The Ultra-Mobile PC: Are Disconnected Pocket PCs in Trouble?

[Janak Parekh]

So, in addition to Ekkie's <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=392723">huge roundup of the latest Origami news</a>, Microsoft's <a href="www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/umpc/">got their official UMPC webpage up</a>, and Engadget has some <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/09/hands-on-with-asus-and-founder-umpcs/">hands-on pics and thoughts</a> with some the UMPCs at CeBIT. One of the interesting things is the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/09/so-what-is-origami-well-tell-ya/">Touch Pack</a> to be distributed with many (all?) of the UMPCs, including a launcher app, "DialKeys" (pictured below), Touch Improvements, etc.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20060309-EngadgetUMPCTouch.jpg" /><br /><br />It's pretty clear to me that this is part of Bill Gates' vision. He's been known to be a huge fan of Tablet PC, and less so of Pocket PCs. Now, let me be clear: it's pretty certain Windows Mobile isn't disappearing anytime soon. These units are full-fledged PCs, relatively large (~ 2 pounds) and with 2-3 hours of battery life -- that's not going to do for one's PIM, cell phone, or even industrial solution, although they're supposed to get smaller and cheaper in the years to come. Still, I can't help but wonder if this will eat at the high-end disconnected Pocket PC market, especially the VGA standalone units. I remember trying to cram everything on my Toshiba e805, and for that kind of application, something like this might be easier. Instead of having a dumb cell phone and a Pocket PC, why not have a Pocket PC Phone or Smartphone (for phone, PIM, lightweight email, etc.) and a UMPC? I'm intensely curious what <i>you</i> think, so poll time!

[Rod3]

No way; I have a U70; I hate it, and don't ever take it with me. I thought it was so cool at first. Unfortunately, I got it before Sony issued them in this country, so it has a Japanese OS, jiggled into English by Dynamism. That means no CD to restore the OS, and since I'm scared to loose my information onto the world, I can't sell it because I can't zero out the hard drive. A hard lesson. But that very fact kept me trying to use the thing long after I knew it was a losing proposition.

[Jerry Raia]

It't just the wrong size to be either. Like the Newton was.

[Darren Behan]

For what I use my current Motion Computing tablet for, this may fit the bill in an even more compact (and less expensive package). When I take an honest look at my real-life use, I basically do:

Email
Finance (Miscrosoft Money)
Music
Picures
Video
Everything else is W?BIC.

As such, I could basically use this as a desktop replacement and get the portability to boot. That said, this is certainly not for everyone and I don't know whether I will go with a first generation one of these.

One thing I read was that 'future versions' will be compatible with Vista; don't know what that means but it doesn't I don't think it bodes well. It seems to be following the Windows Mobile philosophy where if you want to upgrade the OS, you have to buy a new device and/or rely on OEMs to provide it (which has been generally disappointing in my view - I give you HP as an example). Hope that was just early misinformation...

db

[haesslich]

This would be more of a laptop replacement for me than a PocketPC killer - or a tablet replacement. The form factors are one major thing that they've forgotten here - yes, it's still hand-sized... but it's about half again as large as most PocketPCs, which I already consider to be on the 'big' end for a portable device. From what I can see, they're about the size of a hardcover book, which would put it firmly in the 'luggable' category for me, and thus as something I'd use if I had a few moments to sit down or stand around to access some information rather than a pocketable device I'd pull out to check a contact, to make a call with, or to look up something quickly.

It may do well replacing the Portable Media Centers, and to displace my own PocketPC as an e-book reader (even if the battery life's awful), and as an internet appliance or maybe even a quick document editor (although, for document creation, I'd rather get a keyboard... which means we're going back into laptop or desktop territory again)... but not if I'm working on the run. It's just too BIG for that, and until they perfect virtual or HUD displays for such things, I'd have to say the PocketPC still has a place in my own lifestyle.

[ljclark]

:roll:

I kinda see where they are going, it interests me, but I'm not sure I'm looking for anything between my iPAQ 4700 and my smallish Sony notebook.

Right now the killer is battery life. That screen has a lot more real estate to light up than my PDA. If they are claiming 3 hours battery life, you know it is really more like 2 hours -- probably couldn't even finish a movie. If they got the run time up to a true 4-6 hours, it would look a lot more interesting.

This thing reminds me of someone who places 8th in every pentathalon event and thinks that consistency will get him a gold medal.

