The smaller, 4.8-inch display S5 is also squatting on NewEgg’s site — the same three model names as the X70EX are there for $549, $599 and $799. Again, the base feature set is pretty standard with the options coming in for a 1.33GHz CPU over a 1.2GHz unit, hard drive or SSD and integrated 3G. NewEgg is offering some special extras on some configurations: a case, extra battery or other accessory.

It’s been over three years since the original Origami Project concept, but in my opinion, the S5 and X70EX are what we were hoping for back then. I’m curious if folks agree. Assuming you do, it makes you wonder about the original concept to begin with since these devices are generally still considered niche products. Then again, they can be found at Amazon, Buy.com and other mainstream sites these days, too. Maybe we hoped for too much three years ago? Or maybe we’re all still a little ahead of our time. I feel better thinking of it that way.

One of the highlights of last year’s CES was the introduction of the Origami Experience software for UMPCs; it was exciting to be among the first to see what the Microsoft team put together. We’re getting a sequel this year and after beta testing early versions for the past few months, I think folks will be happy with the update that the Origami Project team has put together. I suspect we’ll get a look at the final version later today at the Tablet PC / UMPC meetup, but that’s just a guess at this point. So what’s new in OE the second?

• Origami Central is the main launch-point to provide quick access with the touch of a finger to apps and services. In my opinion, the UI is more fluid and intuitive.
• Origami Now is my favorite section because you can personalize to display information that’s relevent to you: e-mail, RSS feeds, calendar events, etc… I almost think of this function as custom set of touch gadgets in a Windows Sidebar type of approach.
• Origami Picture Password secures your UMPC with fun puzzle.
• Touch settings, which we’re all familiar with from OE the first.

More official details to follow; again, I’m hoping we’ll get a hands-on of the final version later this afternoon. Meanwhile, if you have questions about the software, drop ‘em in the comments. We’ll answer them if we can and we’ll hit up the Origami Project team later today for the rest!

The slate UMPC is dead

I should make clear that my feeling that the slate is dead is referring more to the UMPC than the Tablet PC.  I do think that there are fewer slate Tablets today but it’s pretty much been that way since the launch of the Tablet PC.  Slate Tablet PCs have been mostly aimed at the vertical market from day one and outside of geeky enthusiasts that hasn’t changed much.  There are still slates being produced by those OEMs who are known for slates, Tabletkiosk, Motion, Fujitsu and NEC being the main producers of them.  These companies are doing fine selling the slates to vertical markets such as health care, the government and to casinos.  These are not the markets I am referring to when I talk about the death of the slate.  It’s the mainstream market, the only one that can produce the size of demand that would make a real difference for those companies who produce them.

History of the UMPC

Microsoft recognized a while back that a lifestyle PC with a slate form could make a splash in the mainstream consumer market.  Remember the image of Bill Gates standing up and holding a mock-up of a six-inch slate PC he called the Haiku that wowed not only the audience but even mainstream media.  It was clear from that demonstration and discussion that this little slate was groundbreaking in that it was a totally new concept, and the statements that it would one day be available for just hundreds of dollars grabbed everyone’s attention as that meant it could be a portable device that would appeal to the mainstream consumer.  Those were heady days and when the viral marketing campaign kicked off the "Origami" it was clear that the device would be a mainstream consumer "lifestyle" device, a small and thin slate that could be used for a lot of the functions that people need like surf the web, email, IM and the like.  Even though the Haiku and Origami were too far ahead of their time the excitement over such devices was genuine and widespread because it promised a device that was a radical change from the mobile computers that came before them such as the sub-notebook computer.  This was the atmosphere that launched what we know today as the UMPC, but the excitement has waned in my opinion because the devices as envisioned have changed.

Why do current UMPCs differ from that ultra-mobile slate form that got everyone’s excitement ramped up?  We have to look at the UMPC since the first generation was launched to understand that. Without exception the first released UMPCs were all slates of one type or another with a touch-screen to be used so users could interact with the interface using fingers.  Sure they were much thicker, heavier and had worse battery life than the legendary Haiku but they were a good attempt to start the process to get there someday.  Unfortunately the market didn’t understand the slate form and there was little if any attempt to show them that it could work for them.  The manufacturers of them listened to the clueless market and as the second generation UMPCs started to roll out it was apparent that the decision had been made that the slate form was not desirable any longer.  Every new UMPC released has a keyboard of some sort, from those awful thumb boards of the Q1 Ultra to the "full" keyboards of the Fujitsu u810.  It has been becoming clearer that the market wants keyboards and that’s what they will get.  There are no second generation UMPCs (and I am referring to new models and not just refreshes) that do not have integrated keyboards.  Since UMPCs currently run the gamut in sizes, from 4-inch screens to 7-inch screens, that means that most of those keyboards are glorified thumb boards even though they have regular type keys.  There are a number of these UMPCs that look like little notebook computers, and that’s nothing new.

