Origami Not A Gaming Machine

Gamespot reports that despite earlier reports, Microsoft's Origami isn't intended as a portable Xbox. From the article: "As shown in the leaked video, Origami machines will feature a touch-sensitive screen a la Microsoft's tablet PC line, will run Windows XP, and will be priced lower than most full-size laptops, running from around $500 to $1,000. If that price tag seems too low for a mobile PC with a high-end graphics chip--which would be necessary to run the Halo footage shown in the leaked concept video--that's because it is. The AP article says flat-out that the Origami is 'not a portable version of Microsoft's Xbox videogame console,' nor is it 'a music player designed to take on Apple Computer Inc.'s mega-popular iPod.'"

Notes from a PSP user

[shut_up_man]

I own a PSP, and most of my usage of it isn't games - it's mobile video. Even if Origami (or as it more probably will be titled, the Microsoft VistaPad XP Professional) can't do games, I think it has definite potential. The direct advantage it would have over the PSP is that since it runs XP natively, it could play any kind of movie format that is available on the PC without conversion. Having to convert everything to PSP video formats is a pain. That's almost enough for me to buy one right there, although obviously the battery life, screen, weight, hard drive size, wireless options, system toughness and price will factor in pretty heavily, not to mention that this entire thing is still in the "concept" stage and may change radically if and when it ever arrrives on a sales floor.

It's interesting to note that since Vista has such beefy 3D hardware requirements to run Aero Glass, the Microsoft VistaPad XP Professional won't actually be able to run Vista without reverting to XP-style effects. I don't want it to run some horrible lobotomized version of Windows Mobile though.

The other, more interesting question is... will it run Linux?

Gaff's tinfoil unicorn?

[payndz]

the Origami is 'not a portable version of Microsoft's Xbox videogame console,' nor is it 'a music player designed to take on Apple Computer Inc.'s mega-popular iPod.'

Then what is it? It's not an iPod, it's not a PSP, it's not a Mini-Xbox, and apparently it's not a computer either.

You know what I want? I want a 21st century equivalent of my Psion Series 5. I don't want a cut-down Windows PC/PDA combo that does 27,000 things, none of them even remotely as well as a desktop or laptop, as a portable - I want something that does a good job with basic tasks like word processing (and things like playing MP3s are now included in that), fits in a pocket, works off a couple of AA batteries and has a keyboard. Stylus plus keyboard may not be the most convenient way of working... but it's better than stylus and no keyboard.

Oh, and I'd like it to integrate seamlessly with OS X. Steve Jobs, are you there?