This is suppose to be news, a new portable device coming out from Microsoft. I think it is basically a embedded XP wifi/gps tablet pc using flash memory. The carry case has a built in keyboard. No phone built-in that i know of, probably just BT. Intel is pushing it so maybe branded with their VIIV logo (?). Cost is suppose to be cheap, but what is cheap? to me it would be around US$300-400 or less than Nt$12K. On some sites i saw it was U$800, which would basically make it a dud. (then again top end pdas are now around 18k, with gprs, like dopod 900 is $30K.). Announcement will probably be coming in the next few days. Just making this post for general interest and in case anyone is interested in buying a laptop, this maybe an interesting alternative. (although nowadays you can buy a good cheap laptop for less that NT$19K).
Well, I prefer it compared to a PDA. On Cebit fair, I wrote emails with in to my wife. Using the small stylus and handwriting recognition. Well, if someone wants a real PC with the size of a book, it is great. And the docking allows you to connect keyboard and mouse and large monitor. Also without docking, keyboard and mouse can be connected via USB…
It depends on who you talk to. The Intel chips runs on 1.5 hour if you run a video. Not even good for a 2 hour movie. The VIA chip runs for 2.5 hours.
The thing is used for walking around. Defeats its purpose as a portable with a constant charge and carrying around a 2nd battery (which is an extra accessory).
It depends on who you talk to. The Intel chips runs on 1.5 hour if you run a video. Not even good for a 2 hour movie. The VIA chip runs for 2.5 hours.
The thing is used for walking around. Defeats its purpose as a portable with a constant charge and carrying around a 2nd battery (which is an extra accessory).[/quote]
Ah yes, we are using VIA. SAMSUNG, ASUS and the Chinese company FOUNDER use Intel.
I spent many years in the Taiwan odm pda and smartphone biz and remember working on prototypes like this design back in 1998. I was hoping some vendor would announce something really cool, but the price and specs of the first gen of oragami are crap. The total B.O.M. (bill of material) for a device like this should only be around US$200. Basically all you have is a panel ($80~100) embedded cpu (20) pcb/chips/connector/wireless (60), battery (~10) touchpanel (~10), flash memory (cheap) + 10bucks for the MS license. Its a joke they want to charge $800. In fact if the odm’s don’t have any orders from customers (hp/dell/acer/hitachi/nec/ibm/toshiba/canon/sony/(intel viiv)/etc. etc. they will never sell the device. Their own brand names are way too small to get the volume needed to setup a production run or book the components, i suspect.
The orgami is something that is not so easy to carry so it should be designed as a cheap starbuck coffee /student/home surfing/gaming wireless device. It doesn’t need a hdd just use flash (like the new 8GB samsung phone or Ipods) and wireless. else integrate a gprs/cdma wireless module (add ~$100 for hardware+protocol stack) but then it has to go through all kinds of Fcc/gprs/cdma testing, a big effort if it is a telecom device + need a turnaround repair center. Telecoms would have to have this device in their game plan for some type of online apps else, they won’t offer it.
just some ramblin notes… The product is an example of viral marketing. All hype. I’m disappointed.
here is something else interesting I just came across, The first chinese CPU: yellowsheepriver.org/index.html
(only sold in china, so you know some code/design is pilfered from somewhere, but its a start). China does not want to depend of western vendors for pc parts and want to build their own internet…
Yeah, I understand that BH, and i think it is a mistake to go this direction imho. These type of devices will never catch on with the big volume consumer market. The brand customers will not make the investments (confirmed order+marketing$) because price/performance does not balance out and there is only niche market appeal. In general, larger Taiwan ODMs need to have orders in place or else they can’t get commitments (and lower pricing) from component suppliers. Also they do not want hold any inventory in their warehouses because technology moves too fast and they do not want to get stuck with outdated product. This a a big problem for smaller manufacturers that are trying to do it with their own branding. Just to make 1000 first run protypes to ship samples to buyers is a big investment.
A couple of examples of niche players are dualcor.com/ The OQO has been around for a good 5/6 years. The dualcor device is an interesting hyrid device with dual processors and OS. (but at 1500 they are dreaming). The only advantage for a mini form factor full XP system is that it can run desktop versions of apps like excel or proE or photoshop/multimedia design, etc. With a external kb/monitor connected the convenience is nice, but i think still too much . Sell the device as a cheap $300~350, easy to use wireless websurfer~mediaplayer or biz communicator (like for waiters/finance/students/etc.) and it will have some success plus still give a manufacturer a nice ROI.
Edit: Another factor changing the way we use PCs is that with very cheap/free online storage and “live” applications from MS (and Google/opensouce a few others just coming online) you really do not need a lot of storage memory. Flash is cheap and is used for both storage and to run the apps. With a SD or microSD card, you can have GBs worth of storage for your media as well.
Add this useful, but unrelated link I came across: www.bugmenot.com (who needs to remember all those passwords…)
On Cebit, some people came to me with their “we do not need this device” and “linux is better anyway” and “Microsoft has another silly plan” stuff.
We also do not need a fancy graphics card or lingery for girlfriend. But it is fun to have.
Linux is Linux and Windows is Windows, right.
Microsoft is enforcing tablet PCs and once you got used to the stylus you do not want to miss them.
This is just a small tablet PC and AMtek is a tablet PC maker. Nice to watch a movie (on the real TV!) and quickly read some business stuff on a website in parallel like I did last night.
I prefer to use my big Tablet for it though … but that is expensive so the small one can be … just a small tablet PC.
Don’t underestimate how much Bill G. wants to take a bite out of Apple. I think the market for this tool could be very good for University students and others taking on-line courses.
An I-Pod with mpg4 capability does not permit interaction, taking notes… think how many university students there are and how universities are moving to podcasting. Eliminates the need to have large bookstores on campus students will still have to pay big money just for an electronic copy of the book.
A perfect market. Dad has to pay the bill even if it is $1000 because it is mandatory to have.
And as baby boomers slow down universities will want to tap that market for people who always wanted to study Victorian Literature or Chinese… No extra effort for the school or professors to reach digitally more people with a fee charged of course.
Gartner Market research (www.gartner.com) says it needs $400 and 8 hrs battery life to jump into the mass market of million sellers and it would be too early for the product.
But I guess Microsoft’s strategy is to have this device as a pioneer. It clears the way for the future devices (around 2008 or so that technology may be available) and also achieved acceptance of a tablet PC (and that’s what it is) as a general purpose device for enduser (even if for smaller circle of users).
You know what? You don’t pioneer with a shit product… the only reason this worked for MS in the past was because they had a monopoly.
I think a variation of this product will definitely have a place in people’s lives… I can imagine a low energy very thin and flat device which is not much bigger than an LCD screen that can be used as a replacement for books…of course other features will be added, but not so much as to come close to a laptop.
I think apple has exactly the right approach. They will wait until the technology is already there and WOW the world with a beautiful yet simple product and create a desire. Has anyone even come close to approaching the ipod?
Even if a MS device is cheaper and outperforms, people will still pay the premium for a product released later that look simply looks better and is simpler to use.
And it runs 2.5 hours (mine did). Docking can charge a 2nd battery which is easy to change.
… but that is expensive so the small one can be … just a small tablet PC.
(well, we could estimate it is the other way round 
).