Someone out there wants a carrypad too.

I’ve just had a look at the results of last weeks ‘What Would Jobs Do’ design competition at Endadget and I have to say, I like the winner. In terms of form and size its got be the closest thing that i’ve seen to a carrypad. Adam K’s Apple Tablet.
Of course, there’s no telling what might be inside this sexy little pearl-white gem, but the size and keyboard (at last) look almost spot on. (Maybe a little on the small side?)
I tip my hat to you Adam K. sir. Whoever you are.

Keywords: carrypad, apple, umpc

Updated 12-03-06 to include the picture.

OrigamiPortal received this leaked photo from an online source today and we decided to share it with our visitors.

If this is the actual final product, it’s pretty slick. And if it’s not, it’s a very nice mockup. The pic we have received shows a device that looks thinner than the ones shown in the Digital Kitchen video. And the UI is definitely some new handheld OS.

In the corner of the window there is the words Alexandria. (The logo kind of looks like the Alexandria library software.) I’m not sure what Alexandria is however.

The UI components seem to emulate what has been shown so far with Windows Vista over the last couple beta releases.

The one weird component is the word “podcast” on the right side tree. If this is real, would Microsoft include this by default in their menus?

And look at that, you can download Law and Order off of it for just $29.99! What a deal!

We will be deconstructing what we feel each of these buttons do in our next news post. In the meantime love the pic and comment on it if you know anything about it.

Also, looks like this story was added to Digg, so go digg the story higher here Read the full story

Previously, I have written a fair bit of text on defining the market segment for the Carrypad and also trying to establish which applications sit in which mobile computing market segment.
To summarise and simplify a lot of my thinking, I have created a diagramatical view of the portable computing segments and the applications that sit within them. I’m really pleased with the way this diagram has turned out as it shows a lot of info in a very simple way. I’m sure Nokia, MS and others have similar diagrams in on their filesystems. I’d love to see one for a comparison!!
Click on the image to see the pdf version.

At this point its important to state that i’m talking about consumer markets and not specialised industry segments. Using a tablet to aid airline checkins is not included!!

The diagram shows the four main segments that I see in the portable computing market. Each device segment has a screen and keyboard that largely defines the size of the device. In addition, the higher in the segment the application is, the more processing power it requires and obviously, the more expensive the device gets. I’ve migrated applications as far to the left as I think is possible. That is, on to the smallest device possible.

One of the most obvious things about this diagram is that, assuming i’ve done the optimum migration of applications to the smallest device as is possible, there is no consolidation. Every device still has a use and therefore a certain number of consumers. Take for example, Advanced Navigation. The Pocket PC sits in the perfect position to be used for that and in fact, we’ve already seen this year, extra sales of PPC’s purely on the back of Navigation software.

Of course, this is a generalised diagram and you will immediately see that some devices that dont slot into the segments i’ve defined. You might even disagree that certain applications are in the wrong place. One device that I find hard to place is the ‘handtop’ PC. The general definition of a handtop is that its a full -power pc in a size just bigger than a PPC. I beleive its a specialised market right now because the costs of minaturising a full PC makes the devices very expensive.

Some of the terms in the diagram, I have defined further below.

• Data storage = 4GB
• Basic navigation = graphical directions and speech
• Advanced navigation = map-based directions and speech
• PIM = Calendar, Reminders, Tasks, Addresses, Tel numbers.
• audio in/out = Audio recording and playback using advanced codecs (mp3 etc.)
• Wireless comms = 2G, 3G, Wifi, Bluetooth
• Low Q video = 320×240, 760kbps rate using advanced codec.
• Med Q video = 480×320, 1.2Mbps rate using advanced codec.
• High Q video = 640×480, 1.8Mbps
• Video clips = 300kbps rate and under.
• optimised browsing = 320×240 no plugins.
• Normal browsing = 800×640 including plugins. (flash etc)
• Advanced browsing = 1024×768 including plugins.

Feel free to comment on the diagram. I’ll optimise it if I think it needs it and keep it updated here. I dont know how to make this officialy an open source diagram, but if you credit and link this blog, i’ll be happy.
Keywords: origami, carrypad, mobile+computing, convergence, lifestyle+pc, umpc

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origamigreenside.jpg[/img]

So I thought it would be fun today to go through the video and make a render of the Origami. So, I started watching and discovered that there are two different Origami systems shown. What???! That’s right two. Don’t believe me? Here are the pics.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origami1.jpg[/img] [img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origami2pic.jpg[/img]

So that meant that I had to do double work and make 2 different looking renders. Which would be hard, but I knew it had to be done.

So I whipped up the green one first and thought, “What should I make it doing on the screen?” Then it hit me, what else would you do with your Origami but visit Origamiportal.com right? I know that’s what I’ll do with it when I get one.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origamigreenfront2.jpg[/img]

Then I moved on the the other design that I hadn’t noticed earlier. which I personally think looks more sleek than the other version. this one I just copied the colors in the video instead of creating a brand new color scheme.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origamiside2white.jpg[/img]

And I didn’t forget the front view.
[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/origamirenders/origami2pic2.jpg[/img]

All in all they turned out pretty good, so even though Microsoft says the Origami will look different when it comes out, at least I was able to make these sweet pictures.

