Air Raid
2006-02-28 13:09:39 UTC
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=11959
It's looking more and more likely that MS is preparing to launch a
portable of its own to rival the iPod, PSP and other portable
multimedia devices. A new promotional video reveals the many
possibilities (including playing Halo) for the Origami portable.
Like other viral marketing tactics before it (e.g. ilovebees.com,
ourcolony.net), Microsoft's Origami Project-a site set up by MS but
that doesn't bear the company name-could be dropping hints on an
upcoming handheld device. The site cryptically asks, "Do you know me?
Do you know what I can do? And where I can go? Or how I can change your
life?"
It then says, "You will" and promises the viewer that he/she will learn
more on March 2, 2006. Interestingly, March 2 happens to be this
Thursday, the same day that certain analysts have been invited out to
Microsoft's Redmond campus to be briefed on a new technology.
"It's a 'technology' we've been invited to see," Richard Doherty, the
president of Envisioneering, a consumer electronics consulting firm
told The New York Times. "That could be all kinds of things. But a
device that is near to shipping would be surprising. If Microsoft was
working with any of the major chip makers on a new device, it would be
a long shot that that piece of information would not slip out until the
product was almost ready."
Furthermore, what appears to be a promotional video for a Microsoft
handheld PC tablet-like device (with touchscreen & stylus) surfaced on
the site of video production firm Digital Kitchen. The video, which has
since been taken down, clearly shows a device labeled "Origami" being
used by people to surf the web, listen to music, use Windows Media
Center type capabilities, edit photos, utilize GPS functions and even
play video games. In fact, one part of the video shows Halo playing on
the device, indicating that "Origami" could very well be the "Xboy"
handheld that has been rumored for so long. Thanks to YouTube.com, you
should still be able to catch the video here.
Apparently that video is fairly old, however. A Microsoft spokeswoman
confirmed to Silicon.com that the "Origami" device is for real, but
that the video does not represent the final result of the project.
"While Origami is a concept we've been working on with partners, please
know that the video seen on Digital Kitchen's web site is a year old
and represents our initial exploration into this form factor, including
possible uses and scenarios," she said.
A BusinessWeek article from late January also suggested that Microsoft
was preparing to enter the portable business, but the company has since
said that the article was nothing but speculation. Having seen the
promotional video, though, that speculation seems all the more real
now.
by James Brightman
_________________________________________________________________________
VIDEO: http://creativecoremedia.com/mso.swf
__________________________________________________________________________
http://gear.ign.com/articles/691/691935p1.html
Microsoft Handheld Revealed
Origami unfolds March 2 -- see the video here.
by Jonathan Miller
February 27, 2006 - Halo may soon be in your hands.
A video surfaced online this week that shows off Microsoft's new
handheld project, named "Origami." The tablet looks like more of a
portable PC than a dedicated handheld gaming machine, but in the video,
a young man was shown playing the blockbuster-hit Halo. Check out the
Origami video here.
handheld. In the video, Origami was used to listen to music, send
instant messages, draw silly pictures, access road maps and send
pictures online. It could be docked to a PC, used as a remote control
for the Window Media Center, used to play videogames and surf the Web
and send email and pretty much any task that is humanly possible.
Keep in mind that the movie is a year old, and is purely video concept
art at this point, reported the Seattle Post Intelligencer. We could be
seeing confirmation of the project with all the details as early as
March 2, according to Origamiproject.com, a site that is accessible
through Microsoft.com.
Rumors of a Microsoft handheld have been swirling for some time as the
company is looking to break into a market dominated by Apple's iPod.
The Origami project appears to be more of a mini, mobile do-everything
PC instead of just a music player or just a gaming system. There is a
possibility that Origami will also be compatible some way with the Xbox
360, although it's pure speculation as to if full production title or
Xbox Live Arcade games will be playable.
We'll keep you posted as more details of the Origami project surface,
but keep your eyes peeled March 2 for major details from Microsoft.
