I am Planning for HCL UMPC model V, and would be using my
Application which is developed using C#2005 and uses SQL Server 2005 Single User exculsively for me for testing and debugging the application and checking reports.
Would you recommed me to buy the UMPC of HCL
I will put a 2GB RAM and XP Professional OS
Can you tell me from where did you buy the same so that i can contact the same
mileap v series is very attractive to look & to use it is very easy to carry one place to another weight is vey low it looks like a personal diary
only one bad thing is there :
optical drive required then it will get good market all over india
Hello Everyone,
Sorry for the delayed reply I was out for station for a while and became a bit busy after returning.
Partha this UMPC is good for – Blogging, MS Office, Notes – to take notes of meeting and etc.. and Browsing again do note that the keyboard is a bit small so it will take a couple of days to get used to the same.
The UMPC is not preloaded with Office, it comes loaded with MS-Works, regarding the power adapter its universal accepting 100 – 240v so it should work everywhere.
Origami is not present on this Mileap Laptop, I tried to install from downloading from Microsoft site and it did not work, there is a work around to install the same but I did not try it.
Viraj: With 2 GB RAM I guess you can install SQL Server 2005 but again remember it will be a bit sluggish in performance, you can buy this laptop from any HCL retail outlet, again big Electronic Retail shops like, Reliance Digital , Croma.
i have been looking for a good tablet pc fujitsu 2010 model was good but it costs 1lakh+.
hai ranjit your review is good, have you installed pdf reader(adobe) how is it to read i mean when we open a file do we have to scroll a lot bcoz of small screen size, also while browsing same thing.
hi ranjit
was there any problem reading the pdf files and internet explorer bcoz of small screen.
do we have scroll a lot to read these documents
Hello,
i am concerned about the finishing of the product( i mean the body). but i am attracted by HP’s UMPC 2133.but it lacks touch sensitivity.what is ur opinion about the HCL product?
Dear Ranjit,
Firstly, thanks for putting up a review of the Mileap on the web. It will be very useful for anybody who is surveying on the MiLeap and planning to buy it.
I, too am, planning to buy it. I am a lecturer in a college. So, the investment of about 37,000 plus to buy MiLeap V is quite significant for me. So, I must be very careful before I buy the product.
The following are the purposes for whoch I will buy it:
1) Surfing the Internet to Read research paper abstracts
2) Emailing
3) Reading PDF research papers
4) Playing continuous music while reading
5) Data Analysis with Perl programming and Excel
6) Running MATLAB programs for modeling and simulation
That means, fundamentally, I will use it for:
1) READING LONG HOURS
2) SMALL SCALE PROGRAMMING
and
3) MUSIC LISTENING
I will use the TABLET functionality (marking with stylus on folded screen) while READING on the NET or PDF files.
I want to buy this product primarily because of its A) smallest size and B) lightest weight. So it will be easy for me to handle and carry. I want to make it my constant companion.
My questions are:
1) Will it be suitable for reading for long hours?
2) Will small programs run with reasonable speed?
3) Will the laptop last (statistically on average) 5 years if I use to for reading, playing music, and small programms SIMULTAENOUSLY for say 10 hours every day?
4) Will it become extremely hot after 2 hours of such continous usage?
5) Will the touch screen degrade in 5 years with such usage?
6) How are HCL laptops in general? Till how many years they are problem free in general? Will HCL be able to replace parts if the need be?
7) Should I go ahead and buy it now or should I wait for 3 months till HP/DELL comes with such a product?
Well, I now that I have asked so many questions. It will be very nice of you if you can help me because I will be investing my 3 year savings to buy it.
Sincerely,
Deb Mukherjee
Hello everyone sorry for the delay in replying, I will try to answer a few of the questions that have been posted.
This UMPC can run adobe PDF reader without any problems, I personally use Foxit PDF reader and as mentioned earlier in the review the screen is very sharp with a resolution of 1024*600 and off very good quality so no issues of side scrolling.
The finish of the product is pretty good, better than I thought. I suggest you personally have a look at the same at any gadget store before purchasing.
Deb Mukherjee this UMPC is good and can do all the stuff that you wanted but from what you really want is a more powefull laptop, you can find many today in the rs 30,000 price point, I havent used the mileap for 10 hrs straight as I have my normal PC to work on and I use this UMPC only on the move or which sitting in front of the TV. I normally work with it on battery with wifi and it gives about 2.2 hrs of battery life, before i need to charge it again.
