First Details of Microsoft's 'Origami Project' Leaked **UPDATED**

[fitbabits]

Thanks to Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com) for the news (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8305).

Images have emerged online depicting a concept for the 'Origami Project' Windows-compatible handheld system from Microsoft, which has variously been reported as challenging either Apple’s iPod, or the portable games market currently dominated by Nintendo and Sony.

A since-removed promotional video on the website of film production company DigitalKitchen shows a portable computer whose functionality is likely to straddle both markets.

Although it is unclear whether Microsoft approved of the video being shown on DigitalKitchen’s website, the company has confirmed to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that it is working on the device with so far unidentified partners. But it indicated that the concept shown in the video is a year old, and reflects only an “initial exploration”.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/origami_1.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/origami_2.jpg

The device is clearly shown running a version of Halo, implying that video games will play a significant role in the marketing campaign and features list. Previous to the appearance of the DigitalKitchen video, Bill Gates had discussed a mobile PC concept at a conference in Seattle last year, where a non-working device called the Ultra Mobile 2007 was shown.
Editor's Note - Just found this (http://www.origamiproject.com/1/).

Update 03/02/06 - New movie available (http://www.origamiproject.com/2/) (thanks to Grimgrock for the head's-up).

Looks rather large and cumbersome to me, but the concept sure is interesting.

[Scaryboy]

Oooh, that looks pretty cutting edge (http://www.howstuffworks.com/question317.htm).

[Citizen Philip]

Just remeber folks you'll need the Premium edition of Windows Vista for your 360!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4754462.stm

[motorhappy]

It looks bulky for a gaming device, but for a portable pc/notebook alternative it looks perfect. The 'moleskin' keyboard thing was pretty cool looking from the video as well. It really looked like a machine you could carry around like a hardback book, and not have to lug around in a backpack or satchell like a notebook pc or mac.

[MosBen]

You know what would be interesting is if MS didn't make the device themselves but merely provided some set specs for the machine and let other companies market and sell it. Would this create all kinds of problems for gamers that we haven't previously had in the portable realm? Oh yeah, but from a business perspective it would allow MS to get their finger in the portable gaming pie without getting overcommitted to it, and potentially cut into Nintendo's cash cow. And while gamers would probably have some kind of compatibility issues to deal with, which could potentially be annoying, competition might be good for the portable market. Who knows, we'd certainly get a lot more choice in ergonomics and styling.

I'm not saying this would be a good thing, just an interesting one.

[joruussuun]

Yeah, it's not just supposed to be a gaming device, and it would definitely not succeed at that size. But as a ultra-mobile pc with gaming, it's pretty interesting. We will have to wait for more details though to see what they are going for.

[Royal Fool]

It looks bulky for a gaming device, but for a portable pc/notebook alternative it looks perfect. The 'moleskin' keyboard thing was pretty cool looking from the video as well. It really looked like a machine you could carry around like a hardback book, and not have to lug around in a backpack or satchell like a notebook pc or mac.


You've seen the video? Where?

[UnderHero5]

Looks like a simple tablet PC to me.
Obviously not being made to compete as a portable game system, if that picture is real. It's lacking a comfortable control setup and WAY too big.

And how could it compete with an iPod being the size of a book??
Yeah, I want to carry that around to listen to music...
And an "all day" battery life? I REALLY find that hard to believe, unless it has a hand crank on the back.

[Varsity]

On the DigitalKitchen site, like the newspost says. It wasn't great, just a load of smiling people using it in various ways.

I think it could work pretty damn well as a gaming machine. Yeah, it's big, but for that price you get a sizable touch-sensetive screen.

[DigitalFirefly]

Halo would suck on those controls.

[Yeti2005]

This could be cool if it has wifi (which I'm sure it does) and you could stream mp3s, movies, etc from your PC to the device while you're on the go. HD space wouldn't matter as much because your PC would be the server.

[jeffool]

Look out guys, here comes the 'viral marketing'. http://www.origamiproject.com/

[fitbabits]

Look out guys, here comes the 'viral marketing'. http://www.origamiproject.com/
Dammit, you posted this at the same time I edited the news post! :)

[bapenguin]

Look out guys, here comes the 'viral marketing'. http://www.origamiproject.com/

hah. So over dramatic. I can't wait till a device actually changes my life.

