OQO launched its first model of ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) aimed at the European market earlier this week, and I went along to get a closer look at the device.

The OQO model e2 is a full-spec PC that just happens to fit in the palm of your hand. What images don’t convey is how good the screen is – even though it is only 5 inches across the diagonal, I could quite clearly read the text on the 800 x 480 Windows desktop.

The unit itself is quite comfortable to hold, at least for the short period I tried it out, and it feels quite natural to type with thumbs BlackBerry-style while cradling it in your hands.

One concern of this model is likely to be battery life. The company quotes the OQO as offering up to three hours only on the standard batteries. Nevertheless, this looks like the only UMPC I have seen that could stand up as a serious rival for a full-blown laptop.

Look out for a full review of the OQO model e2 in future, when IT Week will evaluate the performance and battery life of the model, as well as reporting on using such a small form factor device for productivity work.