According to an industry source who has seen the thing and calls it "very cool," Origami is one and the same with this ultraportable "lifestyle PC" we were talking about here earlier today. This source is under NDA, an honest fellow and unwilling to share more than his help connecting the dots.
Earlier this month, the author of a blog called Engadget described the device this way: "According to at least one report, Bill Mitchell, Corporate Vice President of the Mobile Platform Division, showed a slide that outlined specs for the new PC category, including that it be wearable, always on, no larger than 10-inches, connected through 3G networks, pen-based, and have a suggested retail price of $500 or less.
One notable spec that could differentiate this one: Microsoft is apparently insisting that this run the full version of Windows."
The Origami Project Web site promises there will be news March 2.
From:
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/4680
http://www.origamiproject.com/1
I posted this to one of the iPod video threads, but think it might deserve its own thread. Looks like MS is scheduled to announce this "Lifestyle PC" next week a few days after the Apple announcement.
It sounds too big, and is claimed to run the full version of Windows, but it may actually be something that could give a video iPod or an OS X tablet a run for its money...
http://search.microsoft.com/results....-US&FORM=QBME1
To top its awarding-winning product concepts from previous years, the National Semiconductor Conceptual Products Group decided to create a multifunction information appliance that performed equally well on a desktop or in a mobile location. To ensure maximum reliability, versatility, interoperability, and a broad set of features in a small footprint, the group decided to build its National Origami Mobile Communicator on the Microsoft Windows® XP Embedded operating system. As a result, the group was able in four weeks to develop the software for a working proof-of-concept device that included all the required functionality.
The group decided on a multipurpose information appliance that works both on the desktop and as a mobile device. It features the National Semiconductor Geode SC3200 processor, which powers a combination camcorder, digital camera, video conferencing, and e-mail terminal, Web access device, and MP3 player all in a package about the size of a large personal digital assistant (PDA).
Solution
National Semiconductor's final concept, called the Geode Origami Mobile Communicator was unveiled at Comdex in November 2001. The device is a fully functional, proof-of-concept prototype that is expected to attract interest from OEMs, who will partner with National Semiconductor and move the product from design to production.
The Origami device is approximately 7 ½ inches x 3 1/2 inches x 1 1/2 inches thick and uses:
Extensive multimedia features in Windows XP Embedded to support its customized video record and snapshot application and to provide video-conferencing capabilities
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 to provide the latest Web browsing capabilities including playback support for Flash and Shockwave files
Outlook® Express for e-mail
Matson is expecting the footprint for the operating system, browser, and mail client to be about 64 MB. Of the first 20 prototype devices, half featured a 256-MB Flash memory card and the other half featured an IBM 1-GB microdrive. The latter configuration is designed for devices that will be used more extensively as camcorders so there is maximum disk space for saving video files.
At first glance, the device looks like a small camera and camcorder until you open it to reveal a brilliant 4-inch, 640 x 480 display that looks more like a terminal. "That's why we call the device Origami; it changes shape depending on what function you're using," Matson notes. "You twist it one way to use it as a personal access device, another way to write an e-mail, and other way to use it as a camera." A patent-pending hinge on the unit allows users to bend the device into different shapes.
We wanted to have all the rich features of Windows XP for the desktop but in a small footprint. Windows XP Embedded enables us to build our device image in a small footprint and gives us all of the features we need to support our design.
Stephen Matson
Conceptual Products Manager,
National Semiconductor
Rich Multimedia Support Cuts Development Time
Typically when Matson's group develops a reference design, it starts out with a long list of items and ends up having to cut some of them because they run out of time. For the Origami project, that isn't the case. "This year we hit virtually everything, largely because of the developer-friendly features included in Windows XP Embedded and the Visual Studio® development system," Matson says. "We can run Win32®-based applications out of the box. Also, because we can use Windows XPbased drivers for both Windows XP and Windows XP Embedded, we only have to create one set of drivers for both operating systems," Matson says.
B
