Gaming Forums => General Gaming => Topic started by: Talon on February 27, 2006, 03:38:25 PM
Title: Microsoft Origami
Post by: Talon on February 27, 2006, 03:38:25 PM
It was only a matter of time before Microsoft entered the handheld arena!!
But this thing is massive LYNX eat your heart out. -Image pulled for leeching bandwidth-
This looks like it will be extremely uncomfortable to use to with those button arrangements not to mention the weight of this beast. -Image pulled for leeching bandwidth-
I definately cant see the average video game consumer buying this piece of trollops!
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on February 27, 2006, 03:47:28 PM
It has to stop.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: KnowsNothing on February 27, 2006, 03:51:09 PM
Looks very....uhh, unnecessary. I don't see how anyone could possibly play Halo on this thing, but looks at the button layout I'm pretty sure it isn't the Xbox version anyway. This isn't much of a handheld gaming device, it's more of a Tablet PC. Well, it IS a tablet PC as far as I can tell, with a few extra buttons and stuff.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: Artimus on February 27, 2006, 04:02:48 PM
It's not a portable gaming device. It's a portable computer. It's not tyring to be an iPod or a handheld, it's a very specific device. If anything it's a mix of a laptop and a palm pilot.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: capamerica on February 27, 2006, 05:15:17 PM
I don't get why everyone automaticly thinks just cause Microsoft releases something portable and it plays videogames its going to be a handheld videogame console.
I mean Hello Microsoft is a Computer company 1st and a Videogame company like 3rd. My PocketPC plays games does that mean HP is entering the handheld console wars?
Should be pointed out that this is old, its from about a year back, I don't get why its just now coming out. The item is a cross between a PDA and a Tablet PC. It is not a game console. They just used the Halo 1 video (Yes its video not actual gameplay) to demostrate that it can be used for all sorts of things and that it has a good graphics card. The item itself was being push more twords buisness then gamers when it was first shown off.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: Talon on February 27, 2006, 06:22:30 PM
The reason why its comming out now is because microsoft is set to make a press release on March 2nd about this device.
While this device plays games it can be critiqued as a gaming device.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: Artimus on February 27, 2006, 07:19:23 PM
It can be critiqued as a gaming device, but not a portable game system.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: ShyGuy on February 27, 2006, 09:05:51 PM
Looks like a Gizmondo
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: Nephilim on February 28, 2006, 03:03:11 AM
Its gonna have halo on it, every kid will want it just for one game just like psp with gta
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: PIAC on February 28, 2006, 03:30:30 AM
Quote Originally posted by: DeadlyD Its gonna have halo on it, every kid will want it just for one game just like psp with gta
Except no on both accounts!
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: KDR_11k on February 28, 2006, 04:19:58 AM
DeadlyD: It's a PC so of course it has Halo on it.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: MaryJane on February 28, 2006, 04:40:45 AM
I think it's rather funny that they gave this a japanese name, when I don't think the any japanese person would buy it seeing how they have much better tablet pc's than we do. this isn't microsoft trying to compete solely with the ipod. they're trying to compete with psp also, and the gb, and the ds. in terms of it being a multimedia device, and gaming system. In a couple days listen careful to how much they talk about it's graphics, and the kind of games they plan to release for it. I wonder if they'll also talk about how much this is going to cost them when only half the people who bought xbox's buy this and it flops.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: jasonditz on February 28, 2006, 05:04:14 AM
Why are so many talking about this like it's some revolutionary thing? The Origami is just a marginally smaller Tablet PC with a few logical improvements that have become available in the last few years, like bluetooth.
Now, unless they manage to totally blow away the old pricing structure, and get this thing down to around the cost of a PSP or something, I fail to see why the marketplace which failed to embrace the last two generations of Tablet PCs is going to suddenly sit up and take notice.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: Ian Sane on February 28, 2006, 06:51:57 AM
Technically this isn't a DS competitor but it almost is. We live in a portable technology age. When the Gameboy came out people didn't carry much with them beyond their keys and wallet/purse. But today almost everyone has a cell phone or PDA or MP3 player with them at almost all times. It's very common to carry portable electronics with you. The problem with portable technology is that you're limited by how much you can carry with you.
We slam the idea of set-top boxes a lot on this form but for portable technology having an all-in-one device actually makes sense. It's very inconvienent to carry several items. Having one item for virtually all your portable electronic needs is ideal. So Nintendo portables aren't really just competing with other portable game systems anymore. They're competing with PDAs and iPods and cell phones for our pocket space. Nintendo should logically consider any portable device with games on it as a potential competitor.
This one though is very large so it's not really a pocket device so in this case I wouldn't consider it competition.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: pudu on February 28, 2006, 01:00:41 PM
There has been the potential to make games using touch technology and with powerful portable power (like newer PDAs and Tablet PCs) for a long while now but it wasn't until the DS where the touch technology was truly utilized for games and caught on. I think that this is definately fitting into the confusing realm of a "jack of all traits" type device which can supposedly do anything. It might be powerful and have touch technology but will it be as powerful as a tablet PC and will people mind the smaller screen? It might have PDA software but will people want to carry this thing around? It might be able to play PC games but will people want to buy something that they can probably get cheaper for the PC AND be able to upgrade it according to new technology?
For me with all the technology and all the bleeding of technical features from one peice of equipment to the next it is hard to know wtf is going on anymore. Should I worry about a cell phone with a 2 MP camera when I could save up for an actual worth-while digital camera? Should I spend 250 on a PSP "gaming" device because it can play movies and music whereas the DS has the better GAMES. Its coming to a point where everything can do everything but only a few things do it the best so you may end up with devices that can overlap functions rather then specializing in one or two.
