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What are Mobile PCs
whatisnew.com

Over the last several days, the tech world has been learning about a new category of ultra-personal mobile computers, called Ultra- Mobile PCs (also known as UMPCs, Origami, or mini-Tablet PC). Ultra-Mobile PCs are small, slate form factor PCs that are under 2lbs, have touch and pen input, dedicated buttons for navigation, and also run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. Use Skype, answer your email, order on eBay, balance your checkbook, download and watch movies, play games, handwrite notes, and do many other things on these ultra-personal PCs.

CNN.com Ultra-Mobile PC Video - Microsoft's new Mini Computer

Technology analyst Marc Saltzman discusses Microsoft's Ultra-Mobile PC, code-named the Origami Project.  Its a paperback size Game Player, MP3 device and computer, and its official name is Ultra-Mobile PC or UMPC.  

Otto Berkes - Origami's Architect gives first look at Ultramobile PCs

Rober Scoble does an excellent job of inteviewing  Otto Berkes in the latest Chanel 9 Video featuring a First look at the New Ultra Mobile PCs.

Otto Berkes is the architect (now general manager) behind the Ultra-Mobile PC team, code-named Origami. We have a conversation about Origami and the vision behind it.

During a joint presentation with Intel at the CeBit trade show in Germany, Microsoft will show its software running on a Samsung device. Other Intel-based products are expected from Taiwan's Asus and China's Founder, while some companies, including Tablet Kiosk and PaceBlade Japan, are using processors from Via Technologies. are using processors from Via Technologies.

The Other Origami Device: Asustek's R2H

"Although Samsung seemed to be getting all the buzz in this morning's announcements, there also is an Origami device from Taiwanese manufacturer Asustek. The company's Ultra Mobile PC or UMPC (which appears to be the official name of this new kind of device) is the ASUS R2H. Here's what it looks like

"Like Samsung's Q1, R2H is based upon an Intel's 900 MHz Ultra Low Voltage Celeron M. The R2H has a 7-inch active matrix display with a 800-by-480 pixel resolution. The screen is touch sensitive in order to take advantage of Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC edition with its integrated handwriting recognition.

"Microsoft today showed a set of applications (called the "Touch Pack") which will ship with the version of Windows tailored for the UMPCs. The apps are fitted to the limited resolution, and Microsoft added some goodies like a Sudoku game and a special version of Windows Media Player.

"Asustek says it is going to sell the R2H in two versions. The more expensive device has a GPS antenna on top and can be used with any car navigation software which runs with Windows XP.

The R2H can also be used for video telephony as it has a webcam built in above the display. Prices of the units weren’t announced."

Analysts: Origami Will Depend On Price, Features
pcmag

While device makers will be determining their own prices, Microsoft is expecting the first generation of devices to be in the $599 to $999 per unit range, officials said.

The new devices are expected to weigh in at less than 2 pounds, with 7-inch screens offering a variety of stylus, touch and keyboard input choices.

Microsoft and its partners are expecting the first generation of Origami systems to offer 2.5 hours of battery life; feature 30GB to 60GB hard drives; and be based on Intel Celeron M, Intel Penium M or VIA C7-M processors

Agilix Labs Announces Full Support for Ultra Mobile PC Platform
PR Newswire

Agilix Labs, Inc., a worldwide leader
in mobile learning solutions, today announced that GoBinder(TM) 2006, released
on March 1st, provides full support for the new Ultra Mobile PC.  GoBinder
2006 is targeted at the education market, which is also a very important
market for the Ultra Mobile PC.

    GoBinder 2006 is a software application designed to help students learn
more effectively.  It enables students to take all of their learning content
with them -- regardless of whether they have an internet connection or not.
GoBinder 2006 enables students to take digital notes, digitally store,
annotate and search learning content.  The application also includes an
electronic calendar, assignment manager and contact database to help students
stay organized.  GoBinder runs on Windows XP-based desktops, laptops and has
been optimized for the Tablet PC.

    The new release of GoBinder has been designed to run on the new Ultra
Mobile PC.  To leverage the new computing platform, GoBinder's user interface
was redesigned to function well within the Ultra Mobile PC's screen size.  It
supports the new touch screen and leverages the built-in digital ink
functionality.

    "The Ultra Mobile PC is the perfect mobile computing device for education
markets, especially with K-12 students," said Curt Allen, Agilix president and
chief executive officer.  "Being one of the leading Tablet PC applications in
education worldwide, GoBinder is a perfect solution for the Ultra Mobile PC.
We anticipate many students using the two products together."

                

Eleksen Unfolds "Origami" Keyboard
PC Magazine

Eleksen's first out of the gate with an announcement of a potential "Electrosleeve" keyboard for the new "Origami" ultramobile PC.

First revealed in December, Eleksen Electrofabric "smart fabric" combines a fabric and an electro-mechanical interface -- essentially the components necessary to create a foldable fabric keyboard. The company said Thursday that its working on a foldable case for an ultramobile PC that integrates the keyboard.

Eleksen also said that it is working with Microsoft to integrate support for its Bluetooth fabric keyboard and its new USB keyboard, most likely via driver support.

The keyboard is a prototype now, and the company will work with OEMs to actually develop the keyboards and other finished products, a spokeswoman for Eleksen said. Estimated pricing for the keyboards will be about $165.

Microsoft Press Release

Q&A: Microsoft Unveils Details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers

Introduced at CeBIT, the new mobile PC form factor, formerly codenamed “Origami,” provides full Windows functionality with an enhanced touch screen, pen and keyboard input.

