Blogs continue Origami guessing game

Rumors about Microsoft's secretive Origami Project have been swirling online for over a week, and today's confirmation of key details only seems to have added to the frenzy.

We now know the devices will carry Microsoft's Windows XP, will be made by other companies and have a roughly 7-inch screen. Analysts expect the devices to play audio and video, and feature word processing capability and Web access. Speculation has pegged them as direct competitors to everything from mobile game devices like the PlayStation Portable to high-end handhelds and even Apple Computer's iPod.

But it's news from Intel that has led to an interesting and perhaps more realistic possibility. A teaser on that company's site says it will announce more details about its upcoming Ultra Mobile PC on March 7, two days before Microsoft says it will finally reveal what Origami is. Engadget, among others, proposes that Origami may in fact be software that runs on Intel's UMPC. Regardless, technophiles are atwitter over the idea of having one--if not two--new toys to check out at CeBIT, which starts on the 9th.

Blog community response:

"Has Microsoft approached any women's professional organizations as part of their launch strategy? Is this product really designed to appeal to women? Based on what design attributes? For instance: while I pickle at pink, I also dislike lime green. Frankly, it sounds like something from The Onion rather than a real product."
--re:invention marketing

"I own a PSP, and most of my usage of it isn't games - it's mobile video. Even if Origami (or as it more probably will be titled, the Microsoft VistaPad XP Professional) can't do games, I think it has definite potential. The direct advantage it would have over the PSP is that since it runs XP natively, it could play any kind of movie format that is available on the PC without conversion. Having to convert everything to PSP video formats is a pain. That's almost enough for me to buy one right there, although obviously the battery life, screen, weight, hard drive size, wireless options, system toughness and price will factor in pretty heavily."
--shut up man on Slashdot

"So, put two-and-two together and Origami could well be a gen1 Pentium M-based UMPC sporting XP and integrated EV-DO or HSDPA wireless connectivity, GPS, and up to one week standby. Or not."
--Engadget