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Microsoft's Origami unveiled

A clearer picture of Microsoft's Origami has emerged at the CeBIT show in Hannover.

BY A CORRESPONDENT

At last, after a lot of speculations of what and how it would be, Microsoft has unveiled the details about the tiny PC it has developed. The tiny PC is codenamed as Origami. Though much about the product is yet to be known, Microsoft has made headlines when it unwrapped the tablet PC.

Microsoft released the details at the CeBIT trade show in Hannover this week. The market has been abuzz with rumours about the device for some time and a few sneak previews had let out some details of the device. 

The Origami, which will use Intel chips, looks like a cross between a handheld games console and a PDA. Origami will have the Windows XP operating system. The future editions will have Windows Vista. The device comes with a new software called Windows Touch Pack to manage the touch-screen functions. Touch Pack consists of a launcher application that better groups and opens applications based on a touchscreen interface. The device will feature a touch screen with seven inches length. The touch screen responds to a stylus or the touch of a finger. It also features Touch Improvements, a suite of environment optimizations to make using Windows with your fingers a less painful experience.

Microsoft said the device will be about an inch thick and will weigh two and a half pounds. Microsoft expects the device to be the favourite for customers who want the comfort of mobiles in their laptops.

The capacity of the Origami will be between 30-60GB with Intel Celeron M, Intel Pentium M or VIA C7-M processors. Data can be input to the PC either using a traditional keyboard or a USB port. Wireless Bluetooth connectivity can also be used to pass data to the PC.

Software for playing digital music will also be embedded in the Origami. But, its yet ready to take on the likes of Apple's iPod. Unconfirmed reports say the battery life is a bit less than two and a half hours, that Microsoft had announced earlier.

Apart from playing music and movies, Origami devices are expected to do tasks such as editing documents, viewing e-mail and surfing the Internet. Many models are expected to include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless capabilities, though some may also have pricier add-ons, such as GPS navigation tools or cellular modems.

The origami devices will come from Samsung, Asus, and Chinese manufacturer Founder. Microsoft had earlier called the concept device Haiku. The codename Origami comes from the Japanese term for the art of folding paper in several ways to make artistic works.

However, Origami is only the codename. When it comes in the market, the device will be called "Ultra Mobile PCs" or UMPCs. Although the pricing of the device will be determined by the manufacturers, Microsoft expects the price to be around $1,000. Sources say the company has actually been pushing to create a device that can sell for $500, but the company is unlikely to reach that target with the initial generation of devices. According to Microsoft insiders, Origami will be aimed at the general consumer and will not be positioned as another device for the gadget-laden mobile office.