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MICROSOFT SET TO UNFOLD ORIGAMI MYSTERY

Origami website unveiled while curious Microsoft handheld device video emerges on 'net then disappears

11:50 Oh Microsoft, how your bonkers viral marketing campaigns frustrate us with their surreal imagery and distinct lack of tangible information. Imagine then, how pleased we were to see this new one popped up onto the internet, all about the mysterious 'Origami'. However, it seems this one's more interesting than most, with more than a mere whiff of a Microsoft handheld device about the proceedings.

Rumour has been rife for some time concerning the company's forray into the lucrative handheld market, with many anticipating that Microsoft would choose to muscle in against Sony's PSP and Nintendo's GBA and DS in the near future. Now, thanks to a leaked video from film-production company Digital Kitchen (since removed from their site), it seems that day might finally have arrived - sort of.

It appears that Origami is a handheld device of sorts, although more of a bizarre PC and media-player hybrid than a gaming machine. As the conceptual video (which has been mirrored here) demonstrates, Origami is a portable, touchscreen-enabled tablet featuring everything from internet browsing, email, photo editing and gaming.

Of course, it's the latter getting people excited, with the video showing a man playing Halo on the not-entirely-svelt machine. However, a spokesperson told website GameSpot.com that "While Origami is a concept we've been working on with partners, please know that the video seen on Digital Kitchen's web site is a year old and represents our initial exploration into this form factor, including possible uses and scenarios". So, playing Halo on Origami is merely a conceptual idea at this point, folks.

Whatever functionality the final device will hold, it seems likely that Origami won't be a device targetted toward the handheld gaming market at all - rather a fully-featured lifestyle machine with gaming thrown in as an added bonus. As for when we can expect more information, the Origami website exclaims that all will be revealed on March 2 - also known as this Thursday to friends and admirers.

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Op dinsdag 28 februari 2006 18:50 schreef peristilius het volgende:
Het ding wordt denk ik geen gewone game handheld, maar een tablet PC waar volgens mij zelfs Windows Vista op gedraaid kan worden, wat dat betreft hoort dit volgens mij meer in DIG.

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Op dinsdag 28 februari 2006 18:59 schreef Fliepke het volgende:

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Wel een hele kleine mini tablet dan .
Ik denk overigens dat er wel een soort van vista op gaat draaien ja en dat je dan connectiviteit hebt tussen je pc en 360

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Op dinsdag 28 februari 2006 19:23 schreef peristilius het volgende:

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Had je dat filmpje gezien? Ding was best groot.

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Op dinsdag 28 februari 2006 22:36 schreef Drumpie het volgende:
lomp ding, PSP RULEZZ

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 11:32 schreef Dr.Daggla het volgende:

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Ja, veel leuke games al ook .
Laden gaat ook lekker snel van zo'n UMD en de batterij gaat erg lang mee .
Grootste miskoop die ik in 2005 heb gedaan was de PSP.

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 11:32 schreef Dr.Daggla het volgende:

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Ja, veel leuke games al ook .
Laden gaat ook lekker snel van zo'n UMD en de batterij gaat erg lang mee .
Grootste miskoop die ik in 2005 heb gedaan was de PSP.

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 11:32 schreef Dr.Daggla het volgende:

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Ja, veel leuke games al ook .
Laden gaat ook lekker snel van zo'n UMD en de batterij gaat erg lang mee .
Grootste miskoop die ik in 2005 heb gedaan was de PSP.

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 12:57 schreef Nick-GizMo het volgende:

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daarom 1gb stick, en zet daar je games op..
wel ff rippen van umd..

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 12:53 schreef Drumpie het volgende:

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UMD laden valt mee

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 13:17 schreef Dr.Daggla het volgende:

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Loser.

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 13:37 schreef Nick-GizMo het volgende:

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wat is er?
geen geld voor 1gb kaartje?

je games die je bezit, mag je rippen
dat heb ik gewoon gedaan

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 13:49 schreef GameMaster het volgende:
Offtopic : Is dit een XBOX handheld of een PSP topic , zoja , moet je ff verder gaan in het psp topic.

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Op woensdag 1 maart 2006 14:02 schreef GameMaster het volgende:
Tain : idd

JanaX : Ach ja , MS doet het denk ik wel , bedoel ze hebben het ook geprobeert met de XBOX en dat is seker seker geen flop geworden.

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As speculation floats around about a Microsoft handheld games and media device, a web video and a cryptic website indicate something new is coming...

The new gadget, currently called the "Origami Project", was touted on marketing agency DigitalKitchen's website, although the footage seems to have been removed since. Microsoft is one of DigitalKitchen's clients.
The device shown on DigitalKitchen looked like a downsized tablet PC capable of web browsing, GPS functionality, photo editing, messaging and perhaps most notably, gaming; Halo was shown running on the device.

Microsoft apparently launched a website set to reveal details on March 2 at www.origamiproject.com. It doesn't reveal much at all quite yet.
While DigitalKitchen's footage is no longer available, you can view the Origami prototype in staged action by visiting YouTube.

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Op dinsdag 28 februari 2006 18:50 schreef peristilius het volgende:
Het ding wordt denk ik geen gewone game handheld, maar een tablet PC waar volgens mij zelfs Windows Vista op gedraaid kan worden, wat dat betreft hoort dit volgens mij meer in DIG.