[absolut taco]

You've seen the video? Where?
Shhh...
http://www.pdamexico.net/abe/videos/msorigami.mpg

[fitbabits]

hah. So over dramatic. I can't wait till a device actually changes my life.
My Xbox already took care of that for me. :)

[jeffool]

Dammit, you posted this at the same time I edited the news post! :)Oh yeah? Well edit that sum'bitch there again buddy! The mysterious "video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV1WGDW37c0)."

/edit:
Damn! Beaten by a taco!

[Neosho]

Who the hell cares? I don't see this as being a revolution.

I'll call something cool and awesome when it uses a johnny menomic style interface, with sunglasses and an optically recognized imaginary keyboard. Until then, i'm sitting in front of my radiation box.

Edt: Although the glasses don't have to be as big as they are when he's jacked in.

[Grimmjow]

reminds me of a Sega Nomad (bulkiness)

[bgivnin]

I think this is a great idea, personally. It's basically a cross between a PDA and a laptop, but bigger than a PDA and smaller than a laptop with all the features of both that I use on a regular basis. So yeah, a tablet PC< done the MS way.

If this thing was marketed at $500, it could make a killing. If a nice PDA is about $200/$250 and a bottom of the barrel laptop is about $700, this thing could fit perfectly into the market at $500.

I'd definitely rather have the one with the keyboard, which would probably add on $100, but if I was to 'buy' the white one, I'd probably buy the add-on keyboard, which would be about $100 anyway.

All this, of course, is outta my ass, since who knows what version(s) will be released, but knowing Microsoft and their multiple SKU's concept, they'll release 2 models.

I do like that commercial, though. :)

[Sazime]

Um, speculate much?

[bgivnin]

Um, speculate much?

Well, yea, but I did post that I'm totally guessing about it all. :)

[bapenguin]

After watching that video it's definitely not a gaming device. It's heavily promoted as a productivity device.

[bgivnin]

In the video, the kid at the airport was playing a video game on it. Was that Halo? What were the PC system specs for Halo?

Do you think it'd be feasible?

I read the system specs for Halo, but didn't it run like crap on those specs?

- PC with 733 MHz equivalent or higher processor
- 128 MB of system RAM
- 1.2 GB available hard disk

[absolut taco]

In the video, the kid at the airport was playing a video game on it. Was that Halo? What were the PC system specs for Halo?

Do you think it'd be feasible?

I read the system specs for Halo, but didn't it run like crap on those specs?

- PC with 733 MHz equivalent or higher processor
- 128 MB of system RAM
- 1.2 GB available hard disk
It ran like crap with minimum graphics on a P4 1.5Ghz with 512 MB ram and a 64 MB Geforce4MX card. I'd love to see it on a minimum spec.

[bobmitch]

Looks similar in style to an iRiver PMP (http://www.iriver.com/html/product/prpv_product.asp?pidx=45) unit.

[51|RandoM]

Editor's Note - Just found this.


Text of the ad:

"touch me"

"hello"

"do you know me"

"do you know what i can do"

"and where i can go"

"or how i can change your life"

"learn more on 3.2.06"


Ad for a new handheld, or really poor attempt to hook up at a party, hard to tell at this point.


On a serious note, the buttons on the mockup make me think this is not a game playing machine.

[Varsity]

Halo would suck on those controls.
It would also suck on the DS.

[MosBen]

Another thing to keep in mind is that quote about this being an old design. It's perfectly possible that the final product will be completely different.

[51|RandoM]

It would also suck on the DS.

makes sense, it sucks on every other platform it was released on.

[lewsid]

Cough <shill> cough, cough.

I hate this thing already.

[Zanzibar]

I'll admit, as a gaming machine I'm not impressed. Maybe you could plug a 360 controller into the USB port and just set it in your lap if you wanted to game.

But overall, I really like the idea of a miniature laptop. As laptops have gotten larger and larger, I haven't been as interested. The smaller Sony laptops have piqued my interest of late.

[Neosho]

Having played around with one of those smaller laptops, they're nice...they're just a pain when it comes to scrolling and such. If you're patient with not being able to see much at once, it's fine...i like my big screens. :shrug

[Lord Dongkey]

Some arithmatic...

Fucking
+
Ugly
=
Origami

Being a "concept" model is no excuse. If I have a concept of a female sex robot that's the best thing ever in the sack, but looks like Howard Stern, guess what?

Origami.

