[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.[b]More details, straight from Microsoft[/b]
A press release today from Microsoft features a Q&A Session with Windows Mobile Platform Divisions VP, Bill Mitchell, and has some interesting details about Microsoft’s plans for the UMPC. We’ve listed a few of the salient points below:
* “We believe that UMPCs will eventually become as indispensable and ubiquitous as mobile phones are today”
* “Our next step along the roadmap will take place in the Windows Vista release timeframe”
* “It also helps improve a user’s portable media experience with the inclusion of the new Brilliant Black for Windows Media Player skin”
* “ultra mobile PC devices will have a battery life of two and a half hours or more, and feature 30-60 GB hard drive for storage, with Intel Celeron M, Intel Pentium M or VIA C7-M processors”
* “Some devices may include additional built-in features such as GPS, a webcam, fingerprint reader, digital TV tuners, and compact flash and SD card readers”
* “Some UMPCs will be able to connect via wide-area networking”
* “A ultra mobile PC can easily be synchronized with a non-mobile, larger, primary PC at home or work, making it easy to take music, movies, photos, and Office documents on the go”
* “Using Intel processors, we anticipate UMPCs from Founder and Samsung in the second quarter of 2006, with a model debuting from Asus shortly thereafter”
* “Models using the VIA processor are expected to arrive from TabletKiosk and PaceBlade Japan, also in the second quarter of 2006” (Paceblade is pictured below, more info here.)
[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/cebit/paceblade1.jpg[/img]
[b]Interesting ultra mobile PC Articles[/b]
And if you are still craving more Ultra-Mobile PC info, check out this great article by Michael Gartenberg on Jupiter Research.
Also, here is something we thought was kind of fun. It’s a fabric keyboard you could roll up and carry along with your UMPC. More info at PcMag here.
[img]http://origamiportal.com/origami/images/cebit/greenkeyboard.jpg[/img]