The touch screen functionality is mediocre at best, I hardly use it in the tablet mode, do note that this UMPC gets pretty hot, as hot as normal laptops get and you can feel the warm air blow out via the heat vent, but as far as my experience it has never shut down itself due to any heat issues and its pretty stable it has never crashed itself till date.
Mr.Ranjit , thanks for your review of MiLeap V Series. I read it completely after seeing the MiLeap HCL Website.
I will have a Look at it and Buy it . But I want to know whether the HCL will help me to Upgrade to 2 GB RAM if I Email them the requirement or should I allow some Technical people to do it.
I will update what I did . But please let me know.
Abhinandana
Guwahati.
Abhinandana I dont know if HCL might help you with upgrading to 2 GB RAM, even if they don’t its pretty easy to upgrade the same.
If the HCL guys refuse to upgrade to 2 GB, I suggest you first try with 1 GB RAM coz its pretty good even with 1 GB RAM (do note the laptop will be pretty slow for the 1-2 days until all the Vista updates have been done).
Hi Ranjit,
Thanks for the great compilation. Have been running around asking people for reviews for MiLeap V and finaly landed here.
I am a B-school student, wud need to run office stuff, internet and music at the same time (can avoid the music part). I am looking between Dell Vostro 12.1″ and MiLeap. The price differential is something like 8-9 K. Can u suggest which wud b better?
Tell u frankly I have picked the MiLeap and as u can imagine fell in love with it at first sight and touch
Dear Ranjit, I must say it is the best review on mileap available on net. I saw V series on HCL outlet, it is facinating, but the only issue is is it worth going for V wheras all my needs can probably be fulfilled with a cheaper Y version. as regarding operating system please tell me does it really matter if one uses XP or Vista? because the job of any machine is delivering the task with ease, irrespective of the Operating system, are there any speed issues involved? what i gather is that xp is 20 % faster than vista. so why invest more money on V?
thanks Sarkar for your comments.
Regarding XP yes you could install the same and save some money but HCL is not supporting this model with XP offically and you might have a hard time getting all the drivers for the same, but if you can figure out how to load the same and get the proper drivers then its a good deal to use this machine with XP.
Hi Ranjit,
You have mentioned about the XP Tablet PC Drivers are included in the Driver CD that comes along with the pack.
Is it tough to install this drivers for tablet PC software?
Why I am looking for using windows XP tablet PC is that Vista is notoriously famous for using high RAM capacity and processor power, but windows XP not.
Sarit Guha you got me wrong, there are no XP tablet PC drivers provided in the CD.
BTW XP tablet pc is not sold as a retail product its an OEM product hence it would be difficult to get the same from the retail market.
BTW regarding Vista after SP1 it had improved a lot I am using now Vista on my main two computers including this UMPC and it runs as fine as XP if not better.
Hi Ranjit,
1) It’s now 5 months since you got your Mileap tablet. How’s the performance/condition now?
2) Heating seems to be a concern. I was not assured by the warning sticker on the bottom(on the laptop in a showroom) which advises about the palm rest getting heated and “injuring skin”!! Any blisters on your hand!?
3) You advised against using a speech recognition program, in view of the processor. But I believe the in-built speech recognition in Vista is very good and can match 3rd party programs. Have you tried it?
4) I have tried the Vista handwriting recognition and it seems to be a vast improvement over what was offered with Office 2003. I’ve no experience with XP tablet edition, but many Vista reviews say that MS put in a lot of work to improve the handwriting recognition – far above what the XP tablet edition could do.
5) Keyboard size is another issue. Would you recommend a “normal sized” USB or BT keyboard for lengthy typing?
6) Are spare batteries available with HCL? I heard a story about another HCL laptop. The owner said he couldn’t get a replacement and is now forced to run it on mains power. Maybe you should buy a couple now, while they’re available!
7) The lack of a PCMCIA slot may be an issue for those who already use a data card from Reliance or Airtel for internet access. I suppose one could try a CF to PCMCIA adapter.
Hi Ranjit,
Thanks for the info. I am putting the following about HCL MiLeap V on your blog as this is the best MiLeap info source available online. My only reason for the following comment is that I want the customer to make an informed decision.
