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Technology Stocks : Microsoft Corp. - Moderated (MSFT) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (11236)	3/9/2006 9:40:37 PM
From: Don Green	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 19789

Is Microsoft's Origami Just a Paper Tiger? Microsoft's New Ultra Mobile PC Line Has Many Asking, 'Why?' By JONATHAN SILVERSTEIN March 9, 2006 -- - After weeks of hype, cryptic advertisements and relentless speculation, Microsoft has pulled back the curtain to reveal its "Origami" project. And the payoff after all this buzz -- a handheld computer. Origami is actually line of devices that kick-off a whole new category of gadgets called Ultra Mobile PCs, or UMPCs, that run Windows XP and any software that can run on Windows. Though Microsoft spent a significant amount of effort promoting Origami, many in the gadget community are scratching their heads. "Both in terms of form factor and functionality, it's somewhere between a laptop computer and a sort of portable media player -- or high-end PDA," said Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD group. "I think that we may see some software developed for it that will establish it as a more unique option, but as of today, it's just a smaller, keyboard-less, notebook." Do consumers really need an $800 device that's too big to fit in their pocket and does many of the things popular gadgets like smartphones, PDAs and MP3 players already do? 'They Blew It' "I'm unimpressed thus far, but I suppose it can only get better," said John Biggs in an interview conducted via instant messenger. "The hype was definitely over the top and the results are sort of frustrating. Biggs is the editor of Gizmodo.com, a popular gadget blog and was onhand at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany as the UMPC made its debut. According to Biggs, this was Microsoft's chance to "pull an Apple" and take advantage of the attention the shadowy project was getting both in the media and among technophiles. "They blew it," he said. "Apple comes out with finished products that are compelling and exciting -- pulling an Apple is a good thing. In this case, [it] is an idea wrapped in a prototype." No one from Microsoft was immediately available for comment. Maybe Next Year Biggs says the headline here is "Not Ready Yet" or "Don't Believe the Hype." Rubin, too, questions why Microsoft would unveil a product they hyped so much, yet one that he feels is so obviously not finished. "Originally when Microsoft talked about this concept at WinHEC [Windows Hardware Engineering Conference], they talked about it as a Windows Vista device that will cost as little as $500," Rubin said. "I'm not sure why they decided to ship early -- I guess because they could." Both Biggs and Rubin agree that with some time, the device may prove to be more useful to the average consumer, but for now, there's little the Origami can do that devices already on store shelves cannot. And the functions that make it stand out -- like its ability to run any Windows program -- also begs the question of usefulness, they say. "I think as a consumer product, unless some compelling applications appear, people just don't need access to that many Windows applications on the go in a form factor that can't fit in your pocket," Rubin said. "What would they use it for?" No one from Microsoft was immediately available for comment.

To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (11236)	3/10/2006 2:35:07 AM
From: QwikSand	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 19789

The Best and Brightest can buzz around Redmond all they want trying to strike back at Apple's cool factor. That factor has evaded Microsoft and always will. This Ultra Portable thing is Microsoft Bob, but with chips--an Ultra Loser. It's entirely reasonable to call it a fizzle before it's released. In fact, maybe it's the best time, because after it's released we're going to stop hearing much about it. Except maybe the odd press release about how world famous ISV PeeWee's Playhouse Inc. has shipped software that makes it function as a very large and heavy but nonetheless Ultra Portable remote control. The Vole will make tons of money from Vista, and I bet the new Office will be a big winner too. I think it's a Buy...but not because of this new line of paperweights. They're just some writeoff stuff. --QS