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Op vrijdag 3 maart 2006 14:05 schreef H.Flick het volgende:

[..]

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Op vrijdag 3 maart 2006 14:28 schreef Xrenity het volgende:
schop naar DIG dan maar?

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Op vrijdag 3 maart 2006 14:26 schreef BroesWillems het volgende:

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Als ze me zoeken, dan ben ik snoeken..

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Op maandag 6 maart 2006 16:06 schreef Xrenity het volgende:
[afbeelding]

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It will run on a full version of Windows XP, the same operating system used on larger tablet PCs, and newly developed software called Windows Touch Pack will handle touch-screen functions. Future editions will support Windows Vista, a version of Microsoft's flagship operating system that's due out in the second half of this year.

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The battery power averages about 2.5 to three hours, and it will have up to a 60-gigabyte hard drive.

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Op vrijdag 3 maart 2006 15:42 schreef H.Flick het volgende:

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Snoeken is nou niet echt mijn favoriete tak van hengelsport

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CEBIT started today and I got a chance to get to play with "Origami". So here come some of my impressions for the "Origami" enthusiasts in GAF!

UMPC? What happened to Origami?

Ok, so what is "Origami"? The helpful Intel person demonstrating the various devices explained that "Origami" was Microsoft's internal codename for the OS and UI layer, what essentially is now Windows XP Tablet edition + Touch Pack. So the device is not "Origami", the OS + UI layer is - and that was only a codename like "Longhorn".

What is the device called then, if not "Origami"? Well, the category is called UMPC - Ultra Mobile Personal Computer. An attempt to create a new category like the Media Center PCs did. Basically what happened was that Intel did a reference design and got a bunch of companies to execute upon it - including Samsung and ASUS, both of whose Orig... UMPCs I got to try out. Samsung's UMPC is called "Q1" for example. With no reference to release date, I guess.


Trying to establish a causal relationship between my and onscreen actions

Time to take the device for a test ride. Alright, there is the normal Windows XP desktop. The left side of one of the UMPCs on display has some inexplicable keys that I can't figure out. The right side has a track pad type of mouse not unlike the red ThinkPad thing, just bigger. It might or might not feature a click function. I couldn't tell for sure. Getting anything done with it was rather tedious. Luckily the kind lady adviced me to use the touch screen instead to get things done - that worked out a lot better. Makes one wonder why they bothered with the other interface in any case.


Touch Pack, the ultimate shortcut interface layer

Having established a loose causal relationship between my own actions and what happens on the screen of the UMPC I wanted to actually do something. This is where the new, supposedly innovative Touch Pack (formerly known as "Origami") user interface comes in. I'm adviced to go to a folder to launch the application that takes over the screen interface with an interface similar to Windows Media Center. The Intel lady called it the "7 inch experience". I had to bite my tongue. Quite hard, I might add.

The new Touch Pack UI lists some of the basic things you'd want to do, simply and elegantly. The real kicker comes when you click one of those elegant options. You fly back to the grass field of Windows XP, where a folder view of applications is shown, where you can select the one you want. For example: Open full screen Touch Pack UI, click Games, fly back to desktop to Games folder, double click game icon to open. I kid you not.


Ultra Mobile, NOT RLY.

Let's assume that Microsoft showed the software a bit early, and they'll figure out a way that the device works more elegantly, and take a look at the hardware itself and what types of promise it holds.

The first thing one would wonder is where U and M in UMPC come from. "Ultra Mobile" they say. Hell, if this is "Ultra Mobile", I don't want to know what is "Mobile". A desktop computer? That's right, the UMPCs are big, bulky and very ugly, with the Samsung one being best looking of them. Which is not much, I'm afraid. The thing is no way comfortable to hold. The best way to use it seems to use the table top ministand on the back of the device. Walk around with one of these like they did on the concept video, and you'll get arms like Popeye. Guaranteed.

The devices seemed to lack an iconic button interface as well. Just random buttons in random, inconsistent places was how it felt. Buttons for nothing. Forget about playing Halo like the cool looking kid does in the subway tunnel in the concept video, there are no controls for that. I voiced this regret to the poor lady demonstrating the device, and she was quick to point out that the concept video was "Microsoft's and a year old, and just a concept".


Reassembling the laptop

Finally, as a cherry on the cake were the accessories. That's right, Samsung has got that cool keyboard accessory seen on the video. Not only that, but they also have a OD accessory. "OD?" I hear you ask. Optical Drive. A different, cool way to say DVD in this case. Imagine hooking up your UMPC with the external Optical Drive in your car and watching a DVD, how cool is that? Not too cool, it turns out. The battery of the device lasts 1.7 hours. That's 1 hours 42 minutes for mathematically challenged. Which is why the final accessory from Samsung is a huge battery pack. No idea how much juice that will provide at this point. I must admit that I'm not too interested to find out.


Bottomline

So, to recap what has happened. Intel and Microsoft teamed up and decided to create a new category that would create great new growth for both processors and operating systems - the UMPC. What they came up with was a disassembled laptop with a bad user interface. Using accessories you can re-asseble the laptop by plugging in the keyboard, the DVD drive and the proper battery. Then what you end up having is a $2000 laptop with a weak processor and 7" screen. Sounds like a good business model!