[ricksfiona]

DualCor is supposed to be out this month right? :wink:

I don't think the PocketPC is going anywhere. There are SO MANY people out there that are not nearly as high-tech as the rest of us and will want a minimalist approach to keeping their PIM's functioning. It will get smaller, thinner and more powerful if anything. Hopefully simplier.

But the Ultramobiles are awesome and I can't wait to get my hands on the DualCor. This is 1st generation stuff too... So the 2nd and 3rd generation of these device will blow us away.

If it werent' for games, I would use the DualCor for everything...

[Phoenix]

This device looks great, but my inital reaction matches one of the choices in this poll - too small to be a useful replacement for a laptop, and too big to be a replacement for Windows Mobile.

WM devices keep us connected and give us enough power and flexibility for what we need while on the move without having to resort to an XP machine, while remaining compact enough to carry around with no trouble. And when we need more power, we have laptops of all sizes and specs, and price ranges. These UMPC's don't have integrated optical drives (for loading software or watching DVD movies, and I mention this because who wants to lug around a bunch of peripherals?), and they're too big to stuff in a pocket.

As cool as it would be to have all this power in a more portable package like this, and as much as I'd love to see something like this succeed (because let's face it, they are pretty slick), I can't see it filling anything else other than a niche in the market. I think WM has more overall appeal than Origami ever will.

But I'm still going to wait this one out a bit and see how it progresses.

[KTamas]

This'd be a really nice gadget to have...but for real use...no, it wouldn't work for me. I have a notebook for desktop/sometimes portable purposes, and a Pocket PC Phone for the true portability and to have emails, ebooks, music, PIM, phone and such with me anywhere.

[Raphael Salgado]

I'm just curious as to how it would affect the sales of DualCor cPC (http://www.dualcor.com)
Vulcan FlipStart PC (http://www.flipstartpc.com)
OQO Model 01+ (http://www.oqo.com)
Sony U750P (are they still selling this?)All of which have quotes estimated street prices of $1500-2000.

This must be quite a shocker to those manufacturers (though I'm sure someone must have seen it coming) into either releasing their products as fast as they can (and hopefully not screwing it up in the process by releasing an unfinished product - what? that'd never happen! :roll:)

[IpaqMan2]

In regards to the topic:
The Ultra-Mobile PC: Are Disconnected Pocket PCs in Trouble?


This should go with out saying. Pocket PCs were never meant to succeed. For years I have believed this Let me explain my onion. Windows CE has never picked up as I think Microsoft or Bill Gates had hoped it would - being an OS that is found in consumer electronics, from Digital cameras to electronic digital consoles for cars , mp3 players, and everything in between. Instead Windows CE's greatest success was morphed into the Pocket PC OS which in some levels competes against Microsoft's Desktop (remember - I said at least on some levels) and a pocket PC doesn't generate the same revenue with other Microsoft software as a desktop could with Office, Money, desktop OS, and so on.

Next Software had to be specifically written for the Windows CE/PPC, or you couldn't use your favorite desktop software with your new Pocket PC - Instead you had to hope that someone would write a program and many times when people did there was no way real way sync your info over. And Last - Even the Largest Pocket PC, was too small to do any real enterprise work in the real business world. Of course people will argue and say their companies uses PDAs - but truth is if Pocket PCs were all that, than why do more companies use Laptops than a Pocket PC? Fact is - PCs are Kings and always will be no matter what size or shape they come in.

The Lack of Bill's Gates enthusiasm in the PPCs platform has always been evident. The only thing I think Microsoft is content in seeing the Pocket PC OS become is a Smartphone OS, and things of this sort - Because as a smartphone OS it wont compete against anything else that Microsoft has and if Microsoft can position it's self correctly in the Mobile phone market it can still profit big time.

[Tye]

I want something that is small enough to always be with me in my pocket. I want my big widescreen tablet that I can throw in my backpack and do a serious amount of work on. This new concept doesn't fit either. I'll keep my mind open to the idea, but at the moment, "meh..."

Also, regarding the American market, I hope that since these are supposed to be so connected, that the carriers are open to the idea of carrying different models of "Origamis." I'm still not sold on a converged PPC because I'm so locked into my carrier (Sprint).

[Peter Traugot]

I really have a problem with devices that are made to be transported, and then the battery life doesn't do justice to that portability. Haven't we created a battery scenario that lasts more then 2.5 hours yet? I mean really; between the advancements in hardware power usage and battery storage improvements, you'd think we could get to 5 hours by now.