I had purchased the MiLeap V UMPc on 8th June 2008 and the HDD stopped responding on 23rd June. I took the tablet to the Bangalore service centre on 27th June 2008. They had initially told me that they need 4 working days to get the HDD from Delhi (when I had contacted the call centre before going to the service centre I had been told it would take 2 working days). Till today I haven’t received th tablet. The worst part is that HCL executives do not respond to your phone calls in spite of even requesting them to do so by sms. I have even had some influence used from friends in HCL but to no avail.
So if someone is planning to buy a HCL or a Toshiba (HCL is the sole distributor of Toshiba laptops in India and also the service centre for both is the same) just pray that nothing happens to it bcos u CANNOT rely on the after sales service.
Hello let me answer some of the questions that you have posted in the last 2 replies.
1) It’s now 5 months since you got your Mileap tablet. How’s the performance/condition now?
It’s still running fine and I use it almost every day for an hour or two.
2) Heating seems to be a concern. I was not assured by the warning sticker on the bottom(on the laptop in a showroom) which advises about the palm rest getting heated and “injuring skin”!! Any blisters on your hand!?
No blisters yet on my hand, but this thing does get as hot as an regular laptop.
3) You advised against using a speech recognition program, in view of the processor. But I believe the in-built speech recognition in Vista is very good and can match 3rd party programs. Have you tried it?
No I haven’t yet tried the same, as I said earlier I dont use this UMPC as my primary machine, I use it when I am on the move or relaxing or watching TV etc.
4) I have tried the Vista handwriting recognition and it seems to be a vast improvement over what was offered with Office 2003. I’ve no experience with XP tablet edition, but many Vista reviews say that MS put in a lot of work to improve the handwriting recognition – far above what the XP tablet edition could do.
I feel the handwriting recognition is a tab better in vista, again I dont use that feature a lot but use the pen for navigation etc while browsing and it serves the purpose.
5) Keyboard size is another issue. Would you recommend a “normal sized” USB or BT keyboard for lengthy typing?
You will get used to the size in about a weeks time.
6) Are spare batteries available with HCL? I heard a story about another HCL laptop. The owner said he couldn’t get a replacement and is now forced to run it on mains power. Maybe you should buy a couple now, while they’re available!
No idea, but I do know the OEM and believe this product is form Japan, HCL just brands and markets the same, its also sold in the US with another name, frankly I havent tired direct HCL support coz I have my hardware dealer and he is pretty good and I just tell him what I want etc and he takes care of stuff.
7) The lack of a PCMCIA slot may be an issue for those who already use a data card from Reliance or Airtel for internet access. I suppose one could try a CF to PCMCIA adapter.
No idea.
Sarit Guha its sad to know that your UMPC gave problems and even bad to hear that the support you are getting form HCL is this bad, as mentioned earlier I haven’t yet had the need to contact the HCL support staff but its bad to hear that they don’t provide prompt support for the products they market.
hey ranjit…congrats for a great review & now my quests ;
1-my choice is between hp tc 1000 tablet umpc & this (hcl mileap v) so can u pls leme know whats better for me in terms of gaming,multitasking etc & as per relative analysis where i ve assigned following weightages viz;
10% portability,25% multitaskability,25% multimedia prowess,10% cost savings,10% gaming prowess,20 % overall package & deal surplus margins…(hp tc1000 prics is around 50K) &
2-how is the performance of mileap v with expernal dvd drive & which 1 is the best (read ,compact,featured et ‘al) to go with it ?
thanks in advance !!
Hi Ranjit,
I am currently using Intel Core 2 Duo 2.40GHz with 512MB DDR2 RAM. Is MiLeap V more faster than my p.c.?
Can we run Windows Vista smoothly on it as we run Windows XP on Dual Core p.c.? And from where you purchase it? how much costs u to purchase 2GB RAM? What abt d older 1GB RAM? I also want to know whether laptops and desktop p.c’s processors are of same size? can we exchange them? can’t we upgrade MiLeap V’s hard disk to 250GB? How much it costs? I want to purchase MiLeap Y as its cheaper and i can install Windows Vista myself. How much USB CD/DVD costs? How much MiLeap Y costs inclusive of all taxes? and from where u are man?
hey…why have hacl not used a better processor? why only 800 Mhz….??
hi ranjit,any special reasons for not replying only to my query ?
