Microsoft managed to really catch the attention of the market with its Origami project simply by revealing very little, simply creating a hype. Now it seems that Intel has pulled the plug on Microsoft’s PR campaign by revealing a lot of details on the UMPC concept, Ultra Mobile PC. That UMPC and Origami are tightly linked is pretty easy to see and even if Microsoft may still have a number of nice news and features to reveal tomorrow people at IDF have been able to to see new UMPC units in action already. Only prototypes, but still able to give a you hint of how UMPC/Origami will work.
The portable units are expected to use 5″-6″ LCD displays and the prototypes weighed between 400-600g. These specifications will vary between various manufacturers as they will be targetting different consumers, some slimmer, some bigger. In a few weeks the first versions of UMPC will be shipped and the battery time is expected to be about 3h.
“Although Intel has consumers in mind for the Ultra Mobile PCs, Graff said he expects technology enthusiasts, as well as some niche business and education customers, to be the most likely buyers of the first generation of devices, which will sell for under $1,000.”
Next year the prices are expected to drop and the battery times increase, but we’re more interested in seeing how the concept will do overall on a market where both laptops and pocket PCs have a strong hold, not to forget smartphones. Both Intel and Microsoft have great faith in the platform, but we all know how it went for the Tablet PC, hardly a success.
