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11 December 2006, 16:46
Microsoft Touch Pack (Origami Project)...What's That?
Microsoft Touch Pack… UMPC Revolution!
Today at CeBIT, Microsoft, Intel and Samsung announced their commitment to developing a product category called Ultra-Mobile PC, UMPC for short. In truth, this category has existed for some time but not with any real focus by Microsoft or Intel.
 Microsoft’s Utra Mobile PC Team discusses in detail what the Microsoft Touch Pack brings to the table in the UMPC world, including the Program Launcher, the DialKeys virtual keyboard with a twist (and it’s a good one), the Brilliant Black Windows Media Player Skin optimized for UMPCs, and a Sudoku game with Ink support in OrigamiProject.com’s Microsoft Touch Pack...What's That?
The Touch Pack is made up of five main applications/features. The first is Program Launcher. It is the launching point for applications on UMPC devices and what you see in many of the marketing materials. At its simplest form, Program Launcher basically gives the user a way to easily categorize their applications to make them easier to find and easier to open on a small form factor pc. It’s also totally cool looking!
 Another part of the Touch Pack is Touch Improvements. This is just a little utility that a user can run that makes Windows more useable on a small, touch enabled computer. It makes about 10 setting changes to Windows such as widening the scroll bars, enlarging the minimize and maximize buttons, shows folders in thumbnail view, etc. These are all things Windows already supports but makes it easy for a user to just magically apply them all without having to go all over the OS to set them.
Next is a new skin for Windows Media Player called Brilliant Black. In order to make the media playback experience a breeze on the UMPCs we built a skin that fills the entire screen on the devices with large buttons to navigate the media controls such as play, stop, volume, etc.
Yesterday we had a chance to get Otto Berkes on the line, the man behind Origami at Microsoft, as well as Dustin Hubbard, Group Manager for Microsoft's Mobile Hardware and Application Development team. We had a few things to ask about what the deal is with UMPCs and Origami, here's what we learned: Origami is a term originated from Berkes that doesn't necessarily refer to a device or specific hardware specification, per se, but to an ultramobile PC running Windows Tablet (or Vista, later) and enhanced Microsoft Touch Pack (a suite of apps and utilities meant to optimize using Windows by touch, and not necessarily only by stylus). Touch Pack consists of a launcher app that better groups and opens apps based on a touchscreen interface; DialKeys, a thumb-based text input system that uses those two onscreen touch inputs on either side; Touch Improvements, a suite of environment optimizations to make using Windows with your fingers a less painful experience; and some other stuff, like Sudoku and an Origami-optimized Windows Media skin to kind of round out the whole thing.
 DialKeys basically takes a standard QWERTY keyboard layout and splits it in two halves. It’s a little hard to describe the layout but there are lots of screen shots of DialKeys to show what it looks like. The basic idea is that you hold the device in two hands and use your thumbs on the screen to type in text. It takes a little getting used to, but people are always amazed once they use it a day or two how good they get at typing with it.
Otto made it pretty clear that Microsoft is aiming UMPCs based on Tablet with Touch Pack at the general consumer, and not necessarily as another device for the already gadget-laden mobile office -- we'll be seeing (and have already seen) initially launches by the likes of Samsung, Asus, and Founder, so keep an eye out for those today. We did ask about Alexandria, the other Microsoft buzz-video / project we saw the other day, and it sounded like a system MS was working to ease acquiring music and movies online -- is Alexandria a service that might be an iTunes-killer, perhaps? We don't know (we're working on finding out), but we do finally know what the hell Origami is, and now you do too.
 Well, that’s it for the Touch Pack in this version. We will hear from press and analysts soon, but who we really want to hear from is you—folks who have or plan to buy a UMPC. Tell us what you like and don't like about the device. We'll be listening over the coming months as we plan more cool software for the next generation of UMPCs.
Finally out in the open, the Origami project reveals a new PC technology called Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) provided in a collaboration between Microsoft, Intel and Samsung.
During the latest days the front page was totally dedicated to the Microsoft’s secret Origami project. Suppositions have been made, masses were teased with the well kept secrecy until the final result came out in the open today at CeBIT, the annual IT trade show. The project is developed in a partnership between Microsoft, Intel and Samsung.