The battery life of this device screams "Trans-portable". It will get you where you're going, but you'd better plug it in once you get there...

[WorksForTurkeys]

I already had Newtons, and other luggables. What does this offer me to make it worth strapping it to my back? I could see it if the form-factor offered any improvements to my work performance. it but it seems to be more a small tablet pc than a larger pda. I'll pass.

[alabij]

Gates sure doesn't know when to give up. Well! with all the billions in the bank I guess they have enough to waste on R&amp;D.

This baby looks like I needs to be synced with a PC. Geeez!! ActiveSync is in its fourth generation and MS still hasn't gotten it right. Matter of fact, Windows on the desktop is still a work in progress.

From Handheld PC to Tablet PC to in between.

Sure all these products are great. but why not focus on the core issues and build from there

This device could cost a hundred dollars and it still wouldn't be picked up as a commodity. Why? Because MS has a reputation for jumping the gun and dreaming big.

[aroma]

Windows CE has never picked up as I think Microsoft or Bill Gates had hoped it would

I would have to disagree somewhat on this. I think you would be surprised to find the amount and kinds of devices out now that are powered behind the scenes with CE. In the retail and manufacture business I deal with, I can't get through a day without touching a dozen or more CE powered devices.

[shinysteve]

why not have a Pocket PC Phone or Smartphone (for phone, PIM, lightweight email, etc.) and a UMPC? I'm intensely curious what you think, so poll time!

I'm convinced that I only need a small smart-ish phone (something like a Nokia 6280 will do) and something similar to an Origami UMPC to serve all my needs. I've done a hell of a lot of thinking about it in the last 6 months and been really honest about how i really use my devices. However, I really need a keyboard with one of these devices.

Stacks of arguments over at my journal. (http://blog.carrypad.com)

Steve.[/url]

[gibson042]

I really like these tiny and/or modular PCs, but personally I don't think they're for me. They'll never be as powerful or have as much storage capacity as your primary desktop or laptop, which means they'll never replace it. And that places them squarely in competition with Pocket PCs. The problem is, the Pocket PC would still be better even if they had the exact same hardware, because of the difference in OS. Windows XP (and Longhorn, and whatever comes next...) is big and clunky and slow. It is not designed for small screens or small devices, and would be less than pleasant to use in the palm of your hand. Windows Mobile, on the other hand, is designed for such usage and generally does a good job of helping you quickly accomplish what you wanted. When the products do eventually merge and the modular PCs are "there," I expect that they'll be running Windows Mobile (although they might also have a full-fledged computing OS as well, for the keyboard/mouse/monitor usage scenarios).

[alese]

From Casio E-10x days I always hoped and expected that PPCs will be able to replace notebooks. But the fact is they did not and will not.
The Origami on the other hand, will do just that. It will replace notebooks for many that don't need or want to lug around heavy notebooks.
This will also solve all my main gripes I have with current PPCs when I want to use them for some serious work:
- I can use external display (with bigger resolution) if I need/want to, for work, presentations, video... - you can't do this with PPC except Axim.
- I can connect it to external USB devices - you can't really do that with PPCs, even the ones that support USB, it's only USB 1.1 and it's limited to spme storage and input devices
- PPCs are very limited when it comes to storage - the best you can do is 8Gb microdrive + 4Gb SD in dual slot device, but this is still only 1/3 of HD capacity in Origami, not to mention the cost...
- And finally I can use "standard" full featured SW, not some underfeatured "pocket" versions - you can create Power Point not only run it, you can browse without compromises and the list goes on...

I'll still use my PPC, but I'll use it for what it does well - as my PIM, with integrated phone.

[Gerard]

My assessment of my own actual needs is probably something beyond those of the average computer user:

- email
- web browsing/banking/shopping, downloading media/software
- capturing/encoding movies/music with minor editing
- media playback, connected to earphones or a stereo
- editing still photographs, some original artwork
- reading ebooks, articles
- some FTP
- word processing
- scanning and printing of documents
- very little, but still the odd game

That's about it. Most of it can be done with a Pocket PC. I should know, as most of my computer time (over 95%) over the past 6 years has been on a Pocket PC, not a PC. If DVD ripping and DivX encoding, and if MP3 ripping from CD could be done on a Pocket PC, I'd have almost no use at all for a full-scale PC. Unfortunately, I had to buy a PC of some sort to support the PPC with software installations and media content. If not, I'd probably still not have one.

