[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/whiteumpc.jpg[/img]
Chippy has found an image of a white PaceBlade Origami on [url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/print/70602]heise.de[/url].

There is also an image up on the official [url=http://www.pbj-inc.co.jp/english/]pbj-inc.co.jp[/url] website.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/smartcaddie.gif[/img]

Its nice to see that there will be different colors like were shown in the Digital Kitchen video. It is actually a great idea to make different colors because people love customization even on their computers.

I think if there were green and pink ones it would open the market to young teenage girls who would use it to get on MySpace at school. (Or whatever websites teenage girls like nowadays.)

So here’s hoping to having more choices in what our UMPCs look like.

[b]Update 03/10/06 2:32 PM:[/b]

More details on this device:

* Goes by the name of “Smart Caddie inch
* Runs on VIA, not intel
* Some more specs here Read the full story

updated 14-04-2006 – V12

List of UMPC-related websites.
Let me know of corrections and additions. I’ll try and re-publish the link list on a regular basis.

• Origami Portal My prefered hang-out for UMPC-related news. Active forum, news, features and podcasts.
• Origami Project The original MS Origami website.
• Microsoft ultra mobile PC site The official MS ultra mobile PC website.
• Intel ultra mobile PC site The official Intel ultra mobile PC website.
• Windowsfordevices.com A long-standing and trustworthy site covering UMPC-space.
• Linuxdevices.com The sister site to Windowsfordevices.
• Internet Tablet Talk Focus on the Nokia 770.
• ultra mobile PC Community Site sponsered by intel.
• Gottabemobile Detailed blog and website.
• MiniPCs.com
• Handtops.com Established site dedicated to mini windows pc’s
• Paperback PC
• Ultra Mobile PCs
• Ultra Mobile PCs
• Ultra Mobile PC Talk
• UMPCBuzz
• Ultra Mobilize
• ultra mobile PC Fun
• ultra mobile PC Site
• Only UMPC
• UMPCiTy
• UMPCorigami
• Ultranauts
• Ultra mobile pc tips.
• ultra mobile PC News
• Origamicar
• Ultra Mobile PC news Digest.
• umpc.cz
• Ultramobilelife
• What is Microsoft Origami.

Dont forget to Subscribe to the ‘Time for the Carrypad ?’ RSS feed to get reports, news, analysis and further link lists automatically sent to you as I publish them

Keywords: umpc, carrypad, linklist

The first episode of our ultra mobile PC Cast podcast has just been released.

Or just download the MP3 directly
[url=https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/podcasts/OrigamiPortal%20-%20UMPC%20Cast1.mp3]here[/url]

We will be adding a podcast section and permanent location on our homepage in the next couple days.
Read the full story

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/cebit/allthreesmall.jpg[/img]

A lot of details have become more clear today as the Ultra-Mobile PC’s were displayed and talked about at CeBIT.

[b]So, what is the Origami, really?[/b]

In Microsoft’s own words, the Origami design “features small, lightweight, carry-everywhere hardware designs coupled with the full functionality of a Microsoft Windows-based PC and a choice of input options, including enhanced touch-screen capabilities.” These touch-screen capabilities come with the new Tablet XP add-on, Windows Touch Pack, which features the new on-screen touch keyboard, DialKeys. Another advantage of this add-on is the program launcher, which is fully-customizable and will make tasks like watching a video or accessing your favorite website a lot more efficient on a mobile device (Program Launcher is pictured below).

