06-21-2006, 12:00 AM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Samsung Blames Microsoft for Mixed Customer Reactions of Q1 Device
"Over a period of several weeks prior to the platform's March launch at the CeBit trade show, Microsoft ran a teaser campaign in which it slowly disclosed Origami details. With few specific details released, expectations were quickly raised among IT professionals, bloggers and journalists about what Origami would be... Consumers who have encountered the Q1 with no prior knowledge are generally positive about the device while those who read a lot about the Origami platform prior to seeing the Q1 have been more negative..."
Did Microsoft overpromise what Origami would deliver or did Samsung fail to execute to the vision set by Microsoft? Maybe a little bit of both? In any case, there are no shortage of excuses as to why Samsung's initial Origami offerings have been met with such mixed reactions. Samsung is planning a second-generation release and is currently looking for ways to improve its usability through the user interface. Stay tuned.
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06-21-2006, 02:34 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 165
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Like their review said, let's wait to see what Asus has to offer. Maybe even Samsung's 2nd generation will finally meet the mark with both price and features. Microsoft definitely overhyped the device with their website. Even if they meant that the potential exists for low-cost UMPCs, they sure let everyone down whose expectations were high for the first generation devices. It may spell disaster for the UMPC, but I'm still in a wait-and-see mode. It probably helped scare many of the stand-alone PDA makers (especially VGA) out of the market as well. Maybe they'll come back if the UMPC fails.
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06-21-2006, 05:01 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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The next big thing for me is videoconferencing. While the HTC Hermes/TyTN has a front-facing camera and is poised for 3G video telephony, Cingular has to yet support it, and you'll have to find someone else with 3G video capability to use it with. Third party applications like Skype and Microsoft Portrait will have to develop separate support for videoconferencing over the internet.
This is the reason why I refuse to pick up a laptop or UMPC unless it has a front-facing camera. The Sony UX180P has one (along with a rear-facing camera) and the upcoming Asus R2H has one as well. Load Skype, AIM, or many other videoconferencing products, and either pair it with your Bluetooth phone as a modem, use an embedded SIM slot, or get a PC Card modem, and you've got the next generation of communication in the palm of your hand. I'm not about to pick up an eo TabletKiosk or Samsung Q1, then have to deal with a USB camera with a dangling cord.
Why so few manufacturers create devices with front-facing cameras, let alone begin to support videotelephony/videoconferencing is beyond me.
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06-21-2006, 05:47 AM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Might be a little of both, but I think the price has a lot to do with the expectations. MS was suggesting well under $1000, well under. I find the assessment from Steel interesting, But even though a laptop can deliver more, it comes at a price, Steel noted. Yea, considerably less price. His Q1 is $1500. You can get quite a laptop for that, Tablet even.
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Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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06-21-2006, 01:29 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 718
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I think any failing of the UMPCs isn't due to the technology of the device, but the technology of the human eyeball  We have the technology to make supersmall PC's, but usability has a limit. Some sizes are just too small for us humans to use effectively.
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06-21-2006, 02:39 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 372
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Samstung is mad because of negative reaction to the price? Well sorry but thats market forces at work. Sorry if you are not used to that in your goverment subsidized chaebol Korea.
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06-21-2006, 04:31 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 718
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Sven
Might be a little of both, but I think the price has a lot to do with the expectations. MS was suggesting well under $1000, well under. I find the assessment from Steel interesting, But even though a laptop can deliver more, it comes at a price, Steel noted. Yea, considerably less price. His Q1 is $1500. You can get quite a laptop for that, Tablet even.
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If MS was expecting $500-$700, they were way off. The most expensive PDA's are still $500 to $700. Did they expect a full blown laptop to come in at that price too? Not likely, at least for a while.
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06-21-2006, 05:51 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,202
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I would say both MS and Samsung are to blame for the poor reception, but NOT because of overhype. MS did not make the necessary adjustments to the OS to allow it to work properly on a lower resolution screen. Having to zoom just to see a dialog button is ridiculous. Look at how much blank space is wasted on those dialog boxes.
Then they both failed to realize that you have to provide an EASY way to input information into the device. By most accounts the built in thumb method is tedious at best, and the HWR is not very good. In addition, Samsung hit the mark on crappy specs by relesaing this with the Celeron processor - which hampers battery life.
Finally, they both still missed the mark on size. It's too big. Since it requires a bag to safely carry, the size benefit compared to ultraportables is wasted. If you need to put it in a bag or sleeve, you might as well get a slightly larger, more functional ultra-portable.
The Sony UX certainly addresses many of these issues, it will be interesting to see if that becomes more popular. However, I think the micro-pc market in the US is going to be a niche market until MS and the manufacturers can truly get the price down to $500 or less.
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06-21-2006, 06:05 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 260
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by signothefish
It probably helped scare many of the stand-alone PDA makers (especially VGA) out of the market as well. Maybe they'll come back if the UMPC fails.
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Personally I think it will be devices like the UMPC's that will be the future of portable computing. For as much as computers are used in everyday life, business or otherwise, it's next step is for that to become ultra mobile. UMPC devices will pick up where a laptop can not. UMPCs can be used by people who need to be on their feet all day where setting up a laptop is just not practical and is too big and heavy.
If OEMs will price these devices in the range Microsoft recommends, than I believe these devices will take off, but if priced too high, than it will fail in today's market much like an overprice stand alone non-connected PDA selling for $600, or an underpowered Tablet notebook selling for $2,000.
As for VGA PPCs or otherwise??? It's pretty much a dead market now and I wouldn't hold my breath hoping any of them will ever come back. PDA platforms need to evolve in function and capability much like DOS as an OS has evolved by Microsoft to eventually Windows and now with Windows Vista and though PalmPC, Pocket PC, and now Windows Mobile has evolved it is still limited by Microsoft as to what they will allow the platform to become (such as Never to have WindowsCE nor any of the limited Office programs to ever compete against their PC counter part software). And since Palm is not in a condition to do this, and linux as a PDA platform has never been widely adopted, Windows Mobile at it's best will only ever be used with GPS devices (and even at this use I think it's days may be numbered), application specific devices like those from Symbol, and as an OS for Smart phones and mabye with some mildly success in a low cost (but not underpowered) WiFi enabled and maybe Bluetooth PDA, which can handle multimedia functions. If Motorola can sell the Q for about $200, than these devices need to be sold cheap, not necessarily made cheap.
But again.. these are just my rambling thoughts.
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06-21-2006, 07:29 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 301
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I'm actually surprised at how forgiving everyone here is being towards Microsoft on this. I was one of the fanatics who was just glued to my screen as the teasers were dribbled out. As a whole I'd say the campaign was about as badly bungled as any I've ever seen.
I'm really with Samsung on this one. The overall marketing effort was a joke compared to the coordinated rollouts you see from Apple.
1) The product was such an incredible letdown (because of price)
2) No OEM shipped for MONTHS after the end of the campaign (I STILL haven't seen one in any local store.)
3) There was only ONE top-tier OEM
I'm convinced the Origami really is the future platform. I think it will be Origami and smartphones and I'm looking forward to that. I think the WindowsMobile/PocketPC platform is really out of steam. I haven't gotten excited about a new PPC in years and I've TOTALLY given up on the prospect that the PPC will ever "grow up" to do the things I need it to. Microsoft NEEDS the Origami and they weren't even CLOSE to having it "ready for prime-time" when they set things in motion this Spring.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Microsoft completely squandered an entire platform launch.
The simple fact alone that this has become a question of finger-pointing between Microsoft and the ONE AND ONLY top-tier OEM involved is, in and of itself, proof that the blame goes to Microsoft.
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