The reason I did not reply to your query is that I have not worked with the other systems that you had mentioned.
One thing to note is that MSI has launched a UMPC called MSI Wind it is also a great machine and is much more powerfull that Mileap but its not a tablet just a laptop, potential buyers should also look at that option.
dear sir, I recently purchased your Mileap mini tablet of highest configuration ( V type). from your Bareilly dealer( Digital computers). After using this for few days I can say that this is just little better than a child’s toy. The font size is invisible,( remember most executives are in 40s with Presbyopic lences). The battery life is just 2.25 Hours which is simply insufficient to call this a portable tablet.
The worst is that the Window vista supplied with this unit is truely a very very large and unmanageable task by your product. The original RAM was 1 GB ideally it should be enough once a company should decide about the configuration and operating system, or may be u took it for granted that people will shell another 2200 rupees to upgrade the RAM to 2 GB. trust me I did that too. But after all this the system is simply too slow, not only in start ( which I agree is true for all vista windows, but even in the middle of any job the speed is sickening. Forget about multitasking once you dare doing that the woindows simply hang and go unresponsive and u end up clicking a pile of applications to closr in taskmanager.
I truely have begun to feel that I probably wasted my 35 thousand rupees. because instead of getting rid of my previous regular Toshiba laptop and sony erricsson Blackberry I also need to play with my new found toy just to reassure my inner that I haven’t commited a grave mistakre by bying this toy.
If i appear rude please forgive me but I thought you needed an honest review. There is no good in giving a lopsided view, agreed in this price range this can be a good product but it sure has some serious handicaps
regards
Hi Ranjit,
I finally received a replacement laptop from HCL 3-4 days back and you would not believe that its LAN card stopped working in less than 36 hours … My luck I guess … I don’t think that this product is made in Japan… If really it is being made in Japan then all that is being taught and told about Japanese quality would become a sham…
Regards
Sarit
Hi Ranjit,
This thread seems to have become a support/gripe/fan site for the HCL tablet! Let me add my contribution.
I finally took the plunge and bought the tablet!
My observations so far:
1. Vista SP1 doesn’t show up in windows update. I had to download and install it manually. After installation, things seem OK, except that the hardware buttons for screen rotation don’t work.
2. Handwriting recognition is superb.
3. The hibernate and “hybrid sleep” options don’t seem to be available (hardware constraint?).
4. Vista running speed seems fair
5. Usage as an e-book reader in folded mode is very convenient with the pointer, scroll, direction & mouse buttons.
Would like your feedback on points 1 & 3!
Hi Ranjit,
Looks like we all should have waited. Have you seen the news items of April 2008 that HCL is going to launch this very same tablet with XP Home and a 30 GB HDD at 16,990!!?? Is 18K the difference between Vista/XP home and a 80/30 GB HDD?? Or has HCL taken us all for a ride??
Wow a lot of comments, sorry I was a bit busy during the last few weeks so could not reply earlier.
Dear sarkar I am not an delear of HCL or have any association with them, but this is an UMPC and you should not expect a true desktop performance from the same I hope you have read my entire review before making the purchase as I had already mentioned the drawbacks of the same.
Dear Nasser.
about your points 1 and 3.
The first point yes I also downloded the Vista SP1 and installed the same, regarding the hardware buttons not working for the screen its due to the updated intel graphic drivers that causes the issue, do note that you can fix the same easily but installing again the old graphic drivers that came with the UMPC, I think so its in the D drive, just browse the hard-drive and install the old drivers it should fix the screen orientation hardware issue.
Regarding the issue 3: I don’t have a problem I always hibernate, in the power setting you can setup how the shutdown button behaves let me know again and try to help you.
Regarding the lower price I guess you got it wrong I am not sure but I guess its for the other model of Mileap I guess its Mileap X ( http://www.hclleaptops.in/mileap/mileapl.asp ) (with is not a tablet UMPC) which was earlier offered for around 14K with linux I guess no one bought it due to linux so they are now offering the same with XP.
Ranjit,
Thanks for the feedback. Will try your suggestions.
Regarding the re-launch of the tablet with XP home & 30 GB HDD @ 16,990 see the link below. If this is real, maybe we should ask HCL to give us a partial refund!