This Origami project provides for a user such as myself the first really attractive option bigger than a PPC. It's portable enough to cart around. An extended battery could at least double the usable life, and knowing Mugen's after-market batteries as I do probably triple. Plugging it into an external DVD reader/writer and any number of other peripherals effectively renders it a low-powered full PC, which even in this initial version is far more powerful than my current PC. That's more than enough for such basic chores. Being able to take i with me just makes it sweeter, providing not only portable higher-powered computing and media experiences, but also the security which comes from not abandoning the PC at home. In a rented and not very secure house, it's only a matter of time before some idiot starts a fire (our basement neighbours smoke pot indoors, and the landlord seems unwilling to do anything about it) or before a burglar comes in and takes all the toys (which is why I have everything important, data-wise, in a small external hard drive which always goes with me).

Sure, if I wanted to play densely constructed 3D video games I'd need a lot more power, but frankly they just don't attract my interest. Too much else to do with my time. And as VLC or any of several alternatives play movies very smoothly, there's no need for more processing power there. Already they play very well on my 600MHz PIII, and re-encoded play nicely on the Toshiba e800. 900MHz + would be gravy, especially running a severely stripped down XP, without all the bloatware turning it into a slug.

So yeah, I see one of these as perfectly viable. I find fault with the survey options - someone had to say it - in that there is no "I'd use one, alongside a connected full-size Pocket PC" option. Smartphone/PPC Phone Edition devices tend to be rather cramped. My Toshiba is big enough for most anything, and is 'connected' via Wi-Fi. Add a GSM radio and it'd be about perfect.

[dbman]

I seem to be in the minority, but I will buy one when I am sure the battery life and screen quality is good enough. My x51v did not have the greatest battery life, but a $14 extended battery solved that problem nicely! Now I can drive for 8-10 hours and use it with my BT GPS without power cables on either device!

Even if battery life stays around three hours, I would treat a microPC just like I do any other battery operated device. When I am mobile, I will carry a recharger and when I am not using it, it will be charging. I have gone through several PDAs and have never found myself lacking on power. When I had my HP4700, I slid a second battery in the case so it was available when I needed it. Even before I got the extend battery for the x51v, this strategy worked just fine for it too!

I run Office, Outlook, Visual Foxpro and IE on my laptop and because these miro devices also run XP or Vista, I see no reason why I would continue to lug a laptop. I am not giving up my PDA yet because there are times I need ultra portability, but I could see using a small computer like this in lots of places.

The fact that this concept has a real touch screen opens the doors for a lot of things a regular laptop or tablet can not do. For example, small children that can not yet interact with a real computer can easily touch and get a response from a device like this. Used with a BT GPS, it would make a great auto display. And, it is big enough for two people to watch a movie or view photos at the same time!

Yes, I know this is concept will not fit everyone, but the same thing could have been said when the first B&amp;W Palm PDA came out. After all, who in their right mind would pay serious money to replace a paper organizer? If the price is right, people will find ways to make it useful.

[IpaqMan2]

Windows CE has never picked up as I think Microsoft or Bill Gates had hoped it would

I would have to disagree somewhat on this. I think you would be surprised to find the amount and kinds of devices out now that are powered behind the scenes with CE. In the retail and manufacture business I deal with, I can't get through a day without touching a dozen or more CE powered devices.

I know CE is used a bit in the in retail and other business and has grown quite abit over the last several years. I think Windows CE in general is starting to earn the respect from many that it lacked than as being a deversified applience OS, still it's not as populare as the desktop OS and demands less revenue than the desktop OS - so hence CE hasn't picked up like other products of Microsoft that has pretty much become the standard in it's industry- IE, Office, Exchange/Outlook, and so forth.

[disconnected]

I hate to think that something that I can no longer imagine living without (PPC) is going the way of the dinosaur. I'd be happy to gain functionality (phone, GPS, camera, etc), but I don't want to lose anything. I wouldn't want to carry anything much heavier than my 4700, and I don't want to squint at anything smaller than a 3.5" screen. I don't mind carrying two devices (PPC and phone), and I'd also be happy if they were combined. Having the phone carriers in the equation doesn't help. Sprint and Verizon are apparently concentrating on teenagers downloading video or business users willing to pay very high prices for data; anyone in between is being ignored.

