Microsoft shows "Origami" ultra-mobile computer
 

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060309/origa...lded.html?.v=4

CBS Evening News had a sneak peek yesterday evening. Intel was showing it off since they make the processors.

Question was asked who would buy this thing with all the other devices already on the market for communitcations. Surprising answer....soccer moms. They were given one to use for a while and they loved it for filling in dead time waiting to pick up the kids or other 10 to 20 minute time segments.

I like its size for using as a GPS moving map (it has this functionality). Easier than stabilizing my laptop in the vehicle and larger than the cell phone screen without having to buy a dedicated GPS unit for the purpose.

-gb-

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...eid=mktw&dist=

If it could run DV Rack, and mount on the cam like a LCD screen...

Ooh, I like that idea! I was thinking of doing it with a Toshiba Libretto, but that is much better.

So far Microsoft's doing a poor job of marketing this technology. It first came across to me as a hardware device, which, if it was, deserves the lackluster reviews. But it's not hardware, it's a software platform, that can be wrapped into all kinds of 3rd party hardware devices. They're expecting somebody else to come up with the killer app in a hardware shell that will make sales take off, then they just ride it for what it's worth. That's what I think Microsoft is going for.

I'm thinking like Keith of a Sony video device, that can ride on your FX1, and lets you preview/record video to hard disk and then turn around and edit it with the included Sony Vegas program :-) Add a couple of XLR ports, and you've got a great targeted device. Shoot you could build it right into the camcorder, maybe a module for the RED camera.

Or on the sound front, what about a portable Mackie hardware mixer with this software built-in.

Well, anyways.

</daydream mode=off>

I can't believe people are getting so excited over this thing, I have posted less than flattering comments about it on another forum.

I was thinking of posting this in Alternative imaging as a possible minimum base for a digital cinema camera system, but when I researched I found the compromises. But for the future it is worth considering and starting now.

The truth is that much of the functionality can be built into a non pc platform that would offer something like double the battery life, and if it used OEL or other energy efficient display battery life could go up a few more times. Those soccer mums could get something thinner and last a whole day (or two) of soccer.

The real units that will change things are a few years away. Units like the demo unit that Intel showed last year looked really nice (the one with Sony PSP styling) or that alleged Origami pic doing the rounds, slim compact, 5.5inch display and 8-10 hours battery life, for around $500. By that stage a 2+ muticore ARM running at 1Ghz+ each and data processing array each will probably still offer more than double the power and probably double the battery life. But people want PC and Windows so it doesn't really matter, it will be good enough.

Now I need to check the HVX forums to see if the invetiable questions are posted about using these as offline field storage.