Member Avatar for nizzy1115

I was just wondering what you guys thought about the origami by microsoft.

Here is a link to more about it in case you havent heard:

http://www.longhornblogs.com/robert/archive/2006/02/24/15899.aspx

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Microsoft's "Origami" was Microsoft's 2006 push to define the Ultra-Mobile PC category — a compact, touch-oriented Windows machine that sat between a phone and a laptop. As asked, it drew a lot of attention. Early reactions here captured the main themes: criticized its real-world portability and battery life, and noted the wireless/hobbyist appeal.

Those reactions were rooted in clear tradeoffs. The hardware of the time used full x86 Windows, so many desktop apps were awkward on tiny screens and required precise input. Batteries and processors then rarely delivered "all day" runtime in a truly pocketable chassis. Price and weight often put these units closer to small laptops than to truly pocket devices, so most buyers preferred either a real laptop or the then-emerging smartphones.

If someone finds an Origami/UMPC today, treat it as a legacy hobby device rather than a daily driver. Practical checklist: inspect the battery for swelling and do not use a damaged pack; image the drive before tinkering; try a lightweight live USB to judge responsiveness; reduce background services and brightness to extend run time. Repurpose ideas include a dedicated kiosk, media player, retro gaming handheld, or home-automation controller.

Origami was an important experiment that taught the industry lessons about usability, power, and software fit. It did not win mainstream adoption, but as a niche project or tinkering platform it can still be useful if handled safely and sensibly.

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Member Avatar for roryt

I heard about this on a Podcast and I think I agree with them because it has no use. The idea of it was-

Small enough to fitin your pocket
but easy to use
Full day of battery life

As far as I know it has met none of these. It is like a big PDA or a very small pc.

Member Avatar for Mix

Yea and its wireless. What does it bring to the table other than things already being done? People like me are thinking how can I make this thing do what its not "supposed" to do?

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