Microsoft Origami "Lifestyle PC"

[kalisphoenix]

A tablet needs a new killer app and I don't see it. The iPod was innovative in the ease in which songs were cataloged and transferred via iTunes. Everything I've seen or heard about a tablet just allows it to do the same old thing. But it lacks the power and ease of input of a laptop and lacks the portability of a PDA. A tablet seems to be a misfit not fitting any niche well.

Help me if I'm wrong...I don't get it.

Someone actually responded to my post I feel like a hooker, one of whose customers actually wanted to sit around and rap, have a beer, et cetera after doing business.

My ideas for killer apps were all (coincidentally) on that video for the multi-touch display -- some of them I had thought of before seeing the video, mind you... but yeah, it's starting to sound to me like the tablet will be forever stuck as a yuppie toy.

 

[beachboy89]

woundt it be funny if the only things being announced tomorrow were new shuffles and a boombox accessory for the ipod?

 

[runninmac]

So... what Feb 28th event were you talking about?

 

[sishaw]

I think people write so infrequently these days that it is hard for even people to recognize their handwriting.

LOL. You're right, unfortunately. Handwriting is on the way to becoming a lost art. More of a reason that tablet PCs may always be for niche markets that don't necessarily depend on text.

It sounds like the "tablet" device you and others are talking about is something similar to Palm's LifeDrive, but with an emphasis on video and music -- and, one would hope, more elegantly implemented.

 

[BritinNC]

Someone actually responded to my post I feel like a hooker, one of whose customers actually wanted to sit around and rap, have a beer, et cetera after doing business.

My ideas for killer apps were all (coincidentally) on that video for the multi-touch display -- some of them I had thought of before seeing the video, mind you... but yeah, it's starting to sound to me like the tablet will be forever stuck as a yuppie toy.

Killer app to me would be an airport express with video so the MacPod connects your computer to your TV/Hi-Fi as a kind of super-remote streaming device, try finding another tablet or PDA device that can do that. But that's not all it can do, oh no that's not all it can do... (Those with kids will get the cat in the hat reference!)

 

[mathie]

woundt it be funny if the only things being announced tomorrow were new shuffles and a boombox accessory for the ipod?

That's why they are called "fun" new products. I actually believe that there is nothing mind-blowing tomorrow. Prove me wrong, Steve!

 

[Object-X]

I'm sure some people will question the need for this story, but I think it is relevant industry news, and we will see if anything comes of it. It would be an interesting push / new form factor from Microsoft, which we would hope/expect Apple to have some reaction to.

arn

I think the issue here is that Apple seems to be working on something similar, and this annoucement by Microsoft is an attempt to try and get there "first", or at least have an answer to it if Apple announces tomorrow. I have often thought that the iPod would eventually evolve into a fully functional computer or the iMac would miniturize into a portable handheld device. I just don't think it will be announced tomorrow. But all of these touch screen patents really suggest this is where they are headed dont they?

 

[Thanatoast]

Maybe the Home on iPod concept is finally coming to fruition? With large drives and a touch screen, there should be no reason why you can't update your calendar and address book on the go, run keynotes off your iPod, keep all your docs and media on it. It'll be like an iPod with access to all your data and some Palm thrown into the mix.

Then we can all start complaining that there's no integrated phone and wait for *next* Tuesday.

 

[Seasought]

Didn't Jobs make a comment along the lines of wanting to shift away from using the MacWorld keynotes as the primary forebearer of new and exciting products? I could have sworn I read that in an interview that was taken directly after the latest MacWorld. Perhaps the polluted, Phoenix air and memories of other rumors are clouding my judgment.

My point being that perhaps tomorrows announcement will be more significant than most people think.

If such is the case, perhaps the event tomorrow is the beginning of a series of smaller events scattered throughout the year. *shrugs*

 

[beachboy89]

Didn't Jobs make a comment along the lines of wanting to shift away from using the MacWorld keynotes as the primary forebearer of new and exciting products? I could have sworn I read that in an interview that was taken directly after the latest MacWorld. Perhaps the polluted, Phoenix air and memories of other rumors are clouding my judgment.