UMPCs are not Haiku’s

The undersized UMPC with the integrated keyboard fails the original concept of the Haiku/ Origami for a number of reasons.  First is the sub-standard keyboard I’ve mentioned and just as importantly is the thickness and weight penalty over slates.  Every UMPC I have seen with a swivel screen and keyboard is at least half an inch thicker than a slate would be given the same capabilities.  Thickness is a huge factor in usability and in the perception of the mainstream consumer.  Thick and clunky = no want.  The weight of convertibles is no doubt heavier than slate counterparts and that affects the comfort and hence the desirability to the consumer.  Thinner and lighter = device I will carry with me.  Since no slates are being produced then these convertibles are all the prospective consumer will see, and even if price points get down in the hundreds of dollars as originally predicted for the Origami I don’t believe they will appeal to the mainstream market.  They are just little laptops after all, and the majority of consumers out there don’t want one.  Slates can be used in far more venues than these little laptops, I know I have done it many times.  You won’t pull out the little laptop standing in a big line at the DMV and tap out an email but you can ink one on a slate with no problem.  You can use a little slate without notice to take notes in a meeting but you won’t pull out your clamshell and tap the keys to take notes as you will look silly quite frankly.  No one will want to do this.  I see a lot of people saying they have to have a keyboard because they can type faster than they can ink.  I don’t dispute that but there are many times when typing is not possible and inking works fine.  It’s about the mobility of the device, not the ink specifically.  That’s what the original Haiku concept showed quite clearly that you could pull it out anywhere and write away.  That’s what is important for UMPC-like devices.

Only slates can be lifestyle devices

I mentioned that UMPCs should be lifestyle devices because that’s what got everyone so excited in the original viral marketing campaign.  The Haiku could be taken anywhere because it’s a small, thin and light slate and pulled out whenever needed.  Need to look up something on the web?  Your Origami to the rescue.  Need to video chat with a friend?  Origami to the rescue.  The list of lifestyle activities can go on and on with the slate because you have it with you.  That’s the big difference between the slate and the convertible UMPC which is too thick, clunky and heavy to take with you everywhere.  Or they are not fitting to be used as a clamshell in a lot of places so you just won’t take it with you.  Sure you can swivel the screen around to a "slate" configuration but it’s too thick and clunky to do well, especially with the poor inking that touch-screens are providing on virtually all UMPCs today.  So you don’t bring it with you when you’re heading to Junior’s ball game.  True lifestyle devices like the iPhone are only such devices because you have them with you all the time.  Today’s UMPCs fail that test miserably.

UMPCs are old technology

Today’s clamshell convertible UMPCs are not something new.  How can I say that with a straight face?  At their base level and primary usage configuration they are just little laptops and that is nothing new.  Japan has been producing little laptops for over ten years, you may remember the Toshiba Libretto and the IBM PC110 which were revolutionary in their day ten years ago as little Windows-based laptops that were tiny and ultra-portable.  Compare them carefully with the UMPCs being produced currently and you’ll find little difference.  Sure the hardware has evolved so the UMPCs are more powerful than those older devices but that’s about it.  The Japanese devices sold well in their native country but not anywhere else because they were expensive and quite frankly regular people didn’t want nor need one.  That’s the same problem that clamshell UMPCs face today, most people don’t need one.  You have probably seen articles on the web or comments in forums that say basically that, or ask the question "why do I need one"?  Truth is regular consumers don’t need one for all the reasons covered in this article.  A little slate however is a different situation.  Sure UMPCs today often have swivel screens and touch-screens for interaction with the PC but like I’ve said regular people don’t care.  The slate device done properly could change all that.

What’s coming down the road?

The look into the future is what concerns me, and why I am sharing this with you.  We see no slate UMPCs coming up from anyone.  I have tried to verify an upcoming slate UMPC with all the major players in this space and can’t find a single one making a slate.  Everything that is being worked on in the UMPC space has a keyboard of some kind, so the emphasis is on keyboard entry and not slate functionality.  That is very sad.  This will continue with the appearance of low-cost laptops like the Asus EEE PC and the OLPC.  They are good efforts to drive the cost of the device down to mainstream consumer levels but be aware these aren’t the lifestyle device that the slate UMPC could become.  These devices have a totally different usage scenario and this will be overlooked by OEMs who just want to sell a lot of devices.  Who can blame them for that?  This is the reason why the slate device of our dreams is getting pushed further from the development plans of those who play in the mobile PC sandbox and that’s not good for the Haiku.  There is likely only one company who might dabble in the lifestyle slate category and you know who that is.  Apple of course, but I’m not going to get into that again.