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/HCL_MiLeap_With_Windows_XP/551-88471-893.html
Hi Nasser,
Dont believe everything that techtree says I have learnt it the hard way…….. they just used the Mileap V series photograph for that story
To get the real story read this http://www.hclinfosystems.com/news113.html
The extract from the same
“Operating on Windows XP, the new MiLeap H Series leaptops weighs just 1.4kg and sports a 7-inch TFT colour screen display; among the products showcased today the HCL ‘MiLeap’ H Series Ultra Portable range of Leaptops breaks the Rs. 17,000/- price barrier. With prices starting at Rs 16,990/- the HCL ‘MiLeap’ H series, which is specially designed for the Indian environment delivers exceptional value at a very affordable price. ”
Its the lower end Mileap X now rebranded with 30 GB HDD and Windows XP starter edition, our Mileap V UMPC a class apart from that machine.
Hi Ranjit,
Relieved to know about “mileap H”. Was having a “taken-for-a-ride” feeling!
Have you seen the rival offerings? -
1. Asus Eee PC 904H(Intel Celeron M 800 MHz, 1G, 80G, 9″ screen, 1.40 Kg, XP Home, Rs 25465)
2. Asus Eee PC 1000H(Intel Atom 1.6 GHz, 1G, 80G, 10″ screen, Dolby sound, 1.45 Kg, XP Home, Rs 32745)
3. Acer Aspire One (Intel Atom 1.6 GHz, 1G, 120G, 9″ screen, <1 Kg, XP Home, Rs 23000)
All look mouth watering, but our HCL tablet still wins due to : tablet, Vista & weight.
I think the Acer model has effectively killed the Eee PC 904H. Who would want to buy that?
Hi
This is SUKESH frm hyd. Can u mail me wat is the cost of HCL V series(new model).
Thankyou
What is the difference between Mileap Y and Mileap V
Also, if i use a laptop for my official work, can I synchronize my emails like Outlook express and other data with Mileap on a regular basis?
Hi Viewers/Readers/Users,
I have bought MiLeap from Delhi on 9th August for my sister as her birthday gift. But to my dismay she hasn’t use it coz she says its too small and she wants a bigger one like 12″ or something. Since 10days I am using the machine and to tell your the truth its a real head turner. I have read all the reviews and comments above on the blog and one thing that I fail to understand is the expectation of the people regarding this machine. It has 800Mhz processor which should not be compared to Intel Core2Duo 2.4 or something of that level. This machine is descent and great to use.
I am having a Dell Laptop 14″ core2duo and even then I am satisfied with this Tablet. But I am planning to resell it coz I dont need it. I am happy with my dell. I have to buy a 12″ for my sister as I have promised her one so any buyers for it. I live in New Delhi
Thanks & Regards
Sabahat
Hi Guys a reply to a few of the questions that you have asked.
Difference between Mileap Y and V is the same hardware one comes with Linux and the other one with Vista Home Premium hence a bit more expensive.
Last time I checked Mileap V was around 35K.
Ritika regarding syncing data it depends upon the software that you are using I use a Windows smart phone HTC and I have no problems syncing the data with Outolook on this UMPC as Vista has all the required drivers it’s like other computers you just need the right software for the device that you are planning to sync with and it should have no problems.
Hi sabahat,
I would be interested in buying this. Can you give me your email id?
I am a commercial artist and wanted to know, whether it runs graphic softwares like corel draw, photoshop if windows XP is installed.
Pl give ur comments. Thanks and regards.
Hi Arvind Joshi did you read the entire review.
I have stated even earlier that these UMPC / Nettops category laptops are not suited for heavy applications, it would be best for you to go for a proper laptop if you wish to run Corel / Photoshop etc.
Hi Ritika,
Sorry for the delayed reply but we all are busy with our daily life.
my email ID is xabahat@gmail.com
I live close to Safdarjung Airport.
Thanks & Regards
Sabahat
check this out
I understand that HCL have launched an upgraded (Intel Atom) version of the V series. Is this correct?
Hi Ranjit!
Very informative review.
How to go about the DVD/CD drive
am planning 2 get a mileap v series….but am not comfortable with vista,can i load xp in it…..if so,can i get da drivers for xp 2 use all features in it…..plz help me
Since Ranjit looks busy, thought I’d fill in -
@Noel : Intel Atom version is only the MSI Wind “netbook” which HCL has rebranded. It’s not a tablet.
