Scoble made several statements about Origami today in the comments of his “Origami is not a Treo/iPod/PSP Killer post” including “tedge: it’s one of two devices he showed off at WinHec. The video will talk about this.”

SirShannon found a couple of substantive pages hidden behind the root of the umpc.com teaser site. Some content (quoted here in case the pages are removed):

QUESTION: What is a UMPC?

ANSWER: An Ultra Mobile PC is a small device that you can carry and use to access your favorite online games, videos, music, TV shows and more on the go, with the quality you’re accustomed to to when you’re in front of your PC.

The UMPC also connects you to people via email, VoIP, Instant Messaging and texting, and since it can identify its environment, the UMPC can bring you information according to your location, like the best local restaurants.

Additionally, the UMPC also offers a long battery life, so you can access your information for long periods of time while on the road.

QUESTION: Is the UMPC going to replace the laptop or PDA?

ANSWER: No. The UMPC is a mobile device designed to access online media and content on the go. It is not designed to process lots of work or write a college thesis. You have your laptop or desktop for these tasks. Instead, the UMPC is a great PC companion.

The UMPC is powerful enough to provide a great gaming, music or video experience. People will have to decide whether they want to replace their dedicated electronic device with the UMPC.

QUESTION: What is the relationship between http://www.umpc.com and Intel?

ANSWER: Intel understands very well the needs around mobility and the enthusiasm the UMPC category creates among people. Therefore, it decided to sponsor a UMPC Community website where enthusiasts could share their thoughts, ideas and comments around this exciting category and the opportunities it creates for users, developers, and customers.

———————–

A thing of the future…now!

YOU CAN get information on the hottest sales and promotions at the Mall while you drive by.

YOU CAN compare prices online while you are visiting a store and make the right decision.

YOU CAN get GPS information while driving or walking.

YOU CAN do email, or monitor work while standing in line at the DMV or at any other place you usually got bored at waiting and wasting your time.

YOU CAN surf the internet for the latest news while cooking in the kitchen.

YOU CAN download your music, videos, TV shows, photos and email, chat, IM friends…all from a small, thin device that fits in your purse! [No purse for me, please. Thank you.]

Previous entries in this series.

OrigamiPortal is back online with commentary on the new render that’s floating around.  I guess it could be a heavily skinned XP…

Scoble’s seen it.  He’ll have a Channel9 video of it on Thursday and he plans to buy one.  He says:

It’s not an iPod killer.

It’s not a portable Xbox.

It’s not an OQO killer.

It’s not a PSP killer.

Update: it’s not a Nokia N90 killer either (thanks to Marc Canter for asking about that).

I’m already heavily committed to buying this thing at launch (I’m in the process of selling my XBox 360 and accessories to fund the purchase) and I’m starving for more info.  I’ve always wanted something affordable with this form factor.

Previous entries in this series.

Has OrigamiPortal.com been shut down? Looks like it. CompuGuy1088 says a new, leaked, rendering was published on OrigamiPortal today:

Scoble says he’ll see the Origami on Monday. I wonder what, if anything, he’ll be allowed to post on the visit. Hopefully everything!

Meanwhile, there is a great conversation over at GottaBeMobile. Dennis is asking the big question: What does the Origami you will buy NEED to have?

Steve Payne has a great graph of when applications become possible as Power and Size increase. On the X axis, he has screen size (Phone, PDA, CarryPad, Mini-Notebook). On the Y axis, he has processing power.

Techno-Squirrels is guessing that Origami will be $600, 20GB HD, 7″ screen, 800×480, Bluetooth, Wifi, 512MB RAM.

Finally, I’ve been thinking about the list I published yesterday and I’d like to make some changes:

• Upgradable to at least 512 of RAM (I can live without 1GB. Vista needs at least 1GB, though, so this would be a sacrifice.)
• At least 20 GB Hard Drive. 10-15 GB would be ok if it’s all flash. Flash would really help out the battery situation. (My minimum used to be 30GB.)
• PCMCIA slot or EVDO built in.
• Touch screen that ignores fingers. Only works with Tablet PC stylus. (I used to think I wanted a screen that worked with fingers, but Paul Watson is absolutely right: “I should be able to rest my hand on it and write, writing on a pda wears your hand and wrist out.” (from comments here)
• Wifi, Bluetooth
• I don’t need SVGA out on board or in a dock.
• I don’t need an Ethernet port.
• At least one USB port
• $900 or less
• I don’t need Gyro sensors, but I think the ROI on adding sensors with the sensitivity of WarioWare Twisted! to every portable computer would be awesome for all kinds of apps.
• Basic 3d graphics
• Basic protective case
• At least 800 pixels in longest edge of the screen
• Landscape screen
• Available in March or April
• Hot-swappable battery packs (Suggested by Dr Murdoch in these comments).

Several interesting posts today:

• ActiveNick has a lot to say. He’s under NDA, but he talks about the priorities Microsoft revealed, on the record, in February. (his 2/13/06 post is great, too!)
• Martin of Tablet UML News reports that he knows something, but he’s under NDA.
• Paul Mooney has notes from a Microsoft presentation (presumably the same presentation that ActiveNick saw in February). Good stuff!
• Scoble and Dennis Rice are trying to manage their own expectations. I’m definitely guilty of pinning all kinds of hopes and dreams on this thing.

I’ve given a little more thought to what I want out of the device.

• 1 GB of Ram (or expandable to that)
• 30 GB Hard Drive
• Docking Station with SVGA out or SVGA out on the unit
• PCMCIA slot
• Touch screen that works with fingers. Don’t laugh – some screens only respond to a special stylus.
• Wifi, Bluetooth
• Ethernet port
• At least one USB port
• $900 or less
• Gyro sensors
• Basic 3d graphics
• Basic protective case
• At least 1024 pixels in longest edge of the screen
• Screen rotation – portrait / landscape
• Available in March or April

What am I willing to give up?

• Kick butt 3d graphics
• Battery life – I can live with 3 hours
• Ultra high resolution stylus input with pressure and tilt sensing
• Buttons
• SD/CF slots
• Built-in VGA port
• Built-in camera
• Built-in microphone
• IR
• S-Video Out
• CD/DVD drive – leave it out of the unit and the docking station

You can see other posts about Origami on my blog here.

Paul Hoover, apparently from the Origami team, is asking for feedback on the Origami concept with an eye towards ebooks.  The dialogue so far is in TeleRead’s comment section!

Nothing else is new on this front since yesterday’s report (Origami Report: Thursday, March 2nd 2006).