Conclusion

When the Origami/ Haiku device was pitched in the beginning it excited me as a great platform for the slate PC that is always with you.  A true lifestyle device that becomes such an integral part of the consumer’s day that it becomes as second nature to use as a cell phone.  I am convinced that properly done a slate like the Haiku could become such a lifestyle device and reach the hundreds of millions of mainstream consumers globally.  I believe it would be a great thing for those consumers too, adding benefits that improve the life of those consumers.  This is why the lack of development being done in this area by UMPC producers is upsetting to me and makes me very sad.  We’ll never get there with no one working in this area and the number of clunky devices appearing with keyboards shows my concern is well-founded.  I am firmly convinced that convertible UMPC devices will never penetrate the mainstream consumer market and that is not only disturbing but a huge limiter in the potential market size for mobile devices.  While the standard players are churning out cookie-cutter mini-laptops someone like Apple will come along and steal everyone’s thunder.  That’s not a bad thing as long as it gets done, I believe that a slate mobile PC properly done is revolutionary so let’s just get it done.  Drop the keyboards and get back on the Haiku track.

Rich’s note gets the nod today. He’s asking a general question that I’m sure quite a few folks might be interested in: "I use a Toshiba M400 Tablet at the moment and I am thinking of getting a Samsunq Q1. I wanted to ask…If I upgrade it to 1GB of RAM will it run Vista well? I intend to use it as a media player, and use outlook 2007 for email. I will not want it to replace my Tablet and won’t do anything too taxing with it."

That’s a great UMPC scenario as it becomes a companion device to another computer, in this case an M400.

My general thoughts first followed by items specific to Rich’s situation:

• I personally wouldn’t consider running Vista on a Q1 without upgrading the RAM from 512 MB to 1 GB using the simple five minute upgrade process. This is a relatively inexpensive way to boost performance for either XP or Vista. Remember that up to 128 MB of RAM can be allocated to the graphics; that means for a full allocation, you’re running your OS on just 384 MB of RAM, and that’s without any open applications. Doubling the RAM is quick and easy way to get a boost.
• Dovetailing with the upgraded RAM strategy, I’d look for a 1 GB or more flash drive to take advantage of the Vista ReadyBoost functionality. It won’t provide the boost that the extra RAM will, but it definitely helps.
• If you plan on running Vista and want the Samsung Q1 series, I’d probably opt for the Q1P over the Q1. For the extra money, you’ll get the 1 GB of RAM included, move from a 900 MHz Celeron to a 1 GHz Pentium M, and grab 50% more hard drive capacity with 60 GB of storage.
• Outlook 2007 in my Vista partition runs just fine for me on my Q1P. Remember, that model has the 1 GB and I do use ReadyBoost.
• From a media player perspective, I do run the Zune software on it as well. It’s not as snappy as when I run Zune on desktops or other full-sized Tablets, but it is very usable if you don’t mind the occasional lag in response. I’ve also used the Media Center functions in Vista; again, there can be some lag, but it’s very usable. The Origami Experience is a gem in Vista; having the 1 GB of RAM will help keep it running smooth and fast.

Based on the above recommendations, I think a Q1 (or Q1P) would suit Rich’s needs. What do you think? Should he consider a different UMPC, wait for the Q1 Ultra or just stick with his M400?

"I am looking to really utilize the handwriting features for meeting notes, etc…  I was wondering how well the handwriting works in vista versus XP tablet edition and i was curious as to which version you would purchase in regards to vista or tablet edition? Are there any major differences in operating capabilites, handwriting recognition, etc… that would make you lean one way or another? I really liked the vista origami experience but could live without if the handwriting in a tablet form was not as good in vista."

Since the hardware is the same on both versions, we can effectively just look at the software. Now that there’s a solution to the HID driver issue for the Samsung Q1 series of UMPC, I’d lean towards the Vista offering for a few reasons.

1. With the HID driver, the Q1P is now treated as a true Tablet PC by the OS, so you can leverage all of the built-in Tablet features of Vista.
2. Unlike the XP version, Vista will learn how to better recognize your handwriting over time and it does this automatically if you configure it so. You can also train it if you want to spend the time; something I believe is well worth it. XP will never learn how you write.
3. Vista offers one feature that could partially or fully offset any performance issues you might expect from running the newer OS on limited hardware: ReadyBoost. For a minimal investment, you can add a 1GB USB flash drive to the Q1P and get the boost; not so with XP.