__________________________________________________________________________
http://www.tinyurl.com/nmf2z
Tuesday 28th February 2006
MICROSOFT SET TO UNFOLD ORIGAMI MYSTERY
Origami website unveiled while curious Microsoft handheld device video
emerges on 'net then disappears
11:50 Oh Microsoft, how your bonkers viral marketing campaigns
frustrate us with their surreal imagery and distinct lack of tangible
information. Imagine then, how pleased we were to see this new one
popped up onto the internet, all about the mysterious 'Origami'.
However, it seems this one's more interesting than most, with more than
a mere whiff of a Microsoft handheld device about the proceedings.
Rumour has been rife for some time concerning the company's forray into
the lucrative handheld market, with many anticipating that Microsoft
would choose to muscle in against Sony's PSP and Nintendo's GBA and DS
in the near future. Now, thanks to a leaked video from film-production
company Digital Kitchen (since removed from their site), it seems that
day might finally have arrived - sort of.
It appears that Origami is a handheld device of sorts, although more of
a bizarre PC and media-player hybrid than a gaming machine. As the
conceptual video (which has been mirrored here) demonstrates, Origami
is a portable, touchscreen-enabled tablet featuring everything from
internet browsing, email, photo editing and gaming.
Of course, it's the latter getting people excited, with the video
showing a man playing Halo on the not-entirely-svelt machine. However,
a spokesperson told website GameSpot.com that "While Origami is a
concept we've been working on with partners, please know that the video
seen on Digital Kitchen's web site is a year old and represents our
initial exploration into this form factor, including possible uses and
scenarios". So, playing Halo on Origami is merely a conceptual idea at
this point, folks.
Whatever functionality the final device will hold, it seems likely that
Origami won't be a device targetted toward the handheld gaming market
at all - rather a fully-featured lifestyle machine with gaming thrown
in as an added bonus. As for when we can expect more information, the
Origami website exclaims that all will be revealed on March 2 - also
known as this Thursday to friends and admirers.
Matt Wales
It's looking more and more likely that MS is preparing to launch a
portable of its own to rival the iPod, PSP and other portable
multimedia devices. A new promotional video reveals the many
possibilities (including playing Halo) for the Origami portable.
Like other viral marketing tactics before it (e.g. ilovebees.com,
ourcolony.net), Microsoft's Origami Project-a site set up by MS but
that doesn't bear the company name-could be dropping hints on an
upcoming handheld device. The site cryptically asks, "Do you know me?
Do you know what I can do? And where I can go? Or how I can change your
life?"
It then says, "You will" and promises the viewer that he/she will learn
more on March 2, 2006. Interestingly, March 2 happens to be this
Thursday, the same day that certain analysts have been invited out to
Microsoft's Redmond campus to be briefed on a new technology.
"It's a 'technology' we've been invited to see," Richard Doherty, the
president of Envisioneering, a consumer electronics consulting firm
told The New York Times. "That could be all kinds of things. But a
device that is near to shipping would be surprising. If Microsoft was
working with any of the major chip makers on a new device, it would be
a long shot that that piece of information would not slip out until the
product was almost ready."
Furthermore, what appears to be a promotional video for a Microsoft
handheld PC tablet-like device (with touchscreen & stylus) surfaced on
the site of video production firm Digital Kitchen. The video, which has
since been taken down, clearly shows a device labeled "Origami" being
used by people to surf the web, listen to music, use Windows Media
Center type capabilities, edit photos, utilize GPS functions and even
play video games. In fact, one part of the video shows Halo playing on
the device, indicating that "Origami" could very well be the "Xboy"
handheld that has been rumored for so long. Thanks to YouTube.com, you
should still be able to catch the video here.
Apparently that video is fairly old, however. A Microsoft spokeswoman
confirmed to Silicon.com that the "Origami" device is for real, but
that the video does not represent the final result of the project.
"While Origami is a concept we've been working on with partners, please
know that the video seen on Digital Kitchen's web site is a year old
and represents our initial exploration into this form factor, including
possible uses and scenarios," she said.
