Archive for March 7th, 2006

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/intelumpc/umpc1.jpg[/img]

So the Intel Developers Forum is being held today and finally some real info about the UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) is being displayed.

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/intelumpc/umpcred.jpg[/img]
Umpc concept open and closed.
[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/intelumpc/umpcred2.jpg[/img]

CNet got some pictures of the device and posted them on their website [url=http://news.com.com/2300-1044_3-6046778-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg]here[/url]

The first devices released will have a 7 inch touch screen and will be able to run Windows XP and according to [url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-6046793.html]ZDNet[/url] it will get about 3 hours of battery life.

They also showed a red swivel UMPC that had a moveable screen that displayed a keyboard.

Thay are also apparently banking on having a pocket sized Tablet PC device in the next year or so that will have all-day battery life and sell for around $500.

According to Intel the biggest draw of these new Mobile Tablet PCs is the ability to get the internet anywhere. While its second draw is the video and music capabilities.

This device is more geared towards tech enthusiasts in it’s first stage but after it gets smaller will likely catch on faster with other markets.

[b]Update 3/07/06 4:11 PM:[/b]
MSNBC is at the IDF in San Francisco and has a video up that shows the prototypes listed above (Video Page works for IE only).

Also, Scoble lets us know that he has a 1 hour video with the Origami’s architect, Otto Berkes, that he will be able to post at about 3 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday morning. (Via Tokash)

[b]Update 3/08/06 10:05 AM:[/b]
A much more interesting, hands-on video can be found here. (more…)

Well, we went ahead and did a frame-by-frame analysis of the UMPC preview video intel has up here.

[b]Play, Listen, Enjoy[/b]

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/1.jpg[/img]
We’re starting with the game playing video because, hey, we love games. A young man is playing games on his house on what looks like a PC, and then his friends arrive so he has to go. In this shot, we can see him holding the stylus and looking at a few interesting icons: Napster, Games, and Synch.

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/2.jpg[/img]
In this shot, he has selected sync, and then selects “Sync Game State.” It seems like he might then be able to go to his friends house, and load up the same game on his friends PC, preserving the state. Pretty cool.

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/3.jpg[/img]
Later on, in this scene, he uses napster to synch his home PC music files with his UMPC files. Then he hopes in his friends car and pressumably kicks back and listens to some road tunes.

[b]Connect and Communicate[/b]

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/4.jpg[/img]
This scene shows the UMPC being used as a camera. The screen makes a really nice, large viewfinder, and you can see the slide-out panel that contains control buttons. Not a bad blouse either.

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/5.jpg[/img]
After snapping a photo of the blouse, she folds the panel around to reveal a small keyboard and opens up an Instant Messenger interface. She then chats up her boyfriend and sends him the pic she just took.

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/6.jpg[/img]
This is a close-up shot of the chat application.

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/7.jpg[/img]
Later on, she goes to some type of price compare website to see if she is getting a good deal. Hmm, this would be quite interesting if you could just scan a UPC and see the prices at other locations.

[b]Mix work and Pleasure[/b]

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/intel_umpc/8.jpg[/img]
Moving on to our next Ultra Mobile Tablet PC, this user pulls up an Alt-Tab like interface and chooses what application to launch. (more…)

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/umpc_rotate.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/umpc_hold.jpg[/img]

Intel has released more details on their Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), and gave us a couple glimpses of potential devices (as seen above).

Some interesting notes from the site:

[b]Full PC and Internet Capabilities[/b]
• Full PC capability based on Intel Architecture and full-featured mainstream OSs, allowing consumers to run familiar applications. [i](with the multiple OSs hinted at here, perhaps this goes in line with the first versions running Tablet XP, while later versions will run some version of Vista)[/i]
• Uncompromised Internet access to favorite websites to read news, download videos, search for friends and more.
• New ways to interact with and navigate information using the UMPC.

[b]Location Adaptability[/b]
• Personalized information and services based on location.
• Environment recognition and adaptability.
• Interaction with devices in living room or car. [i](Bluetooth?)[/i]

[b]Anytime Connectivity[/b]
• Connectivity in a variety of ways via WPAN, WLAN, or WWAN.
• Always reachable via email, IM, chat, or VoIP.
• Always informed with the latest news to make educated business
decisions and to stay in touch.

[b]Ultra Mobility[/b]
• Small, thin and light platform design.
• Long battery life to extend productivity.
• Instant access to content and information.

Additionaly, some new, updated pics of the Origami mock-up we first posted Sunday have surfaced online today… (more…)

I like Andy Diller’s train of thought in his brief blog about Origami against Nokia.
I too feel that Nokia has an excellent chance here as Origami runs the risk of over-stretching itself in terms of capability. The rumors of gaming capability will please Nokia somewhat in that it implies cpu power. Cpu power = cost, energy, heat.
The 770 is coming in from a different angle with the concept pretty much already sold to a large number of people. There are shouts of ‘bring us the 880′ already and if Origami goes in at the high-end of the rumor specifications, the door is open for Nokia to put something in at the low end and to pull customers through from the smartphone market. Nokia 880 would be the smartphone companion. Origami would be the PC companion. They would both be competing in the same market with a different angle and it will be a really interesting fight.
Of course, we could see Mr Jobs come in from the lifestyle angle and clean up.

One of the best things to come out of this whole 2-week rumour campaign is the focus that this sector of the market is getting and the competition that will arise from it.

Keywords: nokia+770, carrypad, umpc

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/umpcusage.jpg[/img]

Some interesting new UMPC pics have surfaced at umpc.com.

“With the UMPC you can take the Internet to places you never thought before.”

YAY!

Otherwise, more of the same info we’ve already heard, including the promise of product information on March, 9th. The FAQ explains Intel’s involvement with the site. I like the looks of the mobile Tablet PC pictured below.

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/umpc/small_umpc.jpg[/img] (more…)

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/alex2.jpg[/img]

So, if you’re anything like us, after checking out the Origami leaked pic, you were wondering what “Alexandria” was.

Well, we found a promo video for Microsoft Alexandria up on DesignBum and you can check it out here.

There isn’t much to see in the video, but the main jist of it shows a guy holding some type of ultramobile PC (pocket-sized) in a crowded walkway and how everyone who walks by gets drawn to it.

The video ends with the following three taglines:
The Future of Entertainment - Summer 2006 - Microsoft

If you know anything else about Alexandria throw up a comment. How this, or if this product relates to the Origami is still a mystery at this point.

[img]http://www.origamiportal.com/origami/images/alex1.jpg[/img] (more…)