Origami Revealed.

[0098386]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/09/technology/microsoft_origami.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

So a laptop and a PSP had sex, and produced origami.

Kinky.

wouldn't it be an original DS? ugly, touch-screen, just a tiny bit slow?

 

[aegisdesign]

When did you last see a mobile phone with an external aerial?

That said, this thing appears to have a telescopic aerial like on an old FM radio. Anyone know what that's for? 😕

Quite common in the USA for phones to still have aerials. Their phone network is less dense so the signals are often weaker. The Palm Treo (not very popular in Europe) still has one for instance.

The aerial on the Samsung is for TV. In particular Korean Digital TV which is incompatible with European DVB-T (Terrestrial) or DVB-H (mobile phone) broadcasts.

 

[treblah]

When did you last see a mobile phone with an external aerial?

That said, this thing appears to have a telescopic aerial like on an old FM radio. Anyone know what that's for? 😕

It's for DMB mobile digital television, which is only available outside the US.

EDIT: aegisdesign beat me to it.

 

[shawnce]

Anyone know what that's for? 😕

To get Windows updates broadcast directly from Microsoft. 😉

 

[miketcool]

I have had one of these things for years, Texas Instruments made it eons ago. The battery life dominates the Origami, I can truly go anywhere with it!

😉

 

[0098386]

so why should I trade in my Newton from 11 YEARS AGO for this? 😛

trust me, I wouldn't trade in my Toshiba pocket PC from 4 years ago for this.

Why are they making such a fuss over this? Why not just release a mini, iBook like Tablet PC? it beggars belief. or is that buggers? meh.
As if the computer market isn't saturated enough as it already is. but no. there's always room for a machine that's not as portable as a Pocket PC and that's too slow to be used as a real computer.

 

[MacMyFast]

Telescopic aerial

When did you last see a mobile phone with an external aerial?

That said, this thing appears to have a telescopic aerial like on an old FM radio. Anyone know what that's for? 😕

That was my first thought too. It reminds me of a Sanyo portable TV that I owned 10 years ago. Did they put usb ports on this or instead opt for a floppy drive?🙄

 

[aegisdesign]

Just imagin if apple came out with one of these...iPod like, a little thicker than an iPod and slightly smaller demensions than these origami things, with an iTablet version of OS X...omg id buy one in an instant.

It'd be quite funny if the fake video iPod turns out to be Apple's UMPC offering the same specs but without the extra guff you don't need (phone, gps, TV...)

 

[Kelson]

Ultraportables....

Dunno, I am just not excited about this entire class of production.

1. Heavy wear and tear on the screen, reduces products viable lifetime, we have all seen those credit card machines w/ the touch screens you have to bang on to get them to work. I am just not a fan of data entry into a touch screen either, it should be optimized for viewing, not data entry.

2. To large to be really convenient.

3. To small to be really useful.

It just hits the anti-sweet spot for me. Regardless of who makes it, Apple, Microsoft or anyone else. I also don't use PDAs.

- Kelson

 

[Philsy]

It's for DMB mobile digital television, which is only available outside the US.

EDIT: aegisdesign beat me to it.

Ah, I see. OK until you snap it off - remember how useless FM aerials like that were?

 

[dpaanlka]

When did you last see a mobile phone with an external aerial?

That said, this thing appears to have a telescopic aerial like on an old FM radio. Anyone know what that's for? 😕

A lot of phones around here (Chicago) have aerials. Even brand new ones. Tons and tons of them, I'd say about half. Especially Motorolas and Samsungs.

 

[dpaanlka]

Why are they making such a fuss over this?

I would imagine it's because the PC industry doesn't really have anything else very exciting to talk about.

 

[Philsy]

That was my first thought too. It reminds me of a Sanyo portable TV that I owned 10 years ago. Did they put usb ports on this or instead opt for a floppy drive?🙄

I'm hoping it plays eight-track cartridges 🙂

 

[Regular_John]

umm ok, so it's a PSP that runs windows?
Meh I guess there's probably some market for it, I can't see this replacing a crack berry or palm though

 

[zelet]

A lot of phones around here (Chicago) have aerials. Even brand new ones. Tons and tons of them, I'd say about half. Especially Motorolas and Samsungs.

There was a study that showed that people complained about poor signal more often with phones that don't have an antenna. Most antennas in cell phones are for looks and don't actually do any real work.

 

[Philsy]

There was a study that showed that people complained about poor signal more often with phones that don't have an antenna. Most antennas in cell phones are for looks and don't actually do any real work.

You mean people actually like to have an external aerial? 😱

 

[nagromme]

I have had one of these things for years, Texas Instruments made it eons ago. The battery life dominates the Origami, I can truly go anywhere with it!

🙂

O/T, but that's actually a great industrial design even by today's standards.

 

[kmhphoto]

I'll buy one just to use as a car moiunted GPS/Entertainment System. Even at a price point of $999.00 it will be far superior to anything currently on the market..

 

[zelet]

Apple is sending tech support to india:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1443762,curpg-1.cms

 

[Johnny Rico]

How many other devices like this are able to run itunes? I think that a small portable device that can store music or access music on the network and control a set of speakers via airtunes is pretty neat. I've been waiting for apple to fill this hole in their lineup for like two years.

 

[Philsy]

I'll buy one just to use as a car moiunted GPS/Entertainment System. Even at a price point of $999.00 it will be far superior to anything currently on the market..

Would it be though? Car sat-nav units - even cheap ones - do a great job and are small enough to put in your pocket. Ditto car DVD players

 

[dpaanlka]

There was a study that showed that people complained about poor signal more often with phones that don't have an antenna. Most antennas in cell phones are for looks and don't actually do any real work.

That's a load of nonsense.

If I remove the antenna of my less than one year old Motorola, I get almost no service.

 

[mtrctyjoe]

Possibly the most pointless thing I have ever seen

Possibly the most pointless thing I have ever seen.

This is nothing more then a lap top that is too small, with a useless screen, no key board and possibly no slot load for DVD/CD.

What a joke.... I will take a 12 in Laptop / ibook any day of the week.

I bet they sell 2.

 

[aegisdesign]

You mean people actually like to have an external aerial? 😱

Weird isn't it? It's a US thing. Along with the cries of not wanting your phone to do anything other than just have a good signal. We're spoilt in Europe by having a dense phone network so we've no need for huge aerials.

 

[zelet]

That's a load of nonsense.

If I remove the antenna of my less than one year old Motorola, I get almost no service.

I'll clarify - raising the antenna doesn't do anything. The antenna does something - but not in the "up" position. Sorry about the confusion.