What is the Origami Project?

It's got an RSS feed...

a handheld gaming device / smartphone / pda / sideshow assistant

Heh. Origami is the code name for the communicator device by National Semiconductor that was shown at Comdex. Not sure if it has any relations, but the device itself was supposedly running a Windows XP base. Gee... any relationship? You make the call.

An MP3 player that you can fold it into whatever neat shape you feel like looking around at that day.

Take that Apple.

I have a beta sitting on my desk right now. Today it is a swan. Tomorrow, I'm thinking snowflake.

I wonder how many people are waiting for Microsoft to start working on the Harakiri project...

Nice try. This is obviously Microsoft trying to pull a Transmeta: Spreading buzz by being secretive. It's not an "accident" that somebody found this page.

I was waiting for one of those scary joke pages where the naked rotting corpse all of a sudden jumps out of the page screaming and causing your heart to require defibrillation. ;-(

Source who has seen it tells me it's an ultraportal "lifestyle PC." More on my blog:
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/4680

One thing is for certain. It will be a concept :) MS can never keep quiet on any idea of theirs.
Refresh my memory- Tell me one product that MS released without telling (hyping) the public first?

When Apple promise to wow they deliver (hope they do on Tuesday :) )

Met: I know one team that's shipping something cool next week that you haven't yet heard about. We'll see if it leaks.

The thing is we're a platform company. When you're a platform company you must show your stuff to outsiders so that they can build drivers, build devices, build software, and build marketing campaigns for it.

When you don't own the entire product you'll have leaks. Apple owns the marketing, the stores, the manufacturing. It's all under one house.

Me? I'd rather have Microsoft's business than Apple's. So it isn't as "cool." That's OK.

this one ?
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS9651574...


hey, I know why the difference in strategy, Scoble :) If you are saying MS is different then why are you trying to get the love that a non-platform company gets? Try something different.

You guys are closer to google than apple - and google is slowly losing its charm - let's see where it goes.

Hmm. It's portable and it sounds inexpensive. The name implys that it might use some 'o that e-paper stuff.

BUT CAN IT RUN LINUX?? It's only a matter of time...

Meh, if it's anything like what Met linked to, I've suddenly lost intrest completely. Just another souped up phone? Bah. We have enough of those already.
*wanders off*

James: I'm sure you'll be back. But, I won't take the "break the NDA and spill the juice" bait! :-)

Its Project Wallop or at least looks like it, I saw this a few months ago the concept looked pretty cool

http://research.microsoft.com/scg/#projects

http://www.windowsfordevices.com/files/misc/228...

Even though that looks like CGI and not a photo I'll comment on the design anyway, first thing is looks like a jack of all trades but a master of none. How are you supposed to carry it around? At 71/2" long, less than 4" wide, 11/2" thick it is way too big for your pocket and even too big to clip on your belt.

Why is the display so small for a device that is supposed to be focused on multimedia? Why no outside display for a device that is supposed to be a phone? How are you supposed to hold it and be able to type on that recessed keyboard?

I hope for Microsoft's sake that their Origami is something different.

Judging by the words and graphics, I have a very sneaking suspicion that this is Microsoft, trying to get into the LinkedIn, Ryze, Ecademy space. Like we need another diverse mechanism for interoperating social networks. At least they should understand the science before they start heading down such paths.

If so, it could be a wonderful thing, gee, the start of ubiquitous social networking. But then, from an organization, that doesn't even have enum hooks... Maybe not.

q

Alright, more hype - I'll wait 'till 3/2/06 to find out what it is. I usually get hooked on MS things anyway. If it is an XP based phone device - it will definitly be a twist.

Oh lord, Robert is waving the NDA penis again.

Yes, yes, it's just huge. Monstrous. All hail the NDA penis.



whatever it is, hopefully it's priced less cracked-out than the Xbox 360. Since MS is losing money on it ANYWAY, they may as well cut the price.

Ripping off the old AT&T "you will" marketing

http://www.bradfitzpatrick.com/weblog/257/sucki...

