With extensive hardware requirements will it ever be possible for device manufacturers to squeeze Vista into a pocketable handheld, as has been done with Windows XP (i.e. OQO model 01+, Sony VAIO UX, and the DualCor cPC)? The answer is yes. And it will happen sooner than you might think.

But first, here are Vista’s extensive hardware requirements:

Unlike with the release of Windows 95 twelve years ago, most folks who would like to upgrade to Vista must either greatly enhance there current system - unless they bought it in the last year or so - or, more likely it seems, simply buy a new computer. That's because Vista, which comes in several flavors (Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, & Ultimate), requires - at a minimum - a 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, DirectX 9, and a 20 GB hard disk drive with 15 GB free.

Even with these specs you'll miss out on some of Vista's special features and high-end graphics options—such as the pizzazz delivered by the translucent user interface.

To really get the most out of Vista a computer needs a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, a DirectX 9 capable Graphics Processing Unit with Hardware Pixel Shader v2.0 and Windows Display Driver Model driver support, 128 MB of graphics memory to support resolutions up 1920 × 1200 pixels or 512 MB for anything greater (e.g. 2560 x 1600 pixels), and a 40 GB hard disk drive with 15 GB free.

Keeping these requirements, two vendors, Sony and OQO already have new Vista-enabled products ready to go.

Sony is taking pre-orders now for two new versions of its UX series of Micro PCs, both running Vista Business edition and sporting a 1.33 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 4.5-inch widescreen touch display with support for a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, a slider keyboard, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and integrated Wide Area Networking through Cingular's 2.5G wireless EDGE network.

The $2,000 VAIO UX VGN-UX380N has a 40 GB hard drive to the $2,500 VAIO UX VGN-UX390N's 32 GB flash drive for faster booting, program and access, battery savings, and immunity to vibrations and shocks. A battery draws less power when accessing storage doesn't require moving parts and storage is sturdier for the same reason.

There's also two cameras, a VGA shooter on the front and 1.3 megapixel in the back, a microphone, biometric fingerprint sensor, speakers, a Memory Stick slot and a docking station. The VAIO UX devices measure 5.91 x 3.74 x 1.27 inches (1.50 with keyboard extended) and weigh about 1.2 pounds.

At CES earlier this month, OQO unveiled the follow up to its OQO model 01+ Micro PC, the OQO model 2. As with the Sony VIAO UX models, its closes rival, the model 2 runs Windows Vista. The one-pound, 5.6 x 3.3 x 1.0-inch device is pretty much an across-the-board upgrade over the previous edition.

And whereas the model 01+ wasn't considered a Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), OQO (with the support of Microsoft) is calling the model O2 the first handheld-sized PC in a new UMPC Pro category.

OQO says model 02 is up to four times faster than the last version and its display is over six times brighter. The slide-out QWERTY thumb-keyboard is now backlit and TouchScrollers - for horizontal and vertical scrolling - have been added for easier input and navigation.

There's also a bevy of wireless connectivity options integrated into the model O2: Sprint-powered EV-DO 3G cellular, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP to support wireless stereo headphones.

In addition to a USB 2.0 port, a microphone, 3.5mm audio out headphone jack and line-in connecter, and VGA out, the model O2 includes a HDMI-out multimedia port. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is designed to replace the maze of cabling used for home entertainment centers with a single connector.

In addition to Vista, the model 02 is built on 1.5 GHz VIA ultramobile processor, 60 GB hard disk drive, and 1GB of RAM. It sports an 800 x 480 pixel 5-inch touch-screen that can be interpolated up to a 1200 x 720 pixel resolution.

The rugged magnesium alloy chassis of the model 02 is a sleeker black now as well.

And there's an optional docking cradle that includes a choice of a dual layer DVD±RW/DVD-RAM or CD±RW/DVD-ROM optical drive, HDMI and Video out, 3 USB ports, 100 Base-T Ethernet, and an audio out / line-in port.

The model 02 starts at $ 1,499.

In addition to the Sony and OQO pocketable PCs, expect to see a Vista-powered upgrade to Samsung's Q1 UMPC and a growing number of additional UMPCs running Microsoft's newest PC platform.