I hope there will continue to be multiple choices, and that all OEMs won't focus on just one device that they think will sell the most. Even though most PPCs are shrinking into small phone-centric devices, the last time I was at Microcenter they had several stand-alone PPCs, every one of which featured GPS as its main selling point. Sony and others are coming out with larger devices just for reading ebooks, and ipods are shrinking and growing at the same time. Obviously one size doesn't fit all.

[John Schaefer]

The UMPC concept is targeted at the mass entertainment-consumer market, paying for access to volumes of incoming information and not generating anything but control inputs in return.

The UMPC is dysfunctional for those of us who need two-way information exchange. It doesn't have a competent input capability. It's a TV set.

I'll stick with my full-fledged-PC Sharp mini-laptop (with a 100% touchtypeable keyboard, running XP Pro, slightly larger than a UMPC but neither one fits into a suit jacket inside pocket so what difference does it make?) and my XV6700, thank you very much.

Regarding the premise of the thread, that if Mr. Gates kills Windows Mobile and favors the UMPC, Pocket PCs would be obsoleted...hogwash. Linux for Pocket PCs is on the way. Gates would be crazy to create a category of corporate-useful devices that no longer ran Windows and instead were dominated by Linux. That'll never happen.

The UMPC is a consumer product. Pocket PCs are not solely used in business, but that's a significant market. They don't overlap from a product management point of view.

[Gerard]

The UMPC is dysfunctional for those of us who need two-way information exchange. It doesn't have a competent input capability. It's a TV set.


You are of course entitled to buy, or not to buy, whatever you prefer. For my part, every post I've made in every forum since June of 2000 (probably well over 1million words) has been made on a Pocket PC. Same goes for all my email, all my business documents, all my writing in typed form. I use either a folding keyboard or Letter Recognizer. Competent input capability? No problem. I see no reason that the Origami should fail to use any number of compact or full-sized keyboards, and that radiused thumb input looks okay for shorter written work.

[Mark Johnson]

The UMPC is dysfunctional for those of us who need two-way information exchange.


Actually, I'm expecting Origami will finally bring an end to "syncing" once and for all. I'll set mine up with a normal password-protected shared folder like any XP machine. When I get to my office I will fire up my Uber Powerful XP Desktop, but will simply be opening/editing files stored on \\origami\shared_folder normally.

So if I run QuickBooks ro PhotoShop, it will do any intensive activity with the full power of my liquid-nitrogen-cooled Windows XP 5Ghz quad-processor system with 9.2GB of RAM (OK, that's not what my real desktop is... BUt you get my point.) Then when I'm on the road, I still COULD open QuickBooks or Photoshop on the Origami to do something occasionally (or more likely just to refer to something like a QuickBooks invoice, etc.)

This really is the best of both worlds. All the power of a full desktop, no syncronization at all, and (thank goodness FINALLY LIKE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR IT) full application compatibility.

Sure Microsoft is making some noise about data sync and "it's a partner device" blah, blah, blah, but they know what time it is and that's just to reduce expectations. The market is sick and tired of needing to buy an app for our desktop XP system, then a different app for the same purpose for our "mobile device" or (even worse) not being able to buy an app since no one wants to write that app for Windows Mobile which is like 1% of the market size of XP.

Two different sets of API's doomed WindowsCE from the beginning. Sure it will still live in some niche, as will "traditional" PPC's, but Origami's the way of the future and I'm glad to see it FINALLY happen.

And as far as the "it's too big" responses, the thing will certainly shrink in the future. There is GREAT potential for Origami hardware to get smaller and cheaper, there is little potential for WindowsMobile to ever run QuickBooks, PhotoShop, etc.

I'm gonna be first in line!

[pocketpcadmirer]

This'd be a really nice gadget to have...but for real use...no, it wouldn't work for me. I have a notebook for desktop/sometimes portable purposes, and a Pocket PC Phone for the true portability and to have emails, ebooks, music, PIM, phone and such with me anywhere.

Same with me. I too use a BA and highly satisfied with it. I dont want to lug a brick around. They dont look to me as "pocket portables" though :lol:

Sunny

[mwfielder]

I'm a doc, and I would love to use this for my practice. We have an electronic medical record system and this would be perfect---if handwriting recognition can be used, ala tablet pc, and if battery life can be improved. 3 hrs won't cut it during a busy day of seeing patients. The tablets are nice, but are too bulky to fit in a lab coat pocket. Handhelds are too small to be functional.