 So the new concept is on the market. The Ultra Mobile PC was designed to be a small device with full PC capabilities. Easy Internet access and capability to adapt to any environment anywhere is what the new product is aiming for. Produced by Samsung the small touch screen device weights 2 pounds and is provided with low power consumption technology brought in by Intel. UMPC runs a Tablet PC Edition of Windows XP.
Microsoft has also announced the new Touch Pack , a new set of software built for UMPC. Only these devices will include a preinstalled version of Touch Pack which actually includes new soft for playing back media and a program launcher that makes it easier to find and run programs stored on it. Scroll bars and icons can be made bigger and also navigation through fingertip is a lot more accessible. Also available is the popular interactive game Sudoku.
Initially thought to be a response to the Apple’s iIpod, the whole marketing concept is considered to have been very intriguing. Whether we believe or not Microsoft’s official statements regarding the unexpected results of this campaign, we have to give credit to this really well thought idea. Meanwhile the device is still searching for its market place as analysts say it is too expensive for what it does and not ready to do more.
Though the new products are just out in the open, Microsoft is already working on the new generation which is supposed to run the future launched Microsoft Vista as the operating system includes touch screen support and power management features.
Source
Q&A: Microsoft Unveils Details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers
HANNOVER, Germany, March 9, 2006 – Microsoft today unveiled details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), a new category of mobile computing devices that features small, lightweight, carry-everywhere hardware designs coupled with the full functionality of a Microsoft Windows-based PC and a choice of input options, including enhanced touch-screen capabilities. The debut of UMPCs here at CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions, follows Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates’ call in 2005 for the computer industry to develop a new category of PCs that are less expensive, lighter and more functional. PressPass asked Bill Mitchell, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows Mobile Platforms Division, to discuss UMPCs and explain how these new devices are different from other mobile computers.
PressPass: What are Ultra-Mobile PCs?
Mitchell: UMPCs are a new category of mobile PCs designed to support our increasing mobile lifestyles. They support mobile-tuned user interface features such as touch, pen and dedicated buttons as well as keyboards for convenient access to Windows-based applications on-the-go. The extremely mobile nature of these devices, together with the richness of Windows PC technology, combine to create a powerful platform for mobile communications, entertainment, gaming and new scenarios such as location-based services as well. The "Origami" project is really our first step toward achieving a big vision. We believe that UMPCs will eventually become as indispensable and ubiquitous as mobile phones are today. We are working toward that goal with a sequence of advances in hardware and software. Our next step along the roadmap will take place in the Windows Vista release timeframe. But today’s UMPCs are a great choice for all those situations when you’re on the go, but need to keep informed, entertained and connected via the full functionality of a Windows PC
PressPass: Can you briefly describe the technology behind UMPCs?
Mitchell: UMPCs combine the power of the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system and other innovative new technologies from Microsoft and its partners, making them more mobile and simpler to use than previous mobile computers. For example, the new, pre-installed Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows XP software optimizes the touch screen user interface for UMPCs to simplify navigation and ease-of-use while on the go. The Touch Pack’s customizable Program Launcher organizes software programs into categories, and uses large buttons and icons to make it easy to find and open your favorite applications. The Touch Pack also includes a thumb-based, on-screen keyboard that’s touch-optimized for easy text input. It also helps improve a user’s portable media experience with the inclusion of the new Brilliant Black for Windows Media Player skin. Touch Pack software also helps keep you entertained with the introduction of Microsoft Sudoku, a highly entertaining touch and ink enabled game. While the first generation of UMPCs will run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, future models will run on Windows Vista.
Although hardware designs will vary by manufacturer, UMPCs will all feature small, lightweight designs that are optimized for mobility and ease of input. According to current baseline physical specifications, Windows-based UMPC devices will weigh less than 2 pounds (.9 kilo), with a 7-inch (17.8 centimeters) screen size that offers the user a choice of text input methods. The touch-enhanced display can be used as an on-screen QWERTY keyboard (called dial keys) to navigate, or users can employ a stylus to input handwritten information. They can also input content with a traditional keyboard, linked either by USB port or wireless Bluetooth connectivity. UMPC devices will have a battery life of two and a half hours or more, and feature 30-60 GB hard drive for storage, with Intel Celeron M, Intel Pentium M or VIA C7-M processors. Some devices may include additional built-in features such as GPS, a webcam, fingerprint reader, digital TV tuners, and compact flash and SD card readers. UMPCs can be connected through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ethernet networks. Some UMPCs will be able to connect via wide-area networking.
