Origami Revealed.

[dontmatter]

well the thing is if apple were making this there is no question that it would be better. #1 it would be running OS X which we all know is infinitely better then any flavor of windows. #2 it would be designed by Apple and probably look stunning as opposed to this Samsung device that looks like a Sega game gear. #3 it would have a killer feature that none of us have even thought about yet.

or #4 apple would not have made it in the first place, because they realize the awkwardness of such a device (see my other post) and hence immensely small market share (and with lots of R&D, no doubt).

and #5 apple would not have made it, because they are in a much different situation as a company- microsoft has maxed out it's market share in an industry with a slowing growth curve, and so must invent new markets to get any real growth (or play sony- try to invent a ton, hope one takes off). Whereas apple has loads of growth in market share for computers to do, loads of growth of the mp3 player (and online music) market left, and is regularly breaking into existing markets and picking up market share (final cut, aperature, and other creative software).

So don't hope for such a device from apple, because it would be a waste of apple's resources. Oh, and the other thing, microsoft resources are so huge, they don't need nearly as big a return on investment as apple.

 

[war]

what was the excitement about

The way the tech sites were talking about this thing in the past few weeks you would have thought that you could have figured out cold fusion on this thing. After seeing it I still don't know what market this is intended to be used. It's too big for the iPod/PDA crowd and not enough features for most business users. I could possibly see a factory with inventory data sent to it but there are already solutions for that. What niche are they intending to serve with this product?

It just really seems to be much ado about nothing. I must say that I am very underwhelmed by this product.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Well, Crackberry is not a replacement for a computer with a real OS. It's good for checking email, and that's about it.

And look how successful it's been. The lesson of the Blackberry and the iPod are the same: do one thing people need, and do it well.

 

[Warbrain]

It is a step in the right direction. I would really prefer that Apple make something like this and make it quite a bit thinner and better looking, but it's a good step. A Sidekick II or a Blackbery is still a better option than lugging around this piece of crap, though.

And a iBook or some other laptop computer still conquers all.

 

[Bad Beaver]

The way the tech sites were talking about this thing in the past few weeks you would have thought that you could have figured out cold fusion on this thing. After seeing it I still don't know what market this is intended to be used.

Think some more, it is not that hard. There is endless market for this. But not if it's a slow, ugly brick that will only last 2,5h max.

 

[dejo]

And look how successful it's been. The lesson of the Blackberry and the iPod are the same: do one thing people need, and do it well.

Ay, there's the rub. Do people need this? Time will tell...

 

[baleensavage]

I actually think this is a neat device. The problem is that it's primary competition is the PSP and sure this can run Windows, but it cant play UMDs or any movies unless you bootleg them. If the PC games will work on it, then it may be worth it though as a portable game player, since there is a plethera of PC games. In terms of coolness though the PSP has it beat hands down. I can see how something handheld would be nice to take on the road instead of luggin a laptop. Now if it had a popout keyboard and OS X and a few more hours of battery life...

 

[Peyton]

What stupid company would come out with a product like this and put a 6 year old OS on it? Wait till vista fellas, then release it. gosh.

Do these designers get paid less than retail workers? I could sketch something better than that in like 2 seconds. SOOO ugly. and sorry, I like big screens, what could be more frustrating than messing with Windows XP but on a screen so small you can hardly see the virus warnings?? Forget it

 

[IJ Reilly]

Ay, there's the rub. Do people need this? Time will tell...

True. Nobody knew that they needed an iPod until they held one in their hands. But unless this product turns out to be much better than it appears, I predict it's going to be a dud.

 

[cmcconkey]

If it folds itself up into a swan for safe keeping in a pocket I would buy it.


Christopher

 

[thumper]

HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY... Wait a Min !

Did anyone notice something!?!?!

Did Anyone notice that they put the MENU Bar at.. the TOP!??
WOAH! what a great IDEA!!! i wonder if anyone eles thought of
that idea!?

Long live Microsoft and their Genius Ideas!!!

 

[baleensavage]

What stupid company would come out with a product like this and put a 6 year old OS on it? Wait till vista fellas, then release it. gosh.

Probably because for once Microsoft had an actual idea on a new product that wasn't ripping off Apple and they wanted to rush it out the door before Apple came up with a better one. Much like what they did with the XBox 2. They could have waited 6 months until they had more than 5 games on it and put a HDDVD drive in it, but they wanted to beat Sony to the punch.

I agree however that they should stop focusing on making "new" products and just get Vista out. But, hey, the longer they postpone Vista, the more people switch to Macs...

 

[puuukeey]

A) what did microsoft actually DO? they just altered their code a bit for touchscreens? this seems more like a samsung thing than a microsoft thing

 

[Brundlefly]

I will chalk it up with

the M$ lazyboy chair division failure.

Too heavy, just a little bit to big and slow to make me think the extra $100 for an ibook, or even a small acer laptop would put this thing to shame.

2-3 hours battery too, how lame.

800x480 screen rez too, grim.

this is a very small step along the line to going where everyone wants to be, but it should have stayed in beta. Give me a few more generations and maybe this will be the device we were all expecting.

Just like M$, blowing their wad on an unfinished product.

 

[itsbetteronamac]

I would say pretty cool, and a step in the right direction. But the real question is when am I going to use this? Is so big I need a bag to carry it, so why can't I just use my Powerbook...I have a great bag for it already. And, it still bigger than my phone, ipod, and palm put together.