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/cebit/umpc_ui.jpg[/img]

All the Origami devices are coming in at less than 2 inches deep and around 2 lbs, which puts them in at larger than your Pocket PC or PDA, but smaller than a traditional Tablet PC. For more detailed specs, check out our analysis of the interview with the Origami Mastermind, Otto Berkes, from last night, but here is a brief summary:

* Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005, with Windows Touch Pack
* Intel Celeron M, Pentium M, or possibly VIA C7-M processor
* 256MB of RAM and up
* 800×480 (minimum) resolution
* 7″ (diagonal screen)
* 30GB hard drive, or more (50GB and 60GB to be common)
* US$600-1,000 price tag
* USB inputs, Integrated touch panel, WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled

Currently, three manufacturers are displaying Origami devices at CeBIT: Asus, Founder and Samsung (Models from TabletKiosk and PaceBlade Japan are also in the works). All are due out 2nd quarter of this year. Here are some additional specifics we know on each of the devices that was displayed at CeBIT:

[b]Samsung Q1[/b]
900MHz Celeron M
779g (1.7 pound) 9 x 5.5 x 1-inch mini-tablet with a 7-inch touchscreen LCD, Celeron M ULV processor, 40GB drive, 512MB RAM, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and DMB options
Macworld is reporting this device will retail in Europe for €1,000 (US$1,190)

[b]Asus[/b]
1.3-megapixel front mounted cam for WiFi video conferencing
900MHz Celeron M
SDIO slot on top
The ASUS Security Protect Management (ASPM) uses a special fingerprint sensor, which analyses not only the skin surface but the fabric beneath it.

[b]Founder[/b]
1GHz Pentium M processor

[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/cebit/allthree.jpg[/img]

Read on for more details straight from Microsoft and an interesting ultra mobile PC add-on. Read the full story

Microsofts project Origami team did quite a good job of raising awareness of UMPC’s didnt they. The team blog shows that it even suprised them! However, the ultra mobile PC doesnt appear to be an intel and MS-only category, just a buzzword. There’ll be others that will be introducing products into this market and Via seems to be hot on the tail of the marketing momentum.

VIA has announced a new core logic chip to sit alongside its C7-M processor. The VX700.
‘Core Logic’ is a term they’re using to describe an integrated north/southbridge chip. In summary, these chips perform i/o functions and include memory control and hardware control. The new chip includes 2D/3D graphics acceleration, MPEG2 support, and dual monitor outputs. Importantly, the processor chipset is ultra-low power (1GHz VIA C7-M draws 3.5W during normal system operation, and as little as 0.1W in idle mode) and allows motherboard space-savings due to the reduced space needed for one chip over two. A future version on the chip, the VX700-M, will include hardware acceleration for HDTV and, more importantly, MPEG4.

The combination gives ultra mobile PC manufacturers an alternative platform on which to build. Competition is always good and part of the announcement includes a promised device from Paceblade. Mobits and Amtek were also quoted as possible users of the chipset. Availability of chipset is expect in several months.

Its nice to see competition and if these manufacturers are free to work outside any specification, then it gives them more technical and creative flexibility.

Keywords: origami, carrypad, via, umpc

Post updated (V3 now!) to clarify the terms used. ultra mobile PC just seems to be a ms-intel-via buzzword right now (I think that VIA are part of the official ultra mobile PC development team) but it does have a very rough specification set here:I’ll continue to use the term ‘carrypad’ for my ‘dream device’ as I’ve done since before all the origami buzz. My definition is made pretty clear in the sidebar on my blog site.
I’ve decided to use ultra mobile PC to describe the general market segment from the Nokia 770 up to the OQO as this term seems to be entering general use. This could change!!

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week3/origamipics.jpg[/img]

Week 3 just got here for Microsofts Origami and it looks like it is showing the new devices seen at CeBit today http://www.origamiproject.com/3/

According to the new community site the Origami will include something called the Microsoft Touch Pack which includes new software that was specifically designed for easy targeting with your finger on the touch screen.

Software included is:

* Program Launcher — A customizable interface that let’s you quickly get to the programs and web sites you use the most. In addition to changing the categories and the shortcuts in Program Launcher, you can also change the background to one of the images we provided or to one of your own.

* Brilliant Black — A Windows Media Player skin designed to make it easier to target the user interface with your finger.

* DialKeys — A program by Fortune Fountain Ltd. that gives you a way to input text on the touch-screen computer.

* Touch Improvements — A group of settings that make Windows easier to use and view on an Ultra-Mobile PC.

