In the year 2000, mobile computing devices were essentially limited to laptop computers or PDA's. Today you'll find most of those in the business force are armed with a laptop and a mobile phone, the essentials for the business man or woman. Microsoft earlier this month at the CeBIT tradeshow in Germany formally unveiled the rumored Origami project which has been peaking everyone's interest lately. Rather then call them Origami's, Microsoft has decided to call them instead Ultra-Mobile PC's or UMPC's, an alternative to the laptop.
A simple solution to the cumbersome task of hauling a laptop everywhere you go. It can manage the same tasks as a laptop, but is even more compact than the smallest laptop available on the market. Both lightweight and compact, the UMPC weighs in at approximately 2 pounds, and has a 7" diagonal display with a resolution of 800 x 480. Integrated with a touch panel, which offers a variety of stylus, touch and keyboard input options, such as being able to plug in a traditional keyboard, by either USB port or wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
UMPC devices will have a battery life of two and a half hours or more, and feature a 30-60 GB hard drive for storage, with Intel Celeron M, Intel Pentium M or VIA C7-M processors. Some devices may include additional built-in features such as GPS, a webcam, fingerprint reader, digital TV tuners, and compact flash and SD card readers and offer Wi-Fi, Bluetooth technologies. Additionally you will be able to use it for all your media purposes as well, download music and movies, or photos or surf the web.
The price has been anticipated in the US $599-$999 price range and can be expected to arrive sometime in the second quarter of 2006. www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/umpc/default.mspx
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