Author Topic: origami (microsoft) mini handheld pc (Read 5839 times)

spreetaper · « **on:** February 27, 2006, 03:06:03 PM »

hmm what if this product turns out to be a mini pc after all .. word is they want it to run the full version of windows.. now hopefully it has a usb port and this could be slick! especially if it sells for around 500.. of course this is all speculation..

http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/4680

johnw · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2006, 04:10:10 PM »

We'll see on Thursday I guess. Also new Apple products tomorrow. Big week for tech/gadgets.

johnw · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2006, 04:17:52 PM »

video

Edit for better (downloadable) video. If the video is a hoax, it is the most elaborate one I've ever seen. Rumor is that it will be $500-1000 and have all day battery. I think it's safe to say that it will have input via USB or firewire. It's also interesting that this rush announcement/website/internet rumor came 24 hours before Apple unveils its new products tomorrow.

If this thing does run a full version of Windows, has USB, 8 hour battery and at least 10GB of storage space for under $1000 it would work extremely well for my recording purposes.

johnw · « **Reply #3 on:** March 02, 2006, 09:24:37 AM »

well more cryptic BS in the site today, then says to tunw in 3/9/06/.

spreetaper · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2006, 02:49:48 PM »

also news that intel is relasing something on 3/7/06..possibly the same thing or possibly a competiting kind of device

and that this origami device is most likely going to be released by multiple vendors one of whom is samsung..
which is where intel would most likely come in..

we shall see

thegreatgumbino · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2006, 03:30:16 PM »

Pretty cool idea. But you'd need a VXpocket to record to this device, right? Guess you'd have to transfer your recording over to a PC/Mac via usb or firewire to be able to burn it.

johnw · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2006, 04:06:32 PM »

Quote from: thegreatgumbino on March 03, 2006, 03:30:16 PM

Pretty cool idea. But you'd need a VXpocket to record to this device, right? Guess you'd have to transfer your recording over to a PC/Mac via usb or firewire to be able to burn it.

It depends on how this device is configured. If it has a PCMCIA slot, then a card like the VX pocket would work. Those take up internal space and if I was designing this, I would drop the PCMCIA slot and only have USB and or firewire. If that's the case, there are a number of products like the MiniMe and UA5 that can do at least 24/48 over USB and a smaller number that can do 24/96 over firewire. There is also the M-Audio Transit USB card that has optical in. I'm not sure that is bit accurate, but there may be other solutions for going V3>USB.

poorlyconditioned · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2006, 04:25:07 PM »

Quote from: johnw on March 03, 2006, 04:06:32 PM

Quote from: thegreatgumbino on March 03, 2006, 03:30:16 PM
Pretty cool idea. But you'd need a VXpocket to record to this device, right? Guess you'd have to transfer your recording over to a PC/Mac via usb or firewire to be able to burn it.

It depends on how this device is configured. If it has a PCMCIA slot, then a card like the VX pocket would work. Those take up internal space and if I was designing this, I would drop the PCMCIA slot and only have USB and or firewire. If that's the case, there are a number of products like the MiniMe and UA5 that can do at least 24/48 over USB and a smaller number that can do 24/96 over firewire. There is also the M-Audio Transit USB card that has optical in. I'm not sure that is bit accurate, but there may be other solutions for going V3>USB.

I hope this is a real computer, and not just a winCE/ pocketPC or whatever.

By the way, are there any of these winCE machines that have: 1) a USB port, 2) a recording program? It seems obvious, but I have never heard of this.

Richard

rowjimmy · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2006, 07:15:04 PM »

If you go to the teaser website http://www.origamiproject.com/2/, select week 2 (link to the left takes you there), then right click outside the flash animated area and 'view source' you will see a comment at the top which reads:
"Origami Project: the Mobile PC running Windows XP"

This is promising. also, I was read somewhere that it would have firewire but obviously that's not confirmed.

macdaddy · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2006, 07:37:31 PM »

Quote from: poorlyconditioned on March 03, 2006, 04:25:07 PM

Quote from: johnw on March 03, 2006, 04:06:32 PM
Quote from: thegreatgumbino on March 03, 2006, 03:30:16 PM
Pretty cool idea. But you'd need a VXpocket to record to this device, right? Guess you'd have to transfer your recording over to a PC/Mac via usb or firewire to be able to burn it.

It depends on how this device is configured. If it has a PCMCIA slot, then a card like the VX pocket would work. Those take up internal space and if I was designing this, I would drop the PCMCIA slot and only have USB and or firewire. If that's the case, there are a number of products like the MiniMe and UA5 that can do at least 24/48 over USB and a smaller number that can do 24/96 over firewire. There is also the M-Audio Transit USB card that has optical in. I'm not sure that is bit accurate, but there may be other solutions for going V3>USB.

I hope this is a real computer, and not just a winCE/ pocketPC or whatever.

By the way, are there any of these winCE machines that have: 1) a USB port, 2) a recording program? It seems obvious, but I have never heard of this.