* Sudoku — A touch- and pen-optimized version of this popular number game.

The page also has a link to a new community site at
[url=http://origamiproject.com/default.aspx]http://origamiproject.com/default.aspx[/url]

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week3/origamicommunity.jpg[/img]

And they even have program launcher backgrounds available on the site. However they say you can only download them if you promise to only use them with the Microsoft Touch Pack. Thats like using the honor system.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week3/gallery.jpg[/img]

…..

Read the full story

Well, the video Scoble is set to premier on Channel 9 tonight (interview and demo with the Origami Creator, Otto Berkes) is available for download on msdn right now.

This is the first official video from Microsoft detailing the actual product. It checks in at 37 minutes and 28 seconds and features an interview with the head of Microsofts Ultra Mobile PC Group, Otto Berkes.

[b]Lots of Details about the Origami Products to be released soon revealed below:[/b]

1) Otto is holding the Samsung ultra mobile PC we posted shots of earlier. He said this is one of the pre-production units in the Ultra Mobile PC class that will be going to market in the next few months.

2) Hey Look, its the form-factor from the original leaked promo vid:
[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/otto/otto2.jpg[/img]

3) Otto says you will be able to run PhotoShop on this, although he wasn’t too emphatic with it. He confirmed that you can [b]run any Windows application on the device[/b], some make more sense than others.

4) Plan is to eventually take applications made for desktops and notebooks and create specialized versions optimized to run on ultra mobile PCs. Specifically, to utilize the [b]touch-screen abilities[/b] of these new devices, so you can navigate with your fingers.

5) This is just the first-generation. There is a road-map for future products. This future vision is the Haiku model that Gates showed at the last WinHEC (Pictured half-way down this post). There is still a lot of hardware and software work to do before they get to that point.

6) Back to talking about the first-generation devices. [b]Processing power in the 1 GHz[/b] class, full x86 compatible architecture. Integrated graphics capabilities [b](DirectX 7, DirectX8 Level)[/b]. You’re not going to run Halo 2 on this generation.

7) All of them will be [b]XP Tablet Edition and come with a stylus[/b]. Otto’s handwriting leaves a lot to be desired, as seen below:
[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/otto/otto4.jpg[/img]

8) The Samsung model has a [b]USB port on the left-side and one on the right-side[/b] that you could use for a USB keyboard. Some models will also have integrated docking connectors that could potentially connect to a full-sized keyboard and full-sized monitor. There is also a [b]VGA connector on the side[/b] and you could run the External monitor on the high resolutions you would expect.

9) No exact number given on the number of Origami manufacturers, because the number is increasing on a regular basis.

10) No answer on the price, waiting till the products are announced, but the [b]expected price-range is $599-999[/b]. [b]Weighs 2 pounds[/b].

More analysis below. Read the full story

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamiuipics/origami_ui.jpg[/img]

New items from CeBit have been emerging today around the Origami and ultra mobile PC devices.

The picture above was discovered in the Official CeBit news [url=http://cebitnews.turnpages.com/]here[/url].

It shows a screen accessible keyboard running on top of a windows XP device. It also has some of the specs for the Samsung device saying it has a 40GB hard drive with both Bluetooth and WiFi built in.

The news article also talks of an add on DVD player for ripping movies to the device and a bluetooth keyboard.

New pictures have also surfaced on [url=http://www.golem.de/]golem.de[/url] showing a new Asus UMPC. This particular device is the first pictures shoeing the OS that was in the leaked origami picture that was first featured on this site.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamiuipics/asusorigami3.jpg[/img]

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamiuipics/asusorigami4.jpg[/img]

So there seems to be 2 different OS versions running on the devices that have been shown.

We are continually staying on top of the CeBit and Origami News over the next couple days, so check back for more info.

[b]Update 03/09/2006 6:21 pm: [/b]

We have learned that the OS shown on the Asus is actually an application launcher that will be included with the ultra mobile PC devices. It sounds as though it can be turned off so that the normal Windows XP interface can be used.
Read the full story