RSSIntel Shows Off Origami-Like Devices
By Nate Mook | Published March 7, 2006, 3:59 PM
At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco Tuesday, the chipmaker offered the first real peek at Microsoft's much-hyped "Origami" platform for ultra-portable PCs. The devices sport a 7-inch touch screen and run full versions of Windows, although Microsoft plans to offer a custom variant of XP for Origami.
According to Intel, initial versions of the device will appear like a small Tablet PC designed for consumers. Internet functionality will be key, along with entertainment features such as listening to music and watching video.
Pricing is expected to start at around $1,000 and drop to $500 in the next two years.
Although Intel is utilizing its low-voltage x86 processors, the devices will only get about three hours of battery life. The company hopes to improve this in the future, along with expanding the form factor. Intel showed off prototype models with smaller screens and keyboards that twist out from behind the display.
It's not entirely clear whether the Intel devices will differ from Microsoft Origami Project, or if the Redmond company has simply developed a custom operating system for the platform based on Windows XP.
Origami entered the public consciousness in late February after Microsoft leaked out a teaser Web site at origamiproject.com. The site offered cryptic hints of the project, such as "Do you know what I can do? Or where I can go? Or how I can change your life?" and "I am everywhere you are, but never in the way."
Source code of the site revealed last week that Origami is a "Mobile PC running Windows XP." Microsoft is expected to officially show off the device on Thursday at CeBIT in Germany.
News of another project at the Redmond campus also began to spread this week. A rumored entertainment service, code-named Alexandria, surfaced in an advertising video and sparked another round of rumors of Microsoft's plans with Origami. Industry watchers expect Alexandria to serve as a content download service aimed at Microsoft's new platform.
Despite the hype, however, it's not clear how such devices will fit into the competitive marketplace. Microsoft is notorious for announcing new form factors that never make it off the ground, like Smart Displays and SPOT, or take years to evolve into a workable product.
"My expectation is that Origami Project, whatever it is, may not be easily defined--initially, anyway. That would be consistent with some other Microsoft products (like Outlook 10 years ago) or life changing products (like DVRs and Blackberries) that pretty much defied explanation," remarked Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox.
Still, Intel at least is confident in the new ultra-mobile PC platform. The company expects technology enthusiasts, business and educational customers to be early adopters -- even at the $1,000 price point.
When will they learn. If you're going to start the media hype engine rolling, you ought to have a product that's actually new and ground breaking.
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|That’s right….I wonder how many millions were disappointed when they saw the ultra portable bricks they unveiled. Just pouring money into and ad campaign doesn’t mean you will have a cool must have product.
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|Ultra-portable my a$$. A blackberry is ultra-portable. If you can't stick the device your pants pocket, it AIN'T ultra-portable. Stupid marketing puke-heads. Looks like the Al Franken portable satellite dish hat.
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|I came across the specs for a sansung devices that is part of the origamy project..
"The device measures about 15cm by 20 cm, or half the size of a sheet of copier paper, and is known officially as an ultramobile device. Samsung’s product, called the Q1, runs on a 900MHz Intel Corp. Celeron microprocessor and has 500MB of RAM."
From: http://www.macworld.com/...amsungorigami/index.php
900Mhz? I guess Microsft has a good sense of humor. If the divices is to be part of my life i need a compact devices that has as much power as my laptop. So far i would rather get a laptop than carry this.
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|Why not go with a 1ghz Core Fusion processor with insanely low power usage? :P
Nobody ever thinks about Via...it's always Intel.
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|Ultraportible PC's are nothing new of course and their development is in part fuelled by many users (including mine) desire to "take everything with you all of the time".
In the current marketplace the established leaders include
OQO
Flybook
Hopefully Microsoft will look at these designs and address some of the principal shortcomings of the current genre. They should include
a) Good ergonomic design
b) Instant on / resume < 3 seconds.
c) User upgradable&interchangeable storage / memory
d) Internal GSM/UMTS phone to linkup to a bluetooth headset [ no need to carry a separate phone]
e) Opportunistic topup USB trickle charging i.e. charge from a USB cable [that is powered by a tiny mains to USB lead]
f) Keyboard models whose typability exceeds that of a Psion 5 [10 year old Symbian PDA]
g) Binary capabiliy with current 32bit Intel chipsets [ability to run standard XP applications off the shelf without modification]
h) Loss leading pricing structure (a la Xbox360) to gain market share and acceptance [currently an OQO 01+ weights in over 2000 USD a price that scares away all but the wealthiest early adopters]
More to say but that the above is food for thought.
regards mb.
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|If it's $1,000, it's gonna be a flop for sure. Battery life max. 3 hrs + most likely, less-than-impressive processor speed.
Just what were they thinking?
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|myvce2006@hotmail.com
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|reminds me of this http://pc.watch.impress..../2003/0213/hot243_2.jpg
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|much ado about nothing
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|And this thing got hyped up how much?
Does ANYONE at Microsoft have a clue about user interfaces? There's no need to have those controls lined up on both sides of the way-too-small screen.
The iPod Video mockups look better than this thing.
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|The Video iPod and the iPod interface in general is crap at best. with the iPod you need to go in a circule to go up and down. And depending how long your playlist is you have to move up to move the playlist down. That is crap. No off button on the iPod either (Any device that I can not push a button to turn off is poorly designed)
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|Apple iPod instructions:
"In order to save battery power, turn off iPod by pressing the Play/Pause button for a few seconds. Setting the Hold switch to Hold locks the buttons so they can't be accidentally pressed."
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|Put it in your pocket move around for a while and hey the ting is playing again. I can't even pull the battery.
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|I'll keep my Axim X50v, thanks.
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|7-inch screen for $1,000 w/ three-hour battery life?
I'd much rather have any number of laptops with a keyboard, bigger screen, longer battery life and standard OS--either XP or OS X--with a huge software base.
Combine the UI of the Tablet PC with a size bigger than any hand-held PDA, and I'm guessing this thing is stillborn.
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|advertising video link is dead...
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|"Hi!
Rather than spend more time on your computer, I would like to suggest that you take time out of your day today to enjoy the weather, or if permittable, call a loved one."
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