My point being that perhaps tomorrows announcement will be more significant than most people think.

If such is the case, perhaps the event tomorrow is the beginning of a series of smaller events scattered throughout the year. *shrugs*

ya I read that somewhere to, I subscribe to the google alerts and I have one for "steve jobs" and I remember reading it so dont worry the polution hasnt gotten to you...yet

 

[Seasought]

ya I read that somewhere to, I subscribe to the google alerts and I have one for "steve jobs" and I remember reading it so dont worry the polution hasnt gotten to you...yet

Glad to hear that. Seeing a brown horizon in the morning is disturbing.

 

[timswim78]

Your points are arguable.

Have you actually used a Pocket PC? It is just so unusably convoluted that a lot of people who have bought one just ended up putting it aside. It is definitely not the best PDA out there. Palm is better in usablity. There are more of Pocket PC simply because it is perceived to be fully compatible with Windows. So again an extension of monopoly effect from Windows.

I use Windows everyday and while that is bad enough, Pocket PC is worse.

Likewise, have you used the Media Centre? My playing around with me left me with "what is the big deal?". Nothing special about it. It is typical "good enough" approach to things.

This is not about MS bashing. This is about bashing mediocre products by a greedy, manipulative company.

Think of it this way, I use Windows at work because I am not given a choice. I use Mac at home despite of all the choices available to me.

Yes, I use a PocketPC daily. It works beautifully for emailing, calendar stuff, web browsing, some games, and stuff like that. Years ago, I had a Palm, but I dropped it because the applications that ran on the PocketPC were far superior to anything that Palm had.

I have both Media Center and FrontRow at home. Media Center is good, because it actually acts as a "Media Center." You can do everything that a PVR does, plus you can access all of the media on your computer. It seamlessly works with XBOX and other media center extensions. On the other hand, FrontRow is just 4 icons with a slick interface. It is probably the most dissapointing piece of Apple software that I have ever used.

 

[bigandy]

this interests me about as much as a kick in the ass, to be honest.

the oragami website doesn't excite me at all, and the pictures of the product look just like another, ugly, windows ce based palmtop type thingy.


yawn.

 

[kozmic stu]

Are We Thinking Along the Right Lines?

Hi, first post...

Anyone remember when the iPod was released and the reasoning was that the iLife Apps 'knew about the devices, but no devices know about the apps'? Maybe Apple are releasing oher devices to work with iLife?

The focus with the Mac and it's software has always (at least in this century) been on content, and on creation of content and sharing - and a PDA/Tablet device doesn't fit in with that ethic at all. I don't think we'll see anything quite as vague as this come out tomorrow. The Mac Mini Media Centre, however, is specifically about content delivery - television, music, films, dvds home videos, podcasts and so on et cetera ad infinitum ad nauseum, all in one box, sat in your living room, allowing you to share your content with your friends and family at the touch of a button.

The iPod HiFi idea - while it's not explicitly about content, admitedly, still serves a definite purpose, it has a specific function. I'm looking into turning my iPod 3G into a HiFi myself, as the battery doesn't last long enough to take with me 'in my pocket', and I'm not using my iPod speakers for anything else, so I think an apple version of this would be cool... particularly with AirTunes

I hope to see something unexpected

Stu

P.S. The girl at the start of the MS advert is running Logic on OS X

 

[colinmack]

I'm a bit surprised at all the nay-saying. Personally, I think whoever makes this kind of device (and gets it right - key qualifier) will explode that market just like the iPod...a MacPad/iPad device like the Origami would:

- do 90% of what most people do with a computer/laptop, but be more portable
- be more fully-functional than an iPod or PDA
- be 'connected' anywhere (wireless in your house, cellular once you leave)
- leverage the mindshare and hip-factor of the iPod as a consumer lifestyle device

It would allow truly mobile iLife applications (photos, music, video, chat, email, web), which I think there would be a decent market for - look how well the iPod did with just one application...and if all the gesture/touchscreen and virtual keyboard patents were implemented it would be more natural and intuitive to use than the alternatives. I really think there's a bigger market for this kind of device, I think the problem has been that until now nobody has done it right.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if they made it, and I'm sure I'll be standing in line.