@Amar : For DVD/CD access, buy an external one and connect by USB
@vikram : You can load XP. HCL supplies CD with drivers for vista AND xp.
Hi,
below mentioned are the specification of mileap , can any suggest that can i use windows2000 professional on the same and will i get the drivers for the same.
mileap
ModelCode: AXMH0302
Intel Celeron M Processor @ 900 MHz,
Intel 915GMS Chipset,
512MB DDR2 Ram
30 GB Hard Disc Drive
7″ (17.7 cm) Wide (800×480) LCD
2 In-built Speakers
Ports: RJ-45, 2-in-1 Card Reader, 2X USB Port,DC-IN, Headphone, Mic-in Built-in Mic
WiFi B/G
6 Cell with 4 Hrs Idle Condition, 1.44 Kg
1.44 Kg
Can cds be put in it ?
Hi,
Am so astonished by this forum. Its like one wouldnt find such trouble shoot help even from the company’s repair staff. Anyways I am the late entry guy, I am planning to buy it now. Just wanted to know how it is working right now? any issues so far with?
Thanks Harsh for your comments.
The UMPC is working perfectly fine its been over 1 year no problems, but I dont think so its a great idea to but this UMPC now as its a old model, I suggest you go for the newer netbooks which cost a lot letter and are much faster.
A few suggestions Acer Aspire, HP Mini and ASUS Eee PC
I went through them, But I was getting an offer from Hcl to buy it for 19,990/- comparing it being a tablet with the same processor that the acer and mini had i bought it, The only thing is that I had option of ubuntu only. no vista, Can u help get vista on it? which version of vista should I get, and just incase they dont send the cd with it can you mail me the drivers or let me know where i can get them from?
One more question, Which DDR2 ram goes in here? is it the 800mhz one or the 667 one?
hi ranjit,
im interested to buy mileap V as an EBOOK READER.
my choice of books are ebooks based on images,equations like math, photoshop tutorials not plain text.will it display accurately and font size big enuf to read well??
I want to read it in the portrait mode
So my question is will it work as a good PDF Ebook Reader as screen size is tiny 7 inch.
if it is not, did u try pdffill software Crop tool to cutoff white borders inorder to increase font size??will it work with help of that???
please help me..
forgot to ask about VGA OUT port, what is the maximum res does it support.
can i connect it to 22 inch LCD with no problems?or will the GUI wud be slow to respond because of high res output?
guys can u please help me with the rotation key of my hcl mileap MV02 series…its not functioning even after reinstalling hot key application…rest keys like launcher and shutter are working fine…
what is the difference between v series and mv series?
and what is UMPC ?
Nice review. This review is one of the reasons why I bought the mileap V. But I have a query. When running multiple applications, it is getting heated up a bit. But my worry is, though it has a vent on both sides, it is releasing heat only from the right side. Is it a problem with the piece I own or is it a class effect?
will 2gb ddr3 can be used in mileap v series
I am amazed that this post is still getting queries / comments its been over 1 year since I have written this post.
Anyways I wont be answering to all of the questions fellow visitors can answer if they would like to, now to a few questions that you have.
shishir: will 2gb ddr3 can be used in mileap v series
I dont know about the new ones but the one I have uses DDR2 667 Mhz RAM
Shafiq Rehman the heat vent only releases heat from the right side no problems till date with the heat but as I had mentioned earlier in my review this baby heats up quite a bit.
Dr.Nikhil Regarding the orientation problem its due to the updated Intel graphic drivers to get back the functionality you would have to restore the old graphic drivers if I am correct you can find those on the D drive of the machine.
Regarding E Book it depends on your liking I find the 7″ adequate but my wife thinks its a bit small again its a preference thing.
This was an excellent review on the tablet…
i am going to buy it soon….
you have done great work…
HCL has dropped the price to Rs.21499 for AXMY0210 with ubuntu
FIRSTLY I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. RANJIT FOR SUCH A KIND EFFORT FOR THIS REVIEW.
FIXATION OF SOME ISSUES
1] CD/DVD PROBLEM
ANS] SOLUTION IS SIMPLE. CONNECT MILEAP VIA LAN WIRE TO YOUR LAPTOP/PC AND DIRECTLY INSTALL ANY SOFTWARE THROUGH LAN.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT COMMENT IS THAT DON’T THINK THIS COOL DEVICE AS YOUR COMPANION FOR HEAVY DUTY WORKS.
