Origami Unfolded: the demise of the UMPC – Analysis

Origami Unfolded: the demise of the UMPC – Analysis By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla It’s been two years since Microsoft made a bid for Ultra Mobile Computing or UMPCs with their then codenamed Origami Project. The UMPCs were next generation devices which would offer full PC computing power in a slate-like device between the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and the TabletPC form factors. UMPCs were aimed at savvy users who wanted lightweight portables that would replace their notebooks. UMPCs were also designed to have enough muscle to be used as desktop machines when hooked up to external monitors, keyboards and mice. It was an exciting proposition and some of the early prototypes offered a compelling feature sets for a traveling computer that’s no bigger than a paperback book and which can manage communications and basic computing. Already there were micro-computers from OQO and Sony which were pushing the envelope on how small a portable device could be but these specialty devices were too expensive for mass consumption. Continue for the rest of the story. Enter Origami Soon, devices from Samsung, TabletKiosk, Raon Digital, ASUS and others showed up running Vista on low-consumption VIA, Intel Celeron and AMD Geode processors. The prospects looked good and interest was apparent. The reality, however, was that the ultra-mobile platform left a lot to be desired. For one thing, the slate form factor without a keyboard was a challenge for new users who were not too familiar with the TabletPC interface. Battery life, a biggie, proved to be another stumbling block. Many of the devices shipped with batteries that struggled to cough up two hours of usage. Considering that these devices relied on Bluetooth, wireless Internet and batteries to be truly mobile, the impact of compromised battery life was palpable. There was also a wide variety of form factors, most UMPCs were slates but a number of them integrated thumb boards or keyboards but due to their diminutive sizes were hard to use. Still, small keyboard is better than no keyboard, especially if you consider that these devices are primarily for email, instant messaging and communicating via the Internet. Expectations unmet We personally had the chance to review some of these devices. While there was no denying their compact footprint, the novelty soon wore off. Working with a stylus is not for everyone and certainly not for journalists, students or anyone who needs to input large amounts of text. Cost was also an issue with most of the UMPCs, many tipped the $900-dollar ceiling that most people were willing to shell out for a “tricked out” PDA. Some of the current models cost double that, tipping the scales at close to $2,000.00 – clearly within premium notebook territory. The high cost, underpowered performance and meager battery life spelled disaster for the UMPC niche even as newer models espoused the ability to run Vista and integrated faster processors, SSD (Solid State Disk) drives and the ability to run on EDGE networks via SIM cards. The entry into the market of affordable netbooks, the first wave of which sold at the fraction of the price of UMPCs gave users a more affordable option for secondary computers. Netbooks offered keyboards, functionality that was closer to traditional PCs and lightweight Linux operating systems that managed basic computing tasks and lowered the purchase price. Two years later, the big story is the ascension of the netbook. Manufacturers are falling all over themselves trying to come out with the right mix of price and features. With all the sub $500 netbooks on the market, similarly outfitted UMPCs, often selling for three times the amount, are left in the wayside as curious odds and ends that appeal to a shrinking niche market. A Blurry future for UMPCs The fate of the UMPC is in the balance. Microsoft has not actively updated the platform and this is likely because of Vista’s perceived weakness and the introduction of the upcoming Windows 7 OS. The new OS, which is essentially Vista done right, will hit stores by fall 2009, it will be interesting to see if Origami or UMPC initiatives will be tied into this new release. You have to think though, that by 2009, the netbook phenomenon might be hitting critical mass. That, and the cloud computing direction that Microsoft hopes to take with its Microsoft Azure online services initiative might have something else in store for us. UMPCs are partly responsible for the ramping up of usable, low-consumption components and the commoditization of the computer into a personal device. All the R&D that went into Origami and UMPC certainly did not go to waste, you only have to look at the $300 netbooks made by the same manufacturers and realize that they simply paved the way for things to come.

Click to read more ...

Cloud Computing and the NetBook Phenomenon - Analysis

The concept of cloud computing has been around ever since the Internet has been able to virtualize applications and software. The big idea is that you no longer need a power hungry or high-spec PC or notebook to be productive since your storage, applications and files can “live” on the Internet. Applications like web based email (Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail) and Google Docs, which clones he functionality of Microsoft Office but which requires you to be connected to the Internet in order to use it, are ushering a new era of cloud computing which is less hardware focused yet offers universal access from any terminal connected to the World Wide Web. In theory, you don’t have to bring all your files with you since you can access them from almost any computer. Continue reading after the jump! Aside from Google, whose Google Docs and Google Calendar web applications enable web based usability, a number of other notable services are starting to spring up. Adobe, considered a software giant specially since it owns the premium design and web development applications Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver has recently unvelied Photoshop Express (https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html) which is a pared-down, web based version of the popular image editing and design application that allows users to edit images online. Multiple Access Points One of the more exciting benefits of the Cloud computing model is that you can use your applications from multiple workstations and still have the desired results. As anyone who frequently moves computers will tell you, transferring files and applications and getting them to work on your new system can be a pain. With the cloud computing model, the Internet is your computer and the hardware you use are just the terminals that allow you to manipulate your information. I have been using web based email for years. It has enabled me to avoid cluttering up my PCs with possible viruses as well as gigabytes worth of spam. At the same time, I can freely move from home to work computer without fearing the loss of data (provided that nothing happens to the server where all my mail is located). Similarly, using web based photo repositories like Photobucket and Flickr.com enables users to keep thousands of digital images and photos that can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet. EEE PC Ripple Effect If you had told me three years ago that we would have affordable yet functional sub-notebooks which were less than three pounds and that could manage most applications I wouldn’t have believed you. Sub-notebooks are considered the sportscar exotics of the portable computer world. They are certainly sexy and put a premium on form but have been known to be impractical because of their lack of functionality and their hefty price tags. Asus has changed the game with their EEE PC subnotebook, a cheaper, Linux powered subnotebook that is an ideal cloud computing appliance. Here’s a small, wireless and truly portable device that can integrate with most of the web services out there and in a short period of time a number of EEE PC wannabees have surfaced on the market. Like Asus, HP, Illus, MSI and a few other computer makers are trading optical drives, large disk capacity and girth for portability and connectivity. These are the signs of a revolution in the making which can perhaps be more successful than the UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) tablets from a few years ago which failed to impact the mainstream for lack of functionality and for their high prices. Why are the EEE PC and its ilk stirring excitement, because their built in keyboards make them useful and acceptable in both the personal computing and enterprise markets as true computers and business machines. Something that toylike UMPCs have struggled with and with good reason. Pushing technologies to the Cloud For cloud computing to move from novel concept to wave of the future, a number of technologies have to first evolve. Widespread Internet access needs to become more accessible and more affordable. City wide Wi-Fi (WIMAX) has been on the radar for four years now but no major developments have pushed it forth. There’s 3G, EVDO, HSDPA, satellite and telecom-based Internet access but they are expensive for the general public to adopt and more suited towards time-critical business applications. Offer better and cheaper wireless Internet and you will see Cloud Computing take off and devices like the EEE PC and even smartphones like Apple’s iPhone become much more than than sleek tech toys but actual personal productivity and communication devices for a new age.

Click to read more ...