[ghost]

If this is marketed as "Microsoft's revolutionary handheld gaming platform", I'm just going to sigh as I think of all those PSPs, sitting there collecting dust...

The device definitely could use a redesign, something a lot less cumbersome IMHO, but if it's supposed to be an advanced PDA/laptop type device, it could be interesting. We'll just have to see. We'll just have to wait until Thursday, 3-2-06, won't we.... Assuming that tells us any new information, anyway.

[Neosho]

If this is marketed as "Microsoft's revolutionary handheld gaming platform", I'm just going to sigh as I think of all those PSPs, sitting there collecting dust...

They're not doing that now? ZING!

[Visitor Q]

This thing is definitely a mini laptop or a laptop/ipod-hybrid and not targeted directly at the ds or psp. It's fuckin hulking compared to those two. Maybe it could double as a cafeteria tray.

[fitbabits]

Damn! Beaten by a taco!
Oh yeah? Well edit that sum'bitch there, buddy! :)

[fitbabits]

After watching that video it's definitely not a gaming device. It's heavily promoted as a productivity device.
...that also plays games! :)

[Nite_Moogle]

Looks like the bastard child of an iPod and a laptop with the best of both. A decently sized hard drive, tablet-style support, media support ala a PSP, wireless... yeah, I'd buy that for the right price.

[net7runner]

Looks like the bastard child of an iPod and a laptop with the best of both. A decently sized hard drive, tablet-style support, media support ala a PSP, wireless... yeah, I'd buy that for the right price.
You're one of those shills the almighty Penny Arcade warned us about, aren't you. BACK, DEMON!

[Sl1pstream]

Cough <shill> cough, cough.


This is getting on my nerves lately. Even more than the actual shills, of which I've only seen one, who made a crappy attempt to hype Huxley.

[Megalith]

Sorry, but I refuse to believe that that was running HALO in any shape or form.

Bunch of crackheads.

[Nite_Moogle]

No, I just want something that has more functionality and integration than my shitty palm pilot that I haven't used in 2 years without having to lug my laptop around. I doubt I'm the only one. I don't need a laptop per se, I have a powerful desktop that handles anything really complex. If I can put the stuff I want (media, documents) on to something a bit bigger than a PSP and have it still be useful, yeah, that sounds good to me. If Microsoft throws its weight behind a product like this as they did with the Xbox, you damn well better believe that digital camera integration and application support shown in the video is going to be there.

[Neosho]

This is getting on my nerves lately. Even more than the actual shills, of which I've only seen one, who made a crappy attempt to hype Huxley.

But i like huxley/think it might have potential...does that make me a shill too? :(

[Sl1pstream]

I have a laptop, but if I can get something that can do the basic stuff (I don't need to use it as a game device), I might buy it. By the time it gets released (assuming somewhere in 2007), I'll probably need to replace my laptop anyway.

If it has the ability to hook up external hard drive, it might even be usefull to leech stuff on a LAN party while playing console stuff.

Then again, it looks expensive :/

But i like huxley/think it might have potential...does that make me a shill too? :(

Have you seen the thread I'm talking about? ;p

[Neosho]

No...link?

lalalalacharacterminimumlalala

[Zeal]

Since when did EA become so anti-Microsoft? Fuck this shit.

[Neosho]

Mmmmmm....mindless support of everything microsoft does...it's so tasty to not think!

:)

[lewsid]

This is getting on my nerves lately. Even more than the actual shills, of which I've only seen one, who made a crappy attempt to hype Huxley.

Yeah I feel yah. It wasn't even directed towards any one - just felt obligatory. Oh McCarthyism, I thought we beat you?

[Neosho]

Actually i saw one too...come to think of it. They got banned, but it was some chick asking for help with pop: sands of time and then she hyped a site randomly. It was a rather poor attempt.

[fitbabits]

New movie available (http://www.origamiproject.com/2/) (thanks to Grimgrock).

[bgivnin]

The text of the movie:

hi there
wondering where to find me
i am here
and here
way up here
and down here
even here
i am everywhere you are
but never in the way
who am i?
find out 3.9.06...

[fitbabits]

The text of the movie:

hi there
wondering where to find me
i am here
and here
way up here
and down here
even here
i am everywhere you are
but never in the way
who am i?
find out 3.9.06...
Somehow it's not the same without the accompanying music and images. :)