[NTLK] OT: MS version of Newton Successor

Check out the pictures at the link - not very pretty, but interesting.
Intel shows Origami-like device

By Ina Fried
http://news.com.com/Intel+shows+Origami-like+device/
2100-1044_3-6046793.html

Story last modified Tue Mar 07 11:54:47 PST 2006

SAN FRANCISCO--Intel on Tuesday plans to show off the minitablet
device at the center of Microsoft's Origami Project.
In a preview of Tuesday afternoon's demonstration, Intel Marketing
Director Brad Graff showed CNET News.com several of the Ultra Mobile
PC devices, including an example of the kind of hardware that will
ship in the next few weeks as part of the Microsoft effort.

As earlier reported, the first devices have a 7-inch touch screen,
standard x86 processors, and can run full versions of desktop
operating systems including the Windows XP variant being used for
Origami.

In later generations, probably next year or later, the devices could
have the pocket size, all-day battery life, and $500 price that
Microsoft and Intel are aiming for, Graff said in an interview.

The first generation of devices are likely to get about three hours
of battery life, he said.

In addition to the 7-inch model, Graff showed several other prototype
devices of what the chipmaker hopes will be possible in future
versions, including models with smaller screens and a swivel-out
keyboard. Although the prototypes are working, because they use
today's standard components, they get only about 15 minutes of
battery life.

Intel's hardware, which uses its ultra low-voltage chips, can run
standard x86 operating systems, including Windows and Linux.
Microsoft plans on Thursday to finally detail its Origami effort,
which runs only on Windows XP.

Both Microsoft and Intel have been targeting the affordable, ultra-
portable laptops market for some time. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates
showed off a prototype of such a device at last year's Windows
Hardware Engineering Conference in Seattle. Intel has been touting
the Ultra Mobile PC idea as well.

Intel and Microsoft's latest efforts are not the first stab at
shrinking the PC. There has long been a class of ultra-portable
laptops, mostly with around 10-inch screens. There have been a few
prior attempts to take the PC even smaller, most notably from OQO and
a minitablet introduced this year by Dualcor Technologies. Most of
these devices, though, have been priced at about $1,500, which is
above the budgets of the average consumer.

The key feature of the new devices, Graff said, is the ability to get
the full Internet, with plug-ins and other advanced Web features.
Entertainment--including music, movies and TV--is probably the second
biggest selling point, he said.

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