Russ, I think there are more reasons that would lead me to Vista, but these are my main three, especially since your main concern was on the handwriting and inking experience. I’ll leave it up to the readers to point out any flaws in my logic and also to provide their opinions. Good luck on the purchase and let us know what you decide!

UPDATE: this is now working properly in XP for me, complete with the floating TIP. I ran the Tablet PC calibration tool through the Control Panel originally. Instead, you need to create a shortcut to c:\windows\system32\tabcal.exe and run it as Administrator. Frank’s directions allude to that but his shortcut didn’t work for me originally; once I created my own, I got the TIP. Outstanding! 

Assuming no conversion, meaning the price in the U.S. would be around $1,200, one would expect to see a drop in the current Q1 series, which ranges from roughly $800 to $1200 right now, depending on model and retailer. Good sleuthing Steve!

I don’t think folks are as upset about the lack of Aero Glass as they are about losing functions like Windows DVD Maker and such. While I don’t use that function on a UMPC, I can certainly understand the frustration. Bear in mind the timing of the UMPC platform: conceptually, it was started while the coding and feature-set of Vista was still in flux. Additionally, the UMPC was always meant to be a companion device and while some of us push the envelope to make it a primary device, the intent was as a secondary device. Disappointing to be sure, but it’s nearly impossible to make a device all things to all people. Anyway, there’s plenty of good commentary and thoughts around the blogosphere after the jump.

• Steve gives a warning to new buyers
• Frank wants to use Windows Movie Maker on his UMPC under Vista, but can’t
• The Origami Project forum is a-buzzin’ on the topic.

Given the recent announcements of the Q1P Ultra and HTC Shift, is there still interest in the Q1P with Vista? Bear in mind, we don’t yet have firm prices on either of these units.

"I’ve been messing around with my new toy, and I’m pretty sure tap and hold worked as right click earlier today, and now it has gone. No idea what I have done. The tablet settings in the control panel suggest it should be turned on."

If the Tablet PC settings are right, then what could be preventing the right click function on the Samsung Q1?

I took a stab at that one and wanted to share the info in case you end up with the same issue. If the Tablet PC settings are correct, it’s likely the third-party software related to the touchscreen, specifically, the "Auto Right Click" setting in the Touch Screen utility. Look for it in your system tray and double-click it to open. Click the setting tab and then tap the Option button. See if the "Enable AutoRight Click" box is checked. You want it checked for tap and hold.

While some folks may not use it, I find the tap and hold right-click method to be invaluable. Don’t forget that you can set the time length for the hold as well. In the same utility, look for the "Auto Right Click Time" on the same screen. Heh, that reminds me of the "Sleep Number" commercials….what’s your Auto Right Click Number? I’m a "400"….milliseconds that is.

Today I see that folks tried the HID drivers from the Q1P for Vista on older Q1s but to no avail. I’m going to make a bold statement and in reality, I hope I’m wrong. Really, I want Samsung to prove me wrong on the following: I suspect we won’t see HID drivers for the original Q1s. There’s a few reasons on my guess, and it’s just a guess….

1. Samsung has had the Q1P for Vista in process for at least two or three months. Even by starting with the base Q1 hardware, it takes at least that long to get a device tested and out to your retail channels. With all that time, why haven’t we seen HID drivers yet?
2. Samsung is under no obligation to provide Vista drivers. While we all (myself included) want to run the latest and greatest, the devices were never advertised by Samsung as Vista Capable.
3. Providing Vista drivers for the original Q1s, Q1Bs and Q1Ps could prove to be a support nightmare for Samsung; one that maybe they’re not willing to take. Think about it: some of these devices only have 512 MB of RAM. There are three different processors between the three units. It just becomes difficult to support a device when you have more and more configurations. They already support these three devices in various iterations with Windows XP Tablet Edition. Add Vista to the mix and you just doubled the number of system configurations you need to support.

Like I said up front, I truly hope I’m wrong. I’d love to see full Tablet functionality in Vista on my Q1P. For now, I’ll leave it in the dual boot setup with XP and Vista and keep waiting for Samsung to prove me wrong. Even if they don’t, I won’t hold it against them: they marketed a Windows XP Tablet device and that’s exactly what I have. Getting Vista 95% functional on it is icing on the cake for me.

Part two covers some utilities that Warner hasn’t installed just yet, but at this point, he should have a fully functional Vistagami device. Unfortunately, there’s a few remaining issues; two of which are similar to what I’ve seen on the Q1 as they both revolve around the display: screen resolution switching and a timeout on the digitizer. Perhaps there’s a registry key for the Asus similar to the Q1 that will help?