03-09-2006, 02:00 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Origami News Roundup + What the Heck Is Alexandria?
The news and buzz surrounding Origami is reaching its crescendo! First, Intel has also launched their official Ultimate Mobile PC site which includes flash video showing off some consumer-oriented usages though no official specs. Now, according to a slew of reports from News.com, InfoWorld, and Engadget, we're looking at a Windows XP PC with a 7" display, standard x86 processors (900MHz - 1GHz), 30-60GB hard drives, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, WiFi, GPS (depending on manuracturer), and will weigh just under 2 pounds.
The Samsung unit scheduled for display today at CeBIT (Engadget has a load of snapshots) has been installed with XP Tablet Edition, though News.com implies that other standard desktop operating systems should work as well. InfoWorld goes a step further by reporting on the scheduled developments for Origami in 2007. The main differentiator between Origami and OQO? It appears to be price, as the initial cost for these devices is expected to be under $1000 ($500 is the eventual aim of Microsoft). You can also find a CeBIT Newsletter (in PDF form) that notes an interesting SIP keyboard that is circular in shape (rotating around the lower left and right-hand corners of the screen) allowing for two handed (or should I say two-thumbed) input. Samsung is planning on releasing a number peripherals for their device that includes a GPS unit, a DMB TV tuner (in Korea), a Bluetooth keyboard, and a DVD drive. If all this this news isn't enough, ctitanic spotted a site called OrigamiPortal which is dedicated nothing but Origami.
Finally, Engadget is speculating on a mysterious advertisement (codenamed Microsoft "Alexandria") that was supposedly pulled last-second from a Gates CES keynote. The ad (which has since been taken down from the website of the ad designer) only mentions that the "Future of Entertainment" is coming in the Summer of 2006. According to an enlarged Origami image at ActiveWin, Alexandria appears tied to Windows Media Player somehow. Speculation runs from this being a special version of WMP to an iTunes competitor to some joint solution/service from both Microsoft and Apple. Let the hype machine begin anew!
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03-09-2006, 02:37 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 18
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What is Alexandria
Pure speculation on my part, but I can't help but think Alexandria is a link to the historical significance of the city of Alexandria and specifically the Library of Alexandria. Could this be some type of application/portal to manage all aspects of digital content or knowledge that a user may have and making it portable across devices and location? Just a wild thought on my part.
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03-09-2006, 03:17 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,887
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Alexandria? Uh, just by looking at that screenshot (if its real and not a photoshop special) anybody familiar with WMP and its file-tree logic can see it is a video subscription service. It operates on the Napster model, apparently. (Notice how the Alexandria branch lies under library/videos at the top of the pane?)
Kinda explains the recent introduction of monthly passes for video at iTunes, no? (MS needs to start using their document control tech inhouse; their current system leaks like a sieve. Maybe a few Apple-style prosecutions... :devilboy: )
Sounds like Alexandria speculation properly belongs at DMT. ;-)
Now Origami looks great; I just need to know three things:
Storage type and capacity
Maximum WMV resolution it can play back
Price
Size and weight looks good. Battery life sounds a bit low but acceptable; 4 hours would be best for today's tech.
I'm intrigued by the hint that some models (presumable the $1000 ones) might come with FlashRAM instead of hard-drive storage.
I do like the mention of 60GB drives.
My TabletPC is starting to show its age so I would not at all mind one of these as a replacement in the next 18 months...
And they're supposed to start appearing next month?
Yay!
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03-09-2006, 03:21 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Sounds like I should launch Tablet PC Thoughts if there's a lot of interest in this.... ;-)
This device looks very cool, but ultimately with Vista launching this year, I think I'm going to wait for the 2nd gen units to launch before jumping in. Too bad there's no Dell release to undercut and commoditize the hell out of the market.
I like some of the unique UI elements they created for it, nice to see.
I predict an upshoot in the sales of the man purse...you'll need one to carry one of these around. :lol:
This sure as heck doesn't replace a Pocket PC or Smartphone though, no matter how Microsoft tries to spin it. 3 hours of battery life? Lame.
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03-09-2006, 03:24 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Felix Torres
Maximum WMV resolution it can play back
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It's the same CPU as my old Fujitsu P5020D laptop, a 900 mhz Intel Pentium M Ultra-low Voltage, so basicaly anything up to HD...I'm quite sure it would puke on HD WMV files.
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03-09-2006, 03:58 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,887
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I'm quite sure it would puke on HD WMV files.
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Too bad. I was kinda hoping it could handle streaming HD.
Oh, well; my old one is glitching, not dying: I don't *need* to upgrade this year.
Maybe the 07 edition...
Or if the price is right (especially for a flash-based unit) maybe I'll just stick with the "reference library in your hand" capability, which is what my current Tablet can do.
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03-09-2006, 04:03 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 128
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These are a little too big for my taste.
However, according to Intel/MS next year they are going to release even smaller UMPCs. The devices will be faster, have better battery life, maybe have Vista, and hopefully will be pocketable.
I'm going to painfully wait a year for those :/
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03-09-2006, 05:15 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 19
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Sounds like I should launch Tablet PC Thoughts if there's a lot of interest in this.... ;-)
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Its definately a new sector. However, dont expect to see them all as tablet form factor PC's. There have been keyboarded/clamshell models shown, I expect so see an OQO copy and i'm sure others will appear (in-car models perhaps.)
I call (and blog them!) as 'carrypads' UMPC seems a common expression but as these are lifestyle products, someone is going to have to come up with a new name. HomePad, LazyPad. Man-Purse Pad? ;-)
Steve.
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03-09-2006, 05:41 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 980
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The bad news is that Sangsum is expecting to start selling it in Europe for around 1000 euros (that's close to 1150 dollars) around June. According to CBS there first round is not going to be in anyway close to those 500 dollars promised by our friend Bill Gates.
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03-09-2006, 06:02 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 177
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Think there will be a MS Vista upgrade for it? Since MS has already announced that the future will be Vista, why would I want to buy an expensive handheld that runs an obsolete OS? :wink:
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Linear Mode