Also, feel free to use the images on your website as long as you don’t remove the logo imaging. Read the full story

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

[b]NY Times delves into Microsoft and Intel’s Plan[/b]

Let the speculation continue! Not much new to report today, but the New York Times had an interesting article up about the Intel-Microsoft connection on this project. The article described how Intel and Microsoft had previously acknowledged working on ultramobile PC’s, and how their focus was to design machines that did one thing very well, and the other features would be more complimentary. This opens up the possibility for several different models of the Origami Tablet PC, one that is geared toward gamers, another focusing on businessmen, one for medical uses, etc.

The rest of the article parrots much of what was stated in our news post yesterday, with a couple new details. They have quoted a Microsoft consultant as saying the first units will come in at about two pounds and have a limited battery life of three hours or so between charges. Read the whole NY Times article here.

[b]Microsoft Watch provides a glimpse of Origami Prototypes[/b]

[img align=right]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/samsung_prototype.jpg[/img]According to Microsoft Watch, Microsoft is hoping their new ultramobile PC will become a new type of computer: The Lifestyle PC. These Tablet PC’s are being designed to work mainly with touch and a stylus, but some prototypes are slated to have buttons on either side.

Samsung, which we have heard will be unveiling some type of ultra mobile PC at the CeBIT show, is rumored to have been working on one or more prototypes. James Kendrick posted a photo (see right) on his blog a while back of a convertible-style Tablet, that may be one of the prototypes. The photo at the top of this news post is another potential Origami prototype. Read the whole Microsoft Watch article here.

With all that said, we are still taking a wait-and-see approach to see which revelations will be proved true at the CeBIT conference. Read the full story

Too many rumors flew about this week and by the end of it, we were all pretty much confused as to the details of the Origami and ultra mobile PC teasers. There’s some good reports at Origamiportal but lets face it, anything could change next week.

In order to resolve some of my carrypad desires i’m looking for the following things next week.

1. 5-7″ screen (looks like this will be the case)
2. Mini-Keyboard – Totally unknown. No picture has shown a keyboard as part of the device. One or two pictures showed a keyboard add-on or keyboard case. The word origami hold promise though.
3. Efficient operating system – I dont want a full XP version. Looks like it might be a tablet edition anyway.
4. DVD cover size (maybe a few mm thicker) – not possible with the 7″ screen. Fingers crossed for 5-6″ screen.

I really hope the carrypad market gets its first confirmed product (or product announcement) next week. This Origami could be the first ever product to fit into my carrypad specification. If not, its over to you Nokia!

Keywords: origami, carrypad, umpc

Mini PC history being made! What we know so far about the Microsoft Origami Project and what we expect to find out.

First off, we know from the OrigamiProject site that this device will be a Mobile PC that is running Windows XP. More details are going to be announced on the site on March 9 with many people expecting Microsoft to release the full details on the project at the CeBIT conference on the same day. In addition, Microsoft has acknowledged they have been working on this project with partners, and have stated they will release more details in the coming weeks. Adding more detail to the project, Microsoft’s Robert Scoble confirmed the existence of Origami in a recent entry in his blog, saying that it would be a “fairly low-cost” portable device. Also, we have already learned from Engadget that Origami will run XP Tablet PC edition, and that the device will probably look more like the black unit displayed at WinHEC last year than the device shown in the promotional video.

About that promotional video that was discovered on Digital Kitchen’s site: Although we now know this video is a year old, and much of what we have seen in the video might not resemble the final product, it does give us an idea of what Microsoft was striving for. Which is, some sort of mobile product that users can take with them and perform all types of different tasks on (GPS, watching a movie on a plane, recording signatures, saving sketches, jotting down notes in class, surfing the web in your lazy-boy, etc.). Tablet PC’s still haven’t taken off, and there is a chance these new ultra mobile PC (ultra-mobile personal computers) devices could jumpstart this market, and the Origami looks to play a key role. Read the full story

Well, the long awaited new flash promo about the Microsoft Origami is live at OrigamiProject.com. Check it out!

In the meantime, lets see what this ultraportable tablet PC is up to.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week2/opoening_screen.jpg[/img]
Origami wants to play hide-and-seek!

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week2/officebuilding.jpg[/img]
Hiding on top of office buildings might not be safe for kids but Origami doesn’t care.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week2/mountain.jpg[/img]
Origami goes for a relaxing mountain escape. Way up there in the mountains, all alone, with the sheep.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week2/beach.jpg[/img]
The beach is the spot to be, just ask Origami.

[img]https://www.umpcportal.com/origami/images/week2/datescreen_week2.jpg[/img]
Awww, looks like we’ll have to wait another week to see if the Origami really will cure cancer.

[b]Update (03/02/06 9:18 AM):[/b]
Interestingly enough, the html source on the page contains the following line: “Origami Project: the Mobile PC running Windows XP,” another little hint from Microsoft about what this device will be. Read the full story