Is that you Scoble in the second cartoon?

i wonder if MS will push the release date up since apple is set to announce new video ipod on tuesday feb 28th...

me thinks its the portable pc prototypes show a while ago... maybe slimmed down versions, and sleeker looking, ms has been making some secsy shit latelly, loved the polished look of new vista 5308... and xbox360 and its controller need a mention as another example.

also, scrobbler keep your mouth shut, its not worth it losing your job over some impatient assholes... im such a hypocrite! tell me tell me tell me!

i was gonna get a phone on tuesday after i found out about what the apple product would be but now will wait for this haha

Microsoft have probably been launching satelites all this time and now they are ready to service a whole new range of products.

So now origami is released and it is like an orgasm that you weren't ready for and at a level you weren't expecting, lol.

All of a sudden we have these cool devices available that can be worn, use IPV6 and are connected 24/7 anywhere, anytime.

Lets see...

Interesting that this little preview is a linear flash movie with zero interactvity and uses stock photography in the little circles. Even the first 12-armed image that pops out after I 'touch' the circle is a static version of 'the brain.'

I'm more intrigued about why the designer(s) thought this might be intriguing when the standard for intrigue (and interaction design) are so much higher than this today?

* * *

Ah those annoyingly hard to sort American date formats... either that, or the device should have been announced 21 days ago.

Oh and "Internet Picture Frame" on the NS device is a weak claim as on of the 'eight popular' functions... If picture frames are popular, then better make it 'nine' since it can probably can be a calculator and there millions more of those as a 'popular' device.

Maybe it's the Evil Empire's latest tactic to distract the press from the main Train Wreck:

http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/software/windows-...

So, how long before you actually ship that disaster? Mid-'07? Early '08?

Late to the party eh? You freaking WORK there, and I have a better radar. You should hang in differing circles. And this will flop, just like the Tablet.

PS - But the real upcoming PR crisis news, beyond product hype, IBM has launched discovery motions against Microsoft for SCO info. Field Day. Get ready Scoble - man the bases, load up the guns, have the PR meetings, work the talking point spin into a pure stream. Of course my advice would be to sit it out and let the lawyers handle it, but with your 'naked conversations' you are but compelled to.

You posting in the nude?
http://www.valleywag.com/tech/scobleizer/robert...

Wk1 - is here

Wait for mix06.

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IAM NOT UNDER NDA SO I WILL SPOIL IT THE PROJECT IS Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs).

So what is an ultra mobile pc? isn't that what pda's and phones are becoming?

I think MS have found Osama Bin Laden.

I think Bill is tired of the computer and software business. Due to the permanent flatlined state of the stock, this is the company's plan to fold.

Mostly will consist of a voluntary break-up into smaller pieces that other companies, Oracle, IBM, Apple, can digest if they so desire. This could have a tie-in with recent changes at Apple at least.

You heard it here first.

It's no big secret, really...

The news hit during the Tablet PC Partner gig, it's Bert Keely's ultraportable lifestyle PC. I think you were Ski'ing and WiFi'ing in Swiss Hot Tubs then. :)

It's a rebranded product from the Hanso Foundation and the Dharma Initiative. Don't you know *anything*? :)

Hi Guys,
Strange to see that nobody was able to pinpoint to the right thing....

Here my best guess.... Paul Allen(Co-founder Microsoft) runs a company known as 'Vulcan Ventures'. The company was for quite some time now was working on the concept of a MiniPC. The Origami project is indeed the same miniPC called 'Flipstart' (www.flipstart.com) by Vulcan. Just that with the passage of time the avtaar has changed.

You can find photo's and specs of the device here :
http://www.flipstart.com/aboutproduct_features_...

Word to add to "Tired"-list: iPod killer.

Yawn.

Funny, the RSS feed on the Origami website is not automatically recognized by IE7 Beta...

Could microsoft finaly be getting round to the xbox portable??

based on my take after listening to Transmetas CC last Thursday it's a multimodal UPC running on a Transmeta Efficeon CPU most likely utilizing Transmeta's LongRun2 energy saving anti-leakage technology to ensure ultra-long battery life.

Okay, as I said on Digg, what with the name and everything I'm putting my money on an E-Ink style book/document reader, with a super-detailed screen using some hyper-real newly-tweaked typeography technology from Microsoft.

You'll be able to use it to read books and documents, import or input documents from other machines via bluetooth, wifi, or infra-red, beam documents to other devices or printers, and use the display to run desktop presentations. I wouldn't be surprised if it had an input device that was optimized to its limited scope -- throw away the pen/keyboard and stuff, and replace it with two thumb controllers on either side of the screen.

