“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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Apple to hold special media event next Tuesday – February 21, 2006
