Origami is not just paper folding

The problem is no-one outside the people in the know at Microsoft know precisely what Origami is.  There is loads of speculation though.  It does seem to be something mobile and connected (that would make sense now) and although I am not a huge Microsoft fan, I am curious to see what the thing really is.

Some of the theories include that it is:

• a device running Windows XP;
• an iPod killer;
• a tablet device of some kind; and
• an all-in-one tablet/iPod killer/do everything device.

Whatever it is, I hope it lives up to all the hype.  Scoble is certainly having an absolute ball with all the speculation.  CNET’s News.com has a pretty comprehensive article on Origami which starts with the following:

“As rumors unfurl about a new gadget upcoming from Microsoft, the company’s Origami Project is starting to take shape as a very small tablet computer, one perhaps affordable enough to appeal to mainstream consumers.

The concept, which Microsoft plans to detail next month, is built on top of the Windows XP operating system but aims to be a new kind of device, rather than a replacement for existing PCs, according to sources familiar with the effort. With a screen bigger than that of a handheld but smaller than a notebook PC screen, Origami devices won’t fit in the pocket, but they’ll make it into purses and even the smallest of backpacks, sources said.

Microsoft’s goal is to create a blueprint for devices that could sell for $600 or less, although the actual prices will depend greatly on what manufacturers decide to include. Origami is capable of supporting features like GPS, Bluetooth, 3G cellular technology and Wi-Fi, though each of these adds to the cost of the device.”

Yahoo! News has an interesting article from AP Business that indicates what the Origami device will not be.  Worth reading.  Although I am keen to see what this new big thing is, I am not sure I buy into all the hype.  Surely if the gadget is that amazing, it will be able to speak for itself.

Technorati Tags: iPod killer, Microsoft, origami, OrPod, Windows XP