Microsoft’s so-called Origami Project, due to be launched on Thursday, appears to be its early version of the ultra-mobile PC concept Intel has been touting of late, if an allegedly leaked Flash version of a promo video of the product is anything to go by. Quite apart from being a potential iPod competitor, the device could well prompt some interesting techology ownership questions.
There has been some of these gadgets for a while, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be successful. But I doubt it.. It doesn’t look cool. It’s too fat.
Maybe they should create something smaller.. Like an iPod? ;o)
From what I’ve read in recent and not so recent interviews he seems to be the main pusher for this kind of gadget. I myself dont really know what the use for them can be..
“I myself dont really know what the use for them can be..”
Artists have been begging for them since the early 90s. The idea is to get away from the idiom of writing and working on paper and start building UIs that actually *work* like paper.
Reread the article. It’s also an excellent leverage point for Microsoft to catch up with Apple by being first to market for a change, as it’s no real secret Apple’s already developing the same kind of thing (hence the willingness to sacrifice PPC in order to get practical laptop/tablet processor chips).
Artists have been begging for them since the early 90s. The idea is to get away from the idiom of writing and working on paper and start building UIs that actually *work* like paper.
We’re still light years away from that. The electronic book is still in it’s infancy, never mind fully-functional electronic paper. There’s no reason why desktop systems shouldn’t have interfaces that “work like paper” on a desk but we don’t even have that. Companies are rushing to release products and convince people it’s Star Trek come to life. A classic case of marketing over technology.
– only methanol fuel cells will make electronic devices truly free from the power outlet, performance per watt can only have a negligable effect on the severity of this problem
– even if it were fully-functional, handwriting recognition is undesirable (too slow and tiresome) for serious use, a projectable keyboard should be included as well
There are more than two issues.
-weight. These things can’t weigh two pounds or the average person won’t be able to hold it for long.
-Heat. Intel chips are great for performance but they do get warm.
– Fully functional handwriting recongition is already done. it’s called Inkwell by Apple. They have kept it closed off since the Newton was killed by friendly fire.
-Interface. I am sorry but Windows is a horrible interface for small screens. Mac OS(OS 8/9) is better but still not great. Palm’s wasn’t bad. Basically you need to minimize the extra’s to show more data. (menu’s all need to be compact).
I don’t think MSFT is going to pull it off. Apple well who knows.
“-weight. These things can’t weigh two pounds or the average person won’t be able to hold it for long.”
2 pounds don’t seem that heavy.
Inkwell is a joke, at least on non-English/German/French languages, which are the only dictionaries included as of Mac OS X 10.4.5. You cannot write three straight words in Spanish without having one or two of them wrong.
Besides, MS has some really neat things such as handwriting recognition of Chinese characters (and taking into account there are thousands of those, I think it is a pretty amazing feat).
I am exclusively a Mac OS X user, BTW.
Edited 2006-02-28 09:25
thats what the device is, more or less (windows rather then linux and all that).
still, if it comes packaged with a foldable bluetooth keyboard im all for it. alltho most likely ill try to install a variant of the linux enviroment they use to power the 770
Thursday is going to be Week 2 of information on the Origami website. I don’t think anything will be announced at that moment.
Origami device will probably work under Vista…?
I hate that link. It was obviously instigated by a bunch of failed marketing people who don’t have the wherewithall to advance society through technology, but to exploit it.
God, I’ve been dying to get a good Tablet PC, and have money burning a hole in my pants for one. Yet, everything so far seems a bit disappointing – and judging by this website, this will be no different.