Ultra Mobile 2007: Gates' New Pet Project?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122032,tk,dn072905X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122032,tk,dn072905X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"In April, at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, Gates announced that he was considering pushing a potential rival portable computing platform into the market called Ultra Mobile 2007. In remarks posted on Microsoft's Web site, Gates said he envisioned Ultra Mobile 2007 as a new category of device that would cost between $800 and $1000, and weigh as near to a pound as possible. These devices would have a consumer friendly bent and would integrate a camera, a phone, and a touch-screen, and offer music and video playback functions along with very long battery life."</i><br /><br />8O Could Bill Gates manages to promote everything else <i>other</i> than Windows Mobile. He's never seemed very big on Pocket PCs and Smartphones, I think largely because he probably has an assistant that does everything for him that we use our Pocket PCs and Smartphones for. Converged devices make too many sacrifices, and I just don't believe the technology is there yet to achieve something like the Ultra Mobile 2007. I want my phone to be a phone - a <i>small</i> phone. I want my camera to be a camera. What's your take on it?

[SassKwatch]

I want my phone to be a phone - a small phone. I want my camera to be a camera. What's your take on it?
I'm not overly particular about size, but otherwise I couldn't agree more.

Also think you're spot on re: Bill G dancing around WM. For several yr it seemed like he was all about the TabletPC concept. Perhaps this new 'UltraMobile' thing is a sign the Tablet hasn't panned out like he hoped, so he needs to find something 'new'.....all the while leaving WM languishing.(?)

[Santa Fe]

Ahh, the elusive all in one device. I don’t see it fitting into my lifestyle. There are times I don’t want a phone with me and times I don’t need a camera with me and all of the time I don’t need a device that weighs that much and will probably need a lot of charging.

[nskgti]

Gates uses a SMT5600...

[hotdram]

I want my phone to be a phone - a small phone. I want my camera to be a camera. What's your take on it?

Amen!
I work for a large defense contractor as an electrical engineer. I can not bring a cell phone with a camera into my building. I can't find a phone with bluetooth that DOESNT have a camera. I could care less if my phone has a camera. I currently have an SMT5600 that I have to leave in my truck (in the Texas heat) when I go to work.
(Now, integrated GPS and WiFi would be nice)

~Rob

[Ben]

I want a convergent device. Desperately. I stopped following the smartphone trends when the MPx got canceled. That was pretty much EXACTLY what I needed, and now it will never happen.

Why can't I have something with push email, clamshell phone, keyboard, WiFi, camera, SD expandability, and a decent battery life. I don't even care about the bluetooth, since a convergent device is a convergent device. The technology exists for what I want, but no one has made it. 1 pound, decent clamshell to protect the screen, I don't know what Gates is talking about this time, but I'm certainly willing to check it out.