OMG it’s HUGE !!!
p2p news / p2pnet: OMG the (expletive deleted to protect the sensitive) thing is HUGE !
No, this isn’t a line from a spam message on the latest enlargement product.
Rather, it was one of the comments to Thursday’s Origami post, the Origami project being the latest effort by the world’s wealthiest man to become even wealthier.
Bill and the Boyz went to a lot of trouble to create an advertising mystique around their large mini-computer – an “Ultra-Mobile PC” or UMPC, in buzz-speak – but the real mystery is: who’s going to spend between $600 and $1,000 on one?
The first three Microsoft minis are due out in April, made by Korea’s Samsung, Taiwan’s Asustek and China’s Founder Group.
“Initially these machines will be running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, with a new extension called Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows XP, designed to let you navigate the device by simply touching the screen (without a stylus),” says PC Magazine’s Michael J. Miller. “Eventually, this will be replaced by Vista, which will have tablet PC and touch built-in. And it has a new skin for Windows Media Play and a touch-based Sudoku game.”
“The Samsung unit looks very nice, but even if it’s a great design, I wonder who will buy it, at least in the short run. I understand it’s not meant to replace a cell phone (it’s too big) or a laptop (too small, and no keyboard). But at two pounds and over $600, it’s not going to replace your iPod or even the combination of a music player and a portable gaming device. Again, it’s just too big.”
It is indeed.
In addition, it’s made by Microsoft which, for increasing numbers of people, is reason enough to steer clear.
Also See:
even wealthier – The world’s richest people, March 10, 2006
PC Magazine – Origami: Cool Product, But Where is the Market?, March 9, 2006
March 11th, 2006 at 3:23 pm
Everyone is missing the point of UMPCs. Sources from Microsoft clearly stated that the UMPC is not supposed to replace laptops, PDAs, cell phones, iPods or PSPs.
Who is it targeting? People like me that feel there is a gap between laptops and PDAs. I would love a UMPC to take to class with me. I’ve often contemplated buying a laptop or a slate tablet pc but they are either too bulky or too pricy. I can see myself shelling out ~$800.00 for a decent UMPC. I could care less about the lack of a keyboard (the devices have digitizer pens, touch screens and microphones), however they do have USB ports so nothing is stopping you from plugging a keyboard in when necessary.
MS has clearly stated that the first gen of UMPCs will only appeal to early adopters and tech geeks. It will take a gen or two more to get to their original vision as battery life is lacking and they want to shrink the devices just a tad bit more.
They absolutely cannot shrink them to pocket size even if its feasible. UMPCs run the full version of Windows XP, not some lightweight PIM OS. I cannot see how you could comfortably use XP in a screen that is as small as a PDA’s. Heck, even at the current UMPC resolution (800, 480) it might be difficult to use apps that need a lot of screen real estate.
If you dont “get” UMPCs, then you are not part of the targeted market. I “got” it right away as I felt I needed a device like this one looooong before the viral marketing campaign started.
March 11th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
agreed… As a Computer Science student in college, laptops are just too big and bulky to take to class on the cheaper end of the laptop maket and i’m not about go go blow 2500 on a laptop when I hate having to use a laptop….
I would consider buying one of these once they get battery life up…
March 12th, 2006 at 12:30 am
Now look, if MS really wanted to WOW the industry “à la Apple”, they would of crammed the hardware in a more compact fashion and added a retractable screen “à la Star Trek”. See below:
http://www.polymervision.com/Technology/futurepossibilities/Index.html
March 12th, 2006 at 1:19 am
Even the marketing sux with this device. If I were the marketing firm stuck with promoting such a bulky trincket, I certainly wouldn’t of put it in the hands of a flimsy asian girl. Which reminds me of another feat of Apple genius
http://www.basketball365.co.uk/images/apple_yao.jpg
March 13th, 2006 at 9:24 am
What is the point?
Too small for a PC, too big for a laptop; no keyboard; what is it supposed to be used for?
To take notes in class or at a sales meeting? This is the first I have heard of it, and cannot see any use for it (with the singular exception of making Bill even richer). Is it an over-glorified cell phone? A tablet? Or simply some sort of status symbol?
Someone tell mw what I would be getting for my $600. Thank you.