What should be changed:
-Size no more than 1.5cm bezel.
-No deeper then .8in (PB depth w/out screen)
-EDGE + HSPDA/UMTS or if need be EV-DO/EV-DV
-->that way you have wireless anywhere
-Bluetooth headset capability (Replaces cell phone)
-Excellent hand writing recognition
-Only buttons on top side of unit. (Everything should be touch)

If those conditions were met I would buy one. Don't care if it's Windows, apple isn't comming out with something like this so, yeah.

Biggest problem is that it's too big. It's small enough to replace all my other devices (Besides my phone), but big enough that I might as well bring my powerbook. Interestingly enough I can use my phone and use bluetooth to have the net on my palm. Can watch vids on my palm & phone. Listen to music on my ipod. And, if I wan't a computer I have my PB.

 

[g.x]

I, for one, think these devices are cool. They absolutely solve my issue:

I was looking for a remote...something to control AirTunes, etc. iPods browse great, but they're tethered to something and play out of an inferior analog jack. Remote controls control great from afar, but they fail to allow media browsing.

This type of thing is perfect...I would mount it to a counter-top or wall, walk up to it running VNC to control the computer physically plugged into the stereo. In other words, FrontRow over VNC. Voila...Crestron-type control for $1000s of dollars less.

I recognize this is a very specific, limited use. But it's exactly what I was looking for. I can have my touch-screen FrontRow media browser/controller without shelling out for the mini + Bonjour + touchscreen solution (which is around $1000-$1500).

I love it. As soon as it's down around $500, I'm all over it.

 

[echeck]

I love it. As soon as it's down around $500, I'm all over it.

As soon as the price is down around $500... and it's running OS X. I love the idea of this as well, but I can't bring myself to buy one that's running Windows because I know I would just find myself frustrated beyond belief, as with every other Windows box I have ever owned.

I'm quite fond of my All-Mac setup, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[ericdano]

Could it be me, or perhaps the Apple special event the other week where they announced the Intel Mini Mac might have also been scheduled to introduce a new Apple Newton type device but was cancelled (or not shown) due to Microsoft scheduling something the same day? Or, maybe it was Steve being smart and waiting for Microsoft and company to make the first move, let the dust and critics settle (for a month), then introduce Apple's better version?

That being said, these devices are too big. What I would want, and still want, is something like my trusty Palm Vx, but with WiFi, Cell phone, and iPod functionality in it. I don't really want it to run Windows or Mac OS X, but I do want to be able to easily get data to and from it. A touch screen would make it even cooler. Just something that will work, work well, and work quickly.

 

[Bad Beaver]

I, for one, think these devices are cool. They absolutely solve my issue:

I was looking for a remote...something to control AirTunes, etc. iPods browse great, but they're tethered to something and play out of an inferior analog jack. Remote controls control great from afar, but they fail to allow media browsing.

You can do that with a WLAN equipped Palm + Salling Clicker.

 

[Bad Beaver]

Cbut I do want to be able to easily get data to and from it. A touch screen would make it even cooler. Just something that will work, work well, and work quickly.

I want something more portable than a PowerBook / iBook, with better battery life. Something that will *autosync* selected datasets with my main Mac (which happens not to be a portable). I do not need oodles of power on the go, so a Powerbook is really overkill.

 

[Fabio_gsilva]

As you said, the capabilities to size ratio, and all about awkwardness of the idea (unable to do what a 12 inch laptop will do, and also unable to go where a blackberry will go), severly limit the thing. Beyond just MS, too-that form factor jut causes too much loss and not enough gain. It's just a hunt for something new, rather than something better.

But lots of people are saying that, and I think it all misses the point. What a device can do and cannot do isn't what kills it- it's how easily these jobs can be accomplished on the device. Any electronics device these days has more features than you use, the limit always comes into what you want to learn to use and how easy it is to do once learned (case in point- ipod market dominance vs. players with much bigger feature lists, but unused features).

Which is all to say this: without a easy input devices (proper keyboard and mouse), features don't matter, because it is way too difficult to actually use them. It's all about the input device (Again, ipod vs. rest, and also apple remote vs. media center remote). A treo or blackberry has as many features as you are possibly going to want to use without the ease of access of a keyboard. But those can fit in a pocket, and this.... just give me a 12 inch computer, please.

Congratulations!!! You said all that really matters.

I don't know if it was because english is not my native language, or just because I can't see things properly, I could not resume the greater problem of this thing, like you did.

Thanks!!!

 

[SeRgIo_42]

My 2 cents.

Microsoft did it right when targeting people who needs something easier to use on the road, myself included...

BUT,

despite the fact the overall idea is good, using that awkward keyboard (how do you hold the device without your thumbs ?) adds to the lack of "easy to use" interface. The thickness of that thing does not help either.

Since friendly user interfaces are Apple's most notable strenght, maybe this buzz around Origami will make Steve wake up and refresh Newton.

 

[Gasu E.]

I think you're supposed to carry this in your off-hand. That leaves your main hand free to hold a sword or mace or something.

 

[Kingsly]

Yawn.
Cops will like it. Otherwise, I'll stick to my MBP and its WHOPPING 3.5 hours of battery life and uncanny ability to actually get things done.

 

[RichP]

Its a cool concept, and I could see a future in this, but not in this form factor; I wish basically it was like the Nokia 770 Internet tablet:

I have one, and unfortuneatly, its a bit weak and slow; however, the size and design of the thing is very nice. If origami was on such a device, with some more processing power, it would be a nice thing to have.