THIS DEVICE IS BASICALLY FOR SMART, COOL, HANDY BROWSING.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DEVICE IS YOUR SECONDARY DEVICE
WHICH IS TO BE USED FOR COOL LOOKS & WORKS.
ONE SHOULD MUST HAVE PRIMARY DEVICE WITH PREFRABLY CORE2DUO PROCESSOR PC/LAPTOP.
THEN THIS SECONDARY DEVICE i.e mileap can bridge the gap. (cool handy browsing)
fixation of screen orientation issue.
ans] Try holding down Alt & Ctrl and using the arrows to re-orientate the screen.
{please note i am not sure weather this would work in mileap
or not. just try it no harm. also let me know weather this works or not}
ALSO LET ME KNOW ANY OTHER ISSUES WHICH NEED FIXATION.
hiii
can u give the review about the processor used on the v-series of hcl. whether it can be used casualy or sopasticatedly???
Hi,
I saw an offer in the paper stating that 50% off on this laptop.. where they r selling Mileap v series with vista for just 18k!??!?!?!
I don’t think of buying a new laptop(Coz I already have one) but after seeing ur review and this offer… it attracts me to buy a secondary laptop… as my old laptop batter was dead..
Pls post ur comment
Dear Vignesh,
At 18k its sure a tempting buy but do note that this model is almost 1.5 years old and there are newer netbooks with better processors and screens in the market thought they run Windows XP For around 20-22k but not tablets.
If you require tablet functionality then its a good buy otherwise I would look into other netbooks with Atom processors.
I bought this laptop 3 months ago. The processor heats up quickly and the temperature is always around 75c to 85c. Is this normal? will it affect the life of the laptop? Can anything be done about it?
Hi
I too have the HCL mileap tablet pc
I think the vista is good enough but quite slow at start up.
Mine takes about 6 min to completly boot with HDD light tinkering OFF.
I recently talked to HCL guys and they are willing to upgrade the RAM to 2 GB
MY battey lasts only 1-1.5hrs on balanced & power saver mode.
Can I upgrade the processor to much faster INTEL ATOM series ?
Is it possible???
I am planning to change it myself cause “HCL WILL NEVER DO IT”
Can u talk to ur hadware vendor if it is possible???
Please
Nabeel it would be a good idea to upgrade the RAM to 2 GB things will improve a lot, I dont know about the processor upgrade if its possible, coz atom is a different socket IMHO.
BTW try windows 7 on the mileap it works much much better than vista (be sure to make a backup first).
Hi Ranjit,
Thanks for ur reply… I enquired another shop, where they are selling this laptop with linux os for just 14,000.
Hi Ranjit,
Thanks for ur reply… I enquired another shop, where they are selling this laptop with linux os for just 14,000.
Can the handwriting recogonization software works on linux? And the main reason I am buying this laptop is for video chat…
Can I get better tablet pc around 20k??
Mileap V/Y is available at croma store for Rs 18999 with XP home. looks like a super super
deal
Thanks for ur review!
Finally I bought this beast for 15000 with pre loaded windows xp..
Now I am enjoying with this mini invention…
hey vignesh where did you get this from for 15000
Just pick this up up from Croma for 13999.00. You have an option to buy this at 14999.00 with a free Tata Indicom Photon+ modem. I took a 1000.00 discount instead of the modem. Comes loaded with Windows XP Home Edition.
hey me bought this beauty at croma for Rs 12,000 bucks with the tata indicom Photon+ modem…..
Hi Abhijit, from which store of Croma you have purchased this ? Croma Gurgaon says it is for 13999 ( ie if you dont want tata photon). Did you get it as a part of some special scheme or what?
Does this SUPPORT “Multi-touch” as well?
Just bought mine for 14000 without photon but with the free 10 accessories (headphones, external mmc reader and lots of other things). THen theres a scratch card that gets me a 3% discount on 14,000 ..so in the end good stuff. I just loaded it with Windows 7 RC and its amazing. Its “faster” than XP in most instances and the tablet options are much better than XP & Vista.
I would suggest you guys trying it out too. Im still on a Gig of ram so I might give it an upgrade to 2 GB later on? Any good dealers and prices for the same?