Using the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows XP on the Samsung Q1 Ultra-Mobile PC. The software optimizes the touch screen user interface for UMPCs to simplify navigation and ease-of-use while on the go. Redmond, Wash., March 7, 2006

HANNOVER, Germany, March 9, 2006 – Microsoft today unveiled details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), a new category of mobile computing devices that features small, lightweight, carry-everywhere hardware designs coupled with the full functionality of a Microsoft Windows-based PC and a choice of input options, including enhanced touch-screen capabilities. The debut of UMPCs here at CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions, follows Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates’ call in 2005 for the computer industry to develop a new category of PCs that are less expensive, lighter and more functional. PressPass asked Bill Mitchell, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows Mobile Platforms Division, to discuss UMPCs and explain how these new devices are different from other mobile computers.

Click here to read the full press release

Samsung Q1: a first look
ZDNet UK - UK

The Origami codename became the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) platform; three manufacturers -- Samsung, Asus and Founder (a Chinese company) -- broke cover with UMPC hardware; and battery life was confirmed as a rather disappointing 2 - 3.5 hours. The one price reported so far, around €1,000 (£700) for the Samsung Q1 previewed here, is higher than we would have liked -- especially as a considerable amount of desirable functionality comes in the form of add-ons.

The Samsung Q1 is quite a smart piece of kit: it's mostly shiny black, with silver accents, accommodating a 7in. 800-by-480 (WVGA) TFT touchscreen within its 22.7cm (wide) by 13.9cm (deep) by 2.45-2.65cm (thick) dimensions. It weighs a handy 779g without any external or internal add-ons, is powered by Intel's ultra-low-voltage 900MHz Celeron M processor and comes with 512MB of DDR2 SDRAM in its single DIMM slot. Graphics are handled by the GMA 900 module integrated within the Intel 915GMS chipset, while internal storage comes in the form of a 40GB hard drive. The overall impression of the hardware lies somewhere between a small Tablet PC, a large handheld and a bloated Sony PSP (although the screen isn't as gorgeous as the PSP's).

The operating system is Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, with the addition of Microsoft's new Touch Pack, which provides a number of interface features designed to make stylus- or fingertip-driven operation easier. The Touch Pack's Program Launcher organises applications into categories, using large buttons and icons to simplify the process of finding and launching programs. There's also an innovative Dial Keyboard -- two fan-like arrays of touch-keys on each side of the screen, conveniently placed for thumb typing. Other navigation/interface elements include an 8-way joystick, a four-position user-definable button, enter and menu buttons, and an Auto Scaler button that toggles the screen between its native 800 by 480 and 800 by 600 or 1,024 by 600

Microsoft Touch Pack...What's That?
from Dustins Flog Post

Today at CeBIT, Microsoft, Intel and Samsung announced their commitment to developing a product category called Ultra-Mobile PC, UMPC for short. In truth, this category has existed for some time but not with any real focus by Microsoft or Intel. So, what exactly was announced you may ask? First of all, Samsung announced their entry into this market with a new device that weighs about 2 pounds, has a touch screen, and runs the full Windows XP operating system, Tablet PC Edition to be exact. Of course XP has been out for quite some time, so did Microsoft actually announce something new? Why yes, we did. We announced the Microsoft Touch Pack which is a new set of software built exclusively for UMPCs. That means only OEMs who ship UMPCs can preinstall the Touch Pack.

The Touch Pack is made up of five main applications/features. The first is Program Launcher. It is the launching point for applications on UMPC devices and what you see in many of the marketing materials. At its simplest form, Program Launcher basically gives the user a way to easily categorize their applications to make them easier to find and easier to open on a small form factor pc. It’s also totally cool looking!

Another part of the Touch Pack is Touch Improvements. This is just a little utility that a user can run that makes Windows more useable on a small, touch enabled computer. It makes about 10 setting changes to Windows such as widening the scroll bars, enlarging the minimize and maximize buttons, shows folders in thumbnail view, etc. These are all things Windows already supports but makes it easy for a user to just magically apply them all without having to go all over the OS to set them.

Next is a new skin for Windows Media Player called Brilliant Black. In order to make the media playback experience a breeze on the UMPCs we built a skin that fills the entire screen on the devices with large buttons to navigate the media controls such as play, stop, volume, etc.

Another product included in the Touch Pack is called DialKeys. This is built by a company called Fortune Fountain Ltd. and it is a really cool way to do text input with your thumbs. Since most UMPCs don’t have keyboards but do have a touch screen we wanted to provide the user an easy way to enter URLs, e-mail address, answer IMs, etc.

DialKeys basically takes a standard QWERTY keyboard layout and splits it in two halves. It’s a little hard to describe the layout but there are lots of screen shots of DialKeys to show what it looks like. The basic idea is that you hold the device in two hands and use your thumbs on the screen to type in text. It takes a little getting used to, but people are always amazed once they use it a day or two how good they get at typing with it.

The final product in the Touch Pack is Sudoku, a completely addictive game that is huge in Europe right now and gaining popularity in the U.S. as well. Sudoku is a logic game where you have to get the numbers 1-9 to show up in each row, column and box on the board. There are a bunch of Sudoku sites on the Internet if you want to learn how to play. Our version is of course optimized for touch and the pen.

Well, that’s it for the Touch Pack in this version. We will hear from press and analysts soon, but who we really want to hear from is you—folks who have or plan to buy a UMPC. Tell us what you like and don't like about the device. We'll be listening over the coming months as we plan more cool software for the next generation of UMPCs.

Microsoft UMPC Site Is Now Live

Copyright © 2006 Blue Thunder
All rights reserved. No work here may be
reproduced or reprinted without the express
written permission of the author.

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