As the responses have shown, each device will have it's own niche. Give me this with a docking station (keyboard, monitor, and external hard drive) and I'll be set.

[byoder]

Why is it that people keep beating dead horses like this?

Microsoft and some other have been reting to launch a laptop/PDA hybrid for fifteen years or longer and nothing ever seems to go anywhere. Why? Maybe it's because the whole idea is stupid! There's a market for a device that I can carry with me all the time so I can access my key information...that's the PDA/cell phone market. There's also a big market for portable computers with all the power to do anything I want anywhere I want. Why does anyone think there's a market for a not terribly portable and not terribly usable middle-scale device? I'm sure that you can find a few little niches here and there (for meter maids for example) but there's just no mass market for this and whoever thinks so (even if his name is Gates) isn't going to change that.

This reminds me of the endless attempts over the years to "invent" interactive TV and video phones. The sad fact is that nobody wants these things even though they can be created.

Come on Microsoft, stop beating the dead horse and focus on creating a platform that doesn't suck, isn't ridddled with security holes, and doesn't fall apart every time you look at it funny. That's a lot more important than this.

--Brian

[foebea]

I definately want this. I would use it mainly for Rosetta Stone. I've tried and failed in my attempts to learn a programming language to write a pocketpc interpreter for it, and the Rosetta Stone company has flatly refused to develop one, so this is the best option, and its touch screen! That is absolutly perfect for my needs.

As for the battery issue, it really isnt. I'm either at home or at the office, and if I need to use it away from those locations, either I can steal power from where I am, or if needed I could get an external battery thingee to keep in the backpack.

True it is large for carrying around compared to the pocketability of the pocket pc, but the added bonus of being able to run full fledged win32 programs makes it all worth it.

1000$ heck no, I'll suffer my current setup. If they hit the 500$ mark I've heard predicted I will buy on same day.

[nategesner]

I agree with most in that I need something portable that can keep my schedule, allow me to take notes, read books/pdf files, and listen to music. If I need more power or have the ability to lug something heavier, then I want my laptop with a big screen and full-sized keyboard. What's the point of something too big to carry in my pocket and not as powerful/full-featured as my laptop?

M$ needs to get a grip on reality. Improve on the PDA/SmartPhone and drop the idea of building something halfway between portable and powerful.

[Steve Jordan]

Ditto nategesner. I may eventually replace both my PDA and cellphone with a smartphone, but that thing is a laptop replacement, not a PDA replacement... and it's just not as functional as a laptop, so... why?

[SassKwatch]

After all the hype, the irony is that there is really nothing new here. Devices of this nature have been available in the past. We used this device (http://www.mitsubishi-mobile.com/products/pen/cp/amity_cp.htm) at work for a couple yr back when Win98 was the 'in' desktop OS of the day......and Win2K was *just* coming to market.

Undoubtedly, a few improvements have been made, but the overall concept is nearly identical.

[Stik]

" In fact, the firm has a harsh kiss-off for Redmond and Intel Corp, the two companies with the most behind the UMPC concept: "The UMPC as currently conceived will fail to achieve mainstream success -- defined as unit sales in the millions rather than the thousands -- by 2009."

http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=90943&amp;WT.svl=news2_2

[Gerard]

Gartner collectively has over-cooked mush for brain cells. I'd not stake a dime bet on their 'analysis' from what I've seen over the past few years. Clueless and biased. The Origami will succeed if it's constahtly developed, with critical elements such as battery life and CPU power picking up quickly. If it doesn't match a decent notebook within a couple of years, sure, it may fail... or not. Users will decide, not Gartner.

[Stik]

The Origami will succeed if it's constahtly developed, with critical elements such as battery life and CPU power picking up quickly. If it doesn't match a decent notebook within a couple of years, sure, it may fail... or not. Users will decide, not Gartner.
Don't know about the rest, but isin't this what Gartner was sayin?

"The UMPC concept has promise, [but] today's hardware cannot deliver on it," say the researchers.

In fact, enterprise users should "wait for more mature UMPCs -- and low-cost content services -- to emerge before considering them for field sales or other 'notebook replacement' applications."

As it stands, the devices are said to have too short a battery life -- enterprise users should look for at least eight hours -- and cost too much."


I also think the two key words Gartner uses in their appraisal is ' enterprise workers '. 0X