PressPass: Why has Microsoft created the UMPC category?
Mitchell: Microsoft has researched the development of highly mobile, small form-factor PCs for a number of years because they are so well suited to addressing the evolving needs of consumers, whose lives are increasingly mobile. We began this work over a decade ago with some of the pioneering Windows CE efforts that I helped create. As people use PCs to stay in touch, work together, manage music, store pictures and build customer relationships, they need the freedom and flexibility that smaller, more lightweight PC designs such as the UMPC offer. Increasingly, people need to perform these activities from wherever they are, and more and more, these locations extend beyond work and home.
PressPass: Why has Microsoft created the UMPC category?
Mitchell: Microsoft has researched the development of highly mobile, small form-factor PCs for a number of years because they are so well suited to addressing the evolving needs of consumers, whose lives are increasingly mobile. We began this work over a decade ago with some of the pioneering Windows CE efforts that I helped create. As people use PCs to stay in touch, work together, manage music, store pictures and build customer relationships, they need the freedom and flexibility that smaller, more lightweight PC designs such as the UMPC offer. Increasingly, people need to perform these activities from wherever they are, and more and more, these locations extend beyond work and home.
Additionally, the enhanced functionality and mobility of the UMPC category is made possible by specific technology advances in both hardware and software. Microsoft developed the concept for this type of UMPC based on our own research, combined with key new developments by industry partners. These developments include new low-power, high-performance processors, extended battery life and enhancements to Tablet PC software such as the Touch Pack interface tools. While Microsoft will continue to provide leadership in the development of this category, the creation and continued evolution of UMPCs will happen through a broad collaboration between Microsoft, Intel and a wide range of OEMs, ODMs, IHVs and ISVs. We’re excited to have such industry-wide commitment for this new category as it evolves and provides new value to a wide range of users.
PressPass: How does a UMPC differ from other notebook PCs and other mobile computers currently on the market?
Mitchell: A UMPC is smaller, lighter and far more portable than most other fully-functional PCs. UMPCs are also the first to feature our Windows Touch Pack software that optimizes the touch screen user interface for smaller form factors to simplify navigation and ease-of-use while on the go It can be used in a hand-held mode of operation rather than on a desk top, and can be used in places and situations where notebook PCs can’t. It also has a more flexible set of interaction and input methods, including a touch screen, stylus and hardware controls. A UMPC can easily be synchronized with a non-mobile, larger, primary PC at home or work, making it easy to take music, movies, photos, and Office documents on the go. The UMPC is also different from other small Windows XP-based PCs like the OQO and the Fujitsu LifeBook P1500D, which are designed for enterprise environments.
PressPass: What is the price of a UMPC and when will they be available?
Mitchell: Pricing will be determined by our OEM partners. We anticipate pricing in the US$599-$999 price-range. Part of our objective in creating the original reference design for the UMPC category was to engineer a platform that’s both very compact and, through careful component choice, possible to sell for $500 MSRP. A number of OEMs will launch UMPCs in multiple markets in 2006. Using Intel processors, we anticipate UMPCs from Founder and Samsung in the second quarter of 2006, with a model debuting from Asus shortly thereafter. Models using the VIA processor are expected to arrive from TabletKiosk and PaceBlade Japan, also in the second quarter of 2006.
PressPass: How is Microsoft supporting developer efforts related to the UMPC?
Mitchell: Because the UMPC runs the Windows XP operating system, software developers who already target Windows XP will be able to utilize existing Windows development knowledge when building UMPC-optimized applications. Some software developers will fine-tune their existing programs for a smaller screen size and touch input. Microsoft’s premier Mobile PC Developer Center, http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobilepc, will contain user interface (UI) design guidelines, technical articles, sample code, tools and utilities to help developers build first-class mobilized software applications for UMPC as well as other types of mobile PCs. We expect to announce ISV software designed for UMPC in the coming months.
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