A BusinessWeek article from late January also suggested that Microsoft
was preparing to enter the portable business, but the company has since
said that the article was nothing but speculation. Having seen the
promotional video, though, that speculation seems all the more real
now.
by James Brightman
_________________________________________________________________________
VIDEO: http://creativecoremedia.com/mso.swf
__________________________________________________________________________
http://gear.ign.com/articles/691/691935p1.html
Microsoft Handheld Revealed
Origami unfolds March 2 -- see the video here.
by Jonathan Miller
February 27, 2006 - Halo may soon be in your hands.
A video surfaced online this week that shows off Microsoft's new
handheld project, named "Origami." The tablet looks like more of a
portable PC than a dedicated handheld gaming machine, but in the video,
a young man was shown playing the blockbuster-hit Halo. Check out the
Origami video here.
From the video, Origami looks to be about the size of a standard
keyboard, minus the number pad, and a bit larger than Sony's PSPhandheld. In the video, Origami was used to listen to music, send
instant messages, draw silly pictures, access road maps and send
pictures online. It could be docked to a PC, used as a remote control
for the Window Media Center, used to play videogames and surf the Web
and send email and pretty much any task that is humanly possible.
Keep in mind that the movie is a year old, and is purely video concept
art at this point, reported the Seattle Post Intelligencer. We could be
seeing confirmation of the project with all the details as early as
March 2, according to Origamiproject.com, a site that is accessible
through Microsoft.com.
Rumors of a Microsoft handheld have been swirling for some time as the
company is looking to break into a market dominated by Apple's iPod.
The Origami project appears to be more of a mini, mobile do-everything
PC instead of just a music player or just a gaming system. There is a
possibility that Origami will also be compatible some way with the Xbox
360, although it's pure speculation as to if full production title or
Xbox Live Arcade games will be playable.
We'll keep you posted as more details of the Origami project surface,
but keep your eyes peeled March 2 for major details from Microsoft.
__________________________________________________________________________
http://www.tinyurl.com/nmf2z
Tuesday 28th February 2006
MICROSOFT SET TO UNFOLD ORIGAMI MYSTERY
Origami website unveiled while curious Microsoft handheld device video
emerges on 'net then disappears
11:50 Oh Microsoft, how your bonkers viral marketing campaigns
frustrate us with their surreal imagery and distinct lack of tangible
information. Imagine then, how pleased we were to see this new one
popped up onto the internet, all about the mysterious 'Origami'.
However, it seems this one's more interesting than most, with more than
a mere whiff of a Microsoft handheld device about the proceedings.
Rumour has been rife for some time concerning the company's forray into
the lucrative handheld market, with many anticipating that Microsoft
would choose to muscle in against Sony's PSP and Nintendo's GBA and DS
in the near future. Now, thanks to a leaked video from film-production
company Digital Kitchen (since removed from their site), it seems that
day might finally have arrived - sort of.
It appears that Origami is a handheld device of sorts, although more of
a bizarre PC and media-player hybrid than a gaming machine. As the
conceptual video (which has been mirrored here) demonstrates, Origami
is a portable, touchscreen-enabled tablet featuring everything from
internet browsing, email, photo editing and gaming.
Of course, it's the latter getting people excited, with the video
showing a man playing Halo on the not-entirely-svelt machine. However,
a spokesperson told website GameSpot.com that "While Origami is a
concept we've been working on with partners, please know that the video
seen on Digital Kitchen's web site is a year old and represents our
initial exploration into this form factor, including possible uses and
scenarios". So, playing Halo on Origami is merely a conceptual idea at
this point, folks.
Whatever functionality the final device will hold, it seems likely that
Origami won't be a device targetted toward the handheld gaming market
at all - rather a fully-featured lifestyle machine with gaming thrown
in as an added bonus. As for when we can expect more information, the
Origami website exclaims that all will be revealed on March 2 - also
known as this Thursday to friends and admirers.
Matt Wales