Also wouldn't be surprised to see it linked to an online service to provide books, documents, or even web sites optimized for the platform.

Oh, and it will be ****way, way, waaaaay*** too expensive for what it does.

I'll be back on March 3rd to collect my money...

asdfa

My bro works in MS India. I asked him about this and he just said that I was going to regret why did I buy the ipod. Am not sure if hes being truthful here or not. But most of the times when I have asked him about future MS projects hes been on target. Lets just wait and watch.

until it's actually announced...

WHO CARES

Karma!

Go to this site www.site.com do it I don't speak english do it buy buy :)!

Well it’s not quite a mop, and it’s not quite a puppet. So, to answer your question, I don’t know.

The Touch Me reference at the beginning seems like a clear hint that the devise is touchscreen related. I'd guess a touchscreen based portable media player.

check this out:

http://swiecki.wordpress.com/2006/02/25/what-th...

Why hasn't anyone mentioned this site(or maybe i didn't see it)!!!?
d-kitchen.com click on enter, click on work, then click on brand theatre. Click on Microsoft Origami and play the video. It's very obvious what this is: A mini-tabletpc. Like i said, i'm not sure why no one has mentioned this
:confused:...

This is awesome, but i think apple found out about the origami, and on the 28th they will probably reveal their own mini-tabletpc...i would take apple over microsoft anyday, but if microsoft's comes out earlier i'll buy it.

origami revealed!

Go to www.d-kitchen.com
Enter the main site.
Go to "Work", then "Brand Theater"

via:engadget comments

http://www.pdamexico.net/content/view/2032/2/

Ummm, like I said right after the TABLET PARTNER CONFERENCE, not that anyone was listening. But for the record, I was first. Dead first. The push-up on MP3's is a bad idea; all Bert Keely's gig. See the ArtRageisms?

Gosh - last thing I want to know is that its PMC v2.

You know what's sad? That promo video sucks, I know I could do better, script and scenario-wise, and they are sucky Video Editors, jump cut de jour. And I hate things shot in HD that don't go warm film tone. Mortal sin.

Scenario One - She mixes up a vinyl gig, yet hands it off within seconds to doofus Cowboy hick (with continuity problems galore here) right off bat, Cowboy kicking up a goofy potrait in less than 2 seconds, and THIS is their lead off. Man alive.

Scenario Two - GPS Device doing Camera Photo tricks? Ummmmm please.

Scenario Three - Miss Richie Snob syncs files and then proceeds to slunk on lawn chair, Media Centering culling up yadda yadda from the room she just left and then draw in the artsy ARTRAGE an Industrial Design for T-Shirt SLOGANS?

Scenario Four - Are we REALLY supposed to believe this is a Handheld Gaming System? They take us for morons? And now hook a keyboard and it's a mini-laptop? Guess that pen ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Scenario Five - Dimwit on a bike using it as a notepad? (And those jump cuts, arrrgh). And then proceeds to phone cam trick and send back that T-Shirt slogan? Confusing. And guy is too stalkerish.

Moral of story: Spend big money with big firms, sometimes you get less than what paid for. No central theme, all too confusing, everything to everyone becomes nothing to anyone.

Engadget have some pics here

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/24/microsofts-o...

Though they're not sure what the have pictures of.

this is what you should expect to see, http://www.longhornblogs.com/robert/archive/200...

Sorry scoble plus I think I am right because I am not sure, but has Scoble posted any comments after I said what it was/is (origami project)

Hey there all great ideas guys (and women) but on the promotion website it simply says do you no me (this sujesting that its a program) and "do you no what i can do" (it can do something new we havnt seen before)
and also "and were i can go" not sure about this one but its sujesting something peculiar.

I found a video showing the prototype of Microsoft's Origami project. It was produced by Digital Kitchen which makes promotional videos for companies such as Infinity, Boeing, Microsoft.
Here's a story about D-Kitchen: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2000...

Now about the Origami video. Go to: http://www.d-kitchen.com/launch_center.htm

Enter > click Work then BrandTheatre

Select Microsoft Origami and hit Play.

