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Microsoft Origami Project Unplugged
Techtree News Staff, Mar 09, 2006 1633 hrs ISTAmidst a rising wave of speculation Microsoft has finally lifted the veil from its mysterious Origami Project at CeBit...
Amidst a rising wave of speculation Microsoft has finally lifted the veil from its mysterious Origami Project, at the ongoing CeBit Trade Show at Frankfurt in Germany.
Turns out - Microsoft's Origami Project is about a new category of handheld computers. Interestingly - after all the hype - the devices will not be marketed as "Origamis," but as Ultra Mobile PCs or UMPCs.
The company says its portable miniature devices will come from three manufacturers; Samsung, Asus and Chinese manufacturer - Founder. The devices are expected to weigh less than 2.5 pounds, and to offer a battery life of atleast 2.5 hours.
Microsoft says that the touch screens on the small PCs will be about 7 inches in diameter, and that the devices will run standard Windows programs including software for playing digital music. However Microsoft has ruled out concerns that its new devices are geared to compete with Apple Computer's iPod.
The first wave of devices will run on Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet PC edition, but they will also be equipped with Microsoft software called "Touch Pak," designed to make on-screen icons appear larger, and to offer other features that adapt the operating system to the small size of the devices. The initial devices will include a feature called DialKeys from a company - Fortune Fountain, which will create an overlay of keys for typing using the screen's touch sensitivity.
Michael Gartenberg, research analyst, Jupiter Research, said that the adaptation for the small screen seems to differentiate these devices from other miniature PCs. He said he expects the devices to improve further.
Microsoft's first Origami Project devices will likely ship beginning next month, at prices ranging from $600 to $1,000. However it is possible that the first cache might fall short of expectations - considering the amount of buzz that has been generated around them.
Related News:
Microsoft Whispers About Origami
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