Great find at that price Shivam, yeah win 7 RC1 rocks on this machine, BTW this machine does not support multi-touch.
Play with 1 GB and see if its okay, coz I downgraded my machine from 2 GB to 1 GB with win 7 and its working great.
Hi Ranjit,
Very nice and informative article and support for this laptop.
I purchased this laptop last week at Rs. 14k. frm croma. They are giving me an extended warranty for 1 year for Rs. 1200
Should i consider getting that warranty. Is it really worth. What is covered in the warranty.
Secondly, i would be installing Windows 7 , is it not lagging on this machine. Should i upgrade the Ram to 2 GB. Which RAM should i get i mean DDR? wat clock speed 667?
Thanx
This machine even with 1 GB RAM with Windows 7 works pretty fine, if you need to upgrade the RAM its DDR2 667 Mhz.
I dont know about extended warranty it did not give me trouble, but its your wish, BTW this machine is a steal for 14k.
Thanks Ranjit for the reply. I installed Windows 7 and its working fine.
All the drivers i installed which is required. The audio driver also is installed correctly. The sound from the speakers is really low but i thought with using head fone it will be fine. Recently i got at head fone which is not working. Its working fine with my other laptop. But with this there is a very sound heard evem with full volume. Its like its not throwing sound. Can u tell me if your head fone sounds fine on ur laptop. Do we have to install other audio driver for windows 7. I think sound driver was installed automatically. From the speakers its acceptable sound. But for watching movies it should be from head fone. Let me know.
Thanks alot.
Hey RJ,
Regarding low sound problem with Windows 7 just install the Vista sound drivers and that should fix the low sound problem.
BTW its realteck sound drivers if I am correct.
Guys who want to FULLY use the TOUCH CAPABILITIES of this device can use the MOBLIN OS (linux based) . check the screenshots at
http://moblin.org/documentation/moblin-netbook-intro/how-get-around-moblin-netbook-ui/myzone
However note that I haven’t tested it myself. So backup all that you can and try only if willing to take the risk.
Let us know how it works.
I tired moblin a couple of months back, don’t know if there is a new build but it was pretty buggy and unusable at that time.
moblin is still a beta product so its still a long way to go.
I’m curious to know that did the touch input work ?
I saw Gigabyte t1028 tablet netbook on the net, is there a place where i can buy buy one in delhi ?
hi!! i have a problem with the hcl mileap tablet pc reviewed in this page. the cpu usage gadget always stays above the 80% mark. i dont know why. only when i open the task manager, does the needle come down to 25-30%. please tell me why this is happening. almost all of the time it stays at 90 or 95 %.
Hi..
I’ve purchased a Mileap around 3 months ago.. Just recently I suffered a software crash that made me reinstall windows… i’m running xp home ed sp3. Since the reinstall i’m unable to use the touch screen feature of the lap.. may i know if there are any additional driecrs that i need to install to make this work??
Thanks..
My mail id is: drmdsadiq@gmail.com
I have a simple question, could the HDD for HCL Mi Leap be upgraded to 160 GB or more. If no, Why ?
Hi Sadiq,
Cud u plz let me know the amount u paid for this netbook and also plz confirm if you have purchased HCL MY02.
thnx
ha ha 3 months usage, the LiOn battery is completely dead. The warranty doesn’t cover it. This from the 13999.00 Croma crap.
Hi
I wan to knw tht how i can turn ON the Wi-Fi Feature ??
i am really confussed…..everything seems to be up n running..
i hve MV-02 model..please help ??
I dont know about the MV-02 model but the model that I have reviewed here has a physical button slider via which you can switch the Wifi on, its labeled “Wireless” its on the right front side on the laptop.
Ranjit
same times not charging what can i do sir
Hey Ranjit,
I wanted to upgrade RAM, i am planning to buy a 2GB DDR2 800 Mhz Ram, will it work. Also tell me wats the maximum capacity of HDD i can put.
Thanks so much
Hey this laptop supports 667 Mhz DDR2 ram, I have not put the 800 Mhz ram in the same so cannot comment on the same, regarding HDD you should be able to put any portable hard drive (used in laptops) in this machine and it should work, I have seen 500 GB portable HDDs.
Regarding the HDD I haven’t had the need to upgrade it from the stock, so cannot fully confirm the max capacity of hard drive that can be put on this system.
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