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Microsoft has officially announced the details of the Origami Project which is an “Ultra Mobile PC” (UMPC). Why, you may ask, should you care? Well, the new system is supposed to assist with “mobile communications, entertainment, gaming, and new scenarios such as location-based services,” according to Bill Mitchell, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Platforms Division.
The new device will have be mini-tablet that features 7-inch touchscreen displays, built-in hard drives, WiFi, and Bluetooth wireless. The UMPCs will also run Microsoft’s Windows XP Tablet 2005 edition operation system (this will eventually be replaced with Windows Vista).
The first generation of UMPCs will weigh around two pounds and have two and a half hours of operation per battery charge. They will also include 30-60 GB hard drives. They will be based on Intel Pentium M, Intel Celeron M, and VIA C7-M processors.
Mitchell believes that some UMPCs will “include additional built-in features such as GPS, a webcam, fingerprint reader, digital TV tuners, and CompactFlash and SD card readers.” He also stated that “some UMPCs will be able to connect via wide-area networking.”
A new software package called the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows XP “optimizes the touch screen user interface for UMPCs to simplify navigation and ease-of-use while on the go.” The Touch Pack has a customizable Program Launcher that “organizes software programs into categories, and uses large buttons and icons to make it easy to find and open your favorite applications.” The software will also feature a thumb-based on-screen keyboard, a “Brilliant Black” Windows Media Player skin, and Sudoku.
The system will probably cost between $599-$999 and will begin shipping during 2006.
“Part of our objective in creating the original reference design for the UMPC category was to engineer a platform that’s both very compact and, through careful component choice, possible to sell for $500 MSRP,” Mitchell stated.