It's pretty cool. This thing could be the PSP/Ipod Video killer!

Have a look at this videoclip to see some gadet called Origami:

http://www.winfuture-downloads.de/msorigami_win...

It appears as though Digital Kitchen has taken down that flash video/presentation. Anybody save it?

That's real spooky. 03.02.06 has passed anyway. I wonder what's in store for the week 2&3.

Look at all this comments. Maybe this is the origami project. who knows!

Err 2nd March, not 3rd of Feb...I though that first time too

http://www.nokiausa.com/770

Big deal, Nokia has had one out since November...

and guess what? it ALREADY RUNS LINUX. :P

- Barista (Via Nokia 770, Bluetooth, RAZR)

Some one asked earlier if the video was archived anywhere.

You can find it at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV1WGDW37c0&...
http://www.origamiportal.com/
and http://creativecoremedia.com/mso.swf

I for one think this looks cool. though it was obviously leaked on purpose.

Aww Man a double post. I suck.

Mark: nah, you got caught in Wordpress' spam filter and I approved your post and in the meantime you posted again. I'll delete the second one.

Looks like Microsoft has learned some of Steve Jobs' showmanship. ;)

One thing is for sure, if and when Microsoft releases it, 20,000 people will line up to buy it and MS will release 500 to sell.

IF you are lucky enough to buy one, remember "to reboot, hold it over your head and shake it"

So new update today, with no real info at all.
More info on the 9th - coinciding with CeBit ????
Apparently the Digital Kitchen vid is a year old according to Microsoft and was their initial look.

IT SUCKS

I'm not incredibly technical, and under no circumstances would I ever consider myself a "gadget geek," but I was really intrigued by Origami and was looking forward to learning the actual promised lowdown today.

Little did I know that when I went to the site to become further enlightened, I would be met with little more than what I already knew: nothing.

As an interested consumer (or at least formerly interested), I've gotta say, there's one sure way to help me lose my interest fast, and that's when a teaser turns itself into nothing more than *another* teaser.

Way to go, Microsoft--NOT!

Hi folks. I have blogged about the Origami quite a bit already since I was at the Tablet PC Partner briefing in redmond where Microsoft introduced this new concept for "Ultra Mobiles" devices, or "Lifestyle Devices". You can find out more at http://www.infusionblogs.com/blogs/activenick/a... and http://www.infusionblogs.com/blogs/activenick/a.... I was also quoted by Mary Jo Foley of the Ziff Davis' Microsoft watch about the Microsoft origami project at http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,2180,....
Hope this helps answer some of your questions. I have revealed as much as I could without breaking my NDA.
Cheers.

Patience is a virtue... wait for it to come out. See what it can and can't do, then buy if you like it. If you don't then don't. Easy as that... Viral or any other forms of marketing is marketing. It is made that way to sell... But it does not require you to buy it or want it... Why blame Microsoft? Let them be... After all it is their business... not unless you own gazzzzzilllllioons of stocks...

and if you think you can create better, then make one and sell it... that's fair..

I am the person you all have been waiting for. I know everything about the new origami project. If you go to the local site the home is all there with some sweet backrounds. The Codename ORIGAMI pc is not the name its like a nickname the real name is ultramobilepc. Which means that the keyboard separtes on the touch screen on both sides.It will run windows xp once made until i guess august is the official month its going to come out and origami will have that imbedded in to it. The driver for it will be on a flash drive from now on and same way driver with the falsh on desktop pc NO MORE CDS. Which is how i think what will replace cds to. If you would like some more information please reply to bwdavis_3@msn.com or if you would like to show off you talent on knowing more than me email me.

OH ya Vista is the thing thats coming out in august so sorry oh yeh you want more info on vista email me or go to the official site it self WHICH IS PRETTY AWSOME FOR ALL OF YOU VISTA LOVERS.

Hope it helps...
www.windowsvista.com

Well, we've hit july and still no change.

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Good site - you're a pretty good writer..... Very creative...

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It's from the new film of Spielberg "The beginning of the end" aka "Harajuku".

Child Origami Project Origami is a paper folding craft that originated in Japan. Using Origami techniques, you can create numberless animals, critters and other paper creations. Making an Origami whale is easy enough for beginners.

Great work . I think this is a pretty important improvement
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