 

[Esben]

MacBook and iBook

valid point.

Depends if the device is an iPod (in the real sense of the brand, as in a music player first then other things) or a Mac. If its a mac youd expect Apple to continue the 'Mac' brand push. Maybe not MacPod...how about MacPad?

Z

Well guys...how about MacBook? Or maybe it's gonna be the MacPod (a pro version of the iPod)

I know Steve said they would include the mac in the names to associate it with the computer and it seems everybody agrees that the iBook is gonna be the MacBook, but maybe it isn't!

 

[kahos]

I like the concept but, on the other hand, i would have no use for such device in everyday life.

I would rather have several devices (ipod, game boy, laptop) each with a particuliar purpose it excels in then this thing that tries to do a bit of everything but isnt particularily good at anything.

 

[SeRgIo_42]

If this device does have the screen dimensions showed at http://www.origamiproject.com/1/ with prices at US$ 500 range, I know a bunch of people at work that would be very interested, myself included.

My lap Asus Z70Av is too bulky (but fast as a demon ) to open during commute and PDA's and blackberries are not pleasant to use either (but still convenient ).

Hopefully, we will see a reborn of Newton someday.

 

[miketcool]

<Shudders>

Macintosh - I'm lovin' it!

(JT sings that terrible Mcdonalds jingle in my head)
Imagine if Apple had used that song for its advertisement, I might own an M$ box!

 

[nagromme]

That's true, but it's not at all unfair or a double standard. Given that the device is from Microsoft, people form their expectations of it based on their opinion of existing Microsoft products. At a Mac forum, that opinion will be pretty low. Likewise, if people knew it was an Apple product, they'd consider Apple's track record and be thrilled about the future product.

Well said.

If Apple announced a "do everything" device I'd look at their history and expect it would be a great intro like the original iPod was: something that doesn't sound necessary until after the fact, and then the demand is there becaue it's done RIGHT.

But if MS announces a "do everything" device I'll look at THEIR history, and I won't see quality, user-centric design, ease-of-use, or much else to make me interested

We're biased towards Apple, not by magic, but because Apple products are in fact different from Microsoft products, and we (unlike most PC tolerators) have used BOTH heavily enough to judge well what works best for us.

 

[beachboy89]

its the day before then event, where are all the leaked pics and "spotings"?

 

[NEENAHBOY]

Do they have 100GB 2.5" drives available yet? I seem to recall Toshiba saying something about one.

 

[nostaws]

the coolest

Thing I saw in the trailer was the lady sitting on her lounge controlling/mirroring her desktop computer from outside.

I would love a screen to carry around the house that could mirror my desktop screen. Or use at school (I am a teacher).

I want a mac mini installed in my car, and have a portable touch screen to allow me to use itunes, or set on my kids lap to watch a movie when we travel, etc...

 

[Twenty1]

Actual Products vs. "Development"

Haven't read through the entire forum, so forgive me if this has been mentioned....

What I find interesting about the two announcements is that Apple is actually announcing products where-as MS is just saying, "Well, this is what we have in our R&D labs, isn't it cool!"

MS has to provide some new benefit for why consumers will use this product. They can't just say it's a smaller tablet, or a home tablet, they have let customers know why they can't live without it. Running a full version of XP isn't enough. They have to answer what this product does that other products don't do...

 

[M-theory]

...I get all of my e-mail on my cellphone and I can respond to mail or even send new mail from the phone...

could you please comment some more? I read that there is talk of Microsoft adding the 'push email' functionality to the mobile platform, what do you think? if they do, is blackberry out of the picture?

thanks.

I am waiting for the treo 700 phone, for cingular, not sure if I want to go with the palm based or windows based, if they add the 'push email' into windows mobile then I would have to go with 700w version.