Richard

i dont know if any of the little guys have usb...

as for a recording program, i use live2496, and it is fine. i use an older version, too - but that is out of choice. i record to 16/48 wav via the pdaudiocard, and it works great with my handheld (pics here). now i seem to remember some chatter on the pen-recorder list about another input card/device that would work with live2496 - an alternative to the pdaudio card, but i dont remember all the specifics...

this origami looks life ms's answer to the psp and ipod video. this really would have to be able to record at 24/96 for long periods. now i think a good enough li-ion battery would do the trick, but then there is the issue of storage. the easiest would be removeable media, like sd or cf, but cf is too big (physically), and sd is only at 2gigs widely, and 4gig by special order; i might be wrong, but i have not seen an 8gig sd card for sale anywhere. i love recording to removeable media - take that card out, usb2.0 to your homeworkstation, and edit with you fave wav editor...

and i would hope this thing doesnt run full windows. i bet the processor isnt that strong. i think a ppc os would leave more useable horsepower for the 24/96 recording app. stutters and overheated cpus are not an option with recording gear...

i doubt this thing will be ready for primetime for at least a year (primetime = full time useage for critical assignments like recording live music)...

looks neat, but i still like my psp

the thing is the ferrari of handheld video playback devices. i listened to the 16/44.1 recording of something i had done last week, and the music player sounds terrific, too; hopefully flac playback will be included in the next firmware update...

for recording, i will be sticking to the handheld and/or the laptop for the forseeable future...

lonewolfrecords · « **Reply #10 on:** March 03, 2006, 11:39:46 PM »

Here's something that looks very similar to the Origami:

http://www.oqo.com/hardware/basics/

That one has both USB, Firewire, 1GHz processor, 512MB ram and a 30GB hard drive. Runs Windows XP tablet edition or Pro.

This one is expensive though. $2,000+

Would be nice if he microsoft device is less...

live2496 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 03, 2006, 11:56:14 PM »

Quote

i dont know if any of the little guys have usb...

as for a recording program, i use live2496, and it is fine. i use an older version, too - but that is out of choice. i record to 16/48 wav via the pdaudiocard, and it works great with my handheld (pics here). now i seem to remember some chatter on the pen-recorder list about another input card/device that would work with live2496 - an alternative to the pdaudio card, but i dont remember all the specifics...

Toshiba e805, a couple of older Toshiba's and the Asus 730w have USB host capability. However this is limited to USB 1.1 bandwidth.

I have plans to eventually implement Live2496 with the N>TRANS card from Maycom. However, the delivery of the N>TRANS is always two weeks away it seems.

I intend to begin work on it as soon as the hardware should arrive.

Gordon

johnw · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2006, 12:24:59 PM »

http://dpud.primarydesigns.net/a/origamibig.jpg

Bump for new photo - debut tomorrow?

Edit - I originally had the photo, but it is pretty big, so I just linked it instead.

OFOTD · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2006, 01:39:44 PM »

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/08/hands-on-with-the-samsung-q1-origami/

I have actually been following the Origami project for a few months now.

The link above is a good look at Samsungs entry into the market. These will be running full versions of XP. Not CE or MS Mobile but the full meal deal. Each vendor will specify what hardware they do or do not have (i.e. firewire, usb, qwerty, touch screens, etc.) Depending on what vedors do as far as digital audio in these devices I could very much see a SPDIF in/out one on of these. Some vedors will be making these to target the portable Media Center aspect to use with MCE2005, SlingBox, TiVo, etc.

cpatch · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2006, 01:46:42 PM »

Unless MS is going to roll out some major software support to go along with the hardware I just don't see it as a big deal. I'd love to see a full media-editing center in this form factor if the price is right but it's going to take more than just hardware to do it.

Craig

johnw · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2006, 05:51:29 PM »

I think this is a big deal only if they can price it around $500 and it has 8+ hours of battery life. Then, I think this would be fantastic. And in the picture below, it shows a USB input, so a UA5 or MME>Oragami would be a great priced 24bit recording option.

terrapinj · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2006, 07:02:18 PM »

Quote from: johnw on March 08, 2006, 05:51:29 PM

I think this is a big deal only if they can price it around $500 and it has 8+ hours of battery life. Then, I think this would be fantastic. And in the picture below, it shows a USB input, so a UA5 or MME>Oragami would be a great priced 24bit recording option.

looks like firewire 4-pin to the left of the usb?

johnw · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2006, 07:41:56 PM »

Didn't even notice that, but I think you are right.

johnw · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2006, 07:18:43 AM »

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/umpc/hardware.mspx

Site now active and displaying both Asus and Samsung models, so this isn't apparently going to be harware built by Microsoft.

Edit: According to msnbc, there will be 3 models, the Samsung and Asus will be available in April for between $600-1000 and will have USB 2 with some models having SD and CF slots. Unfortunately battery life is only 2.5-3 hours.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11732808/page/2/

Kind of dissapointed by the battery life as this won't be great for taping, but still possibly a nice portable pc at a decent price.

rowjimmy · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2006, 12:35:09 PM »

Knowing this crowd, batterylife is the least of the hurdles relating to that thing.

OFOTD · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2006, 04:31:28 PM »

I think this whole concept seem promsing. I hate PocketPC's and unfortunately need my Nokia E61 to do business. While I like using my Dell 700m for 24 bit recording now this Origami general size would make me a whole lot less skiddish in the field. I hope that as the Media Center concept continues to grow in the US that we'll have an Origami device with SPDIF (RCA) digital in/out.

Kinda of piggybacking on the media center to get what we want out of it.