Microsoft today unveiled details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), formerly codenamed "Origami", 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 at CeBIT 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.
UMPCs are a new category of mobile PCs designed to support 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. 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, said Bill Mitchell, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows Mobile Platforms Division
"Pricing will be determined by our OEM partners. We anticipate pricing in the USD 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 USD 500 MSRP", according to Bill MItchell.
