“Microsoft is about to announce a new product or technology from Microsoft Research, and the mysterious product offering is slowly coming into focus. A viral marketing website has been launched to create buzz, but it appears as though the cat may be already out of the bag. Microsoft’s Origami Project appears to be nothing other than a tablet PC design aimed at entertainment and mobile computing. Pictured below, one such device appears to be smaller than most sub-compact laptops, and other imagery suggests that the keyboard is easily detachable,” Ken “Caesar” Fisher reports for Ars Technica. “Leaked video of the device suggests that it can play movies, show pictures, offer web browsing (presumably with WiFi support, but rumors also talk of 3G wireless), and function as a tablet PC for the purposes of note-taking and other pen-based applications.”
Fisher reports, “While enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting what Apple is going to announce on Tuesday, they may be hearing from Microsoft, too. The company announced a surprise media presentation to be held on Tuesday evening at which an ‘innovative concept in development’ will be unveiled… Could it be Origami? …The scheduling of the event certainly raised some eyebrows. Is Microsoft looking to steal some thunder from Apple? What exactly is Apple planning? Putting two and two together, I wonder if Microsoft believes that Apple may be launching a new video playback device itself. There are certainly rumors to this effect, but could Microsoft know for certain?”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “pat” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: As we all know, Microsoft has a wholly unique definition of the word “innovative.” “Concept in development” to Microsoft usually means you’ll be waiting forever to buy a buggy piece of junk. So, from the looks of the photos and videos we’ve seen, “Origami” looks to fit the billing of a Microsoft “innovative concept in development” perfectly.
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Related article:
Apple to hold special media event next Tuesday – February 21, 2006
10 minutes after Apple’s presentation:
“We would like to announce… well, what Apple said, only uglier and with windows media.” – Microsoft
FP
Oh, I get it now. Microsoft claims “innovation”, this is funny.
Whatever happened to that Photoshop killer they launched as a beta months ago? Acrylic? Any news?
Same old Microsoft, I LOVE reading about their new products, because (unless it’s a hoover) they will SUCK!
Must be hard being in charge of a sinking ship like Ballmer is now.
this is comical
Yeah, but unfortunately it’s like the Gigantica taking on water.
Their little website that says nothing says find out more on 3.2.06. That’s Thursday in my country.
Wow, it looks like you can run paint on it!
Ultimately a device with which you could seamlessly interact with all your devices and systems would be great but does anyone think for a second that MS could pull it off?
That Cameraman looked to be proofing his pics with it and managing his workflow – using what? For that you want Aperture or iPhoto surely? Apple have the tools, they just need to bring it all together.
Apple launches products available within days or weeks of an announcement.
Microsoft launches concepts which may be available within a few years, if their OEMs get their act together. And if M$ ever finish the underlying OS.
I know which I’m betting on as an investor.
Apple will be announcing
1. The iPod boombox
2. The Red (Aids relief) iPod.
Im not surprised Microsoft has suddenly announced something to be shown off at exactly the same time as Apple.
This is a tactic they now seem to be doing regularly – waiting for Apple to announce a media event and then Microsoft announcing a media event on the same day at the same time.
Knowing Microsoft, they will announce this ‘product’ – and guess what, it won’t be available for 2 years!
Wheras Apple will announce a product tomorrow and it will be available to buy FROM TOMORROW.
A major difference between the 2 companies – shipping real product and ‘vapourware’.
Guess which company will make money in additional sales tomorrow… (the name begins with an ‘A’)
This seems to be another example of anti-competitive behavior on the part of the big MS. Dont they have a history of anouncing similar products that dont even exist to steal the show from or actually kill startups technologies before they even take off? If this is the case they should be ashamed of themselves.
rico has a small penis
Whatever it is , it will certainly __________________.
Fill in the blank with any of the following
a. be ugly
b. be a pain to use
c. not integrate with a PC very well
d. take years to develop
e. be a weak knock off of whatever Apple does
f. be ridden with security issues
g. have a really really stupid name
h. be presented years from now by and even fatter sweatier monkey boy.
LOL!
You seen the video?
Even the backdrop on it looks like the default OS X desktop pattern.
Somethings never change – guaranteed that M$ will copy everything that Apple does.
In other news, here we have exactly what Microsoft considers innovation.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/27/technology/microsoft_vista.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
Just another example of how different MS and Apple are.
Smaller and less functional than a laptop and larger and more bulky than a PDA. This “innovative” product is doomed to fail because it is designed for no demographic group willing to spend money for it.
The thing is that even if it’s designed to steal apple’s thunder – the only way I see it doing that is by being (great (ha!) and being available relatively soon. If it’s not gonna be out for 6 months or something else I honestly think most of the media will pick up on that. No doubt there is terrible MS bias in the press but anyone writing articles on tuesday will surely mention both and have to say that apple’s blah blah is available now, whilst Microsofts thingy won’t be out for god knows how long. Even worse (for MS) would be if they are actually similar products and apple has theirs out sooner.
“a buggy piece of junk”
….give it a break. People recognize BS when they see it and when you make such an absurd comment those who use and like Microsoft products will pay even less attention to you. The goal of winning converts becomes that much harder because they’ll think you’re full of it. And they’d be right.
http://kevintwodotoh.com/2006/02/25/hardware/origami-video-the-real-deal.html
What would be REALLY funny is if M$ announces a similar product to Apple but Apple’s is $200 cheaper and avaialble to buy now.
God that would be soooo embarassing for M$.
hehe.
“This seems to be another example of anti-competitive behavior on the part of the big MS. Dont they have a history of anouncing similar products that dont even exist to steal the show from or actually kill startups technologies before they even take off? If this is the case they should be ashamed of themselves.”
Yep.
oh, yeah…
“REAL artists SHIP!”
under development my a$$
“Leaked video of the device suggests that it can play movies, show pictures, offer web browsing (presumably with WiFi support, but rumors also talk of 3G wireless)”
So Microsoft is looking to make a video crackberry?
Microsoft is so pathetic. They are so “Me too!”