At least a few companies (like Nintendo) are pretty much sticking to specializing in what they do best without compromising their products. On the other hand I can see why one wouldn't want to cary around a thousand gadgets. My conclusion? I'm conused as hell and there is too many electronic gadgets on the market...
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: jasonditz on February 28, 2006, 06:36:31 PM
Quote Originally posted by: Ian Sane Technically this isn't a DS competitor but it almost is. We live in a portable technology age. When the Gameboy came out people didn't carry much with them beyond their keys and wallet/purse. But today almost everyone has a cell phone or PDA or MP3 player with them at almost all times. It's very common to carry portable electronics with you. The problem with portable technology is that you're limited by how much you can carry with you.
We slam the idea of set-top boxes a lot on this form but for portable technology having an all-in-one device actually makes sense. It's very inconvienent to carry several items. Having one item for virtually all your portable electronic needs is ideal. So Nintendo portables aren't really just competing with other portable game systems anymore. They're competing with PDAs and iPods and cell phones for our pocket space. Nintendo should logically consider any portable device with games on it as a potential competitor.
This one though is very large so it's not really a pocket device so in this case I wouldn't consider it competition.
between the size and the likely price, you'll probably be further ahead just carrying a laptop around with you.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: Nephilim on February 28, 2006, 10:38:34 PM
I think we should wait til its stats are released, I mean you can get a 1.2ghz laptop for a few hundred now in australia see if its a powerful but cheap peice of equipment or just a novelty item
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: KDR_11k on February 28, 2006, 11:39:11 PM
It's not supposed to be a PDA or a laptop, it's a tablet PC. It's a PC with an interface that consists of a pressure sensitive pen. It's smaller than a laptop so you don't have as much trouble carrying one over to another office to show them something and it's better than a PDA for painting things on it. PDAs are severely limited because of their screen size and resolution, they can't show multiple windows and have crippled software. Maybe it competes with a PDA but seriously, it's so much better than a PDA (I can tell you this without having used it, PDAs are crap for being anything more than a scheduler and block for short notes) that if you can fit one into your carrying equipment you should take it over a PDA.
It sounds like a good solution for people who can't afford a Cintiq.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: Djunknown on March 01, 2006, 05:43:47 PM
Quote One of the biggest eye catching moments seen in the Origami video was a running version of what appeared to be Halo. We’ve learned that this isn’t just the PC or Xbox disc slid into the back. Origami will apparently run its very own proprietary gaming software, and a Halo port will most likely be one of the first titles released.
And looks like its selectivley borrowing something many PGC'ers have dabbled with:
Quote Perhaps the most interesting gaming feature, however, is Origami’s ability to connect to Xbox 360s. Once connected to a 360, presumably through the USB ports, Origami is expected to function as a second screen for compatible games. One example we heard specifically focused on a game in the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter vein.
Now who tried pushing that concept before...?
Is MS seriously thowing its hand in the handheld market? Or is this a legitamate attempt at replacing the laptop?...
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on March 01, 2006, 06:09:34 PM
UH OH, it's a threat to STEEL BATTALION!
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: Nephilim on March 05, 2006, 05:04:29 PM
ok ign have stated it wont play halo
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: darknight06 on March 06, 2006, 06:27:15 AM
Oversaturated handheld market, here we come... Well, it was great while it lasted.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: MaryJane on March 06, 2006, 08:54:50 AM
something tells me the origami isn't going to have too great of an impact on anything. its trying to attack three different markets, the only one that's open for competition really is tablet pc's. portable gaming is owned by nintendo, with sony making acceptable sales. portable music is owned by apple, with a few others making acceptable sales. the origami has no wiggle room to slide into either of those markets.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: jasonditz on March 06, 2006, 12:35:36 PM
Quote Originally posted by: MaryJane something tells me the origami isn't going to have too great of an impact on anything. its trying to attack three different markets, the only one that's open for competition really is tablet pc's. portable gaming is owned by nintendo, with sony making acceptable sales. portable music is owned by apple, with a few others making acceptable sales. the origami has no wiggle room to slide into either of those markets.
Right, and the tablet PC market is laughably small. Origami is a solution in desperate search of a problem... the only question is: will Microsoft subsidize the purchase price enough that it's worth getting one as a toy?
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: wandering on March 06, 2006, 10:00:51 PM
Quote Origami is a solution in desperate search of a problem..
Just like the Revolution!
*ducks*
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: KDR_11k on March 07, 2006, 12:39:26 AM
In search of a problem? Digital sketching! There's your problem. The Origami solves it.
Title: RE:Microsoft Origami
Post by: jasonditz on March 07, 2006, 06:58:13 AM
Quote Originally posted by: KDR_11k In search of a problem? Digital sketching! There's your problem. The Origami solves it.
So does a $100 USB-port attached Wacom Tablet.
Title: RE: Microsoft Origami
Post by: jasonditz on March 09, 2006, 04:35:41 AM
OK, time to rip the Origami now that we have specs:
1. 900 MHz Celeron... what is this, the late 90's? I know Tablet PCs are generally underpowered, but couldn't Microsoft have put a processor in this thing that wouldn't make a several year old Compaq Tablet look fast by comparison? What'd Microsoft do, get a deal because it's essentially the same chip as what's in the Xbox?
2. Poor graphics... I wasn't expected a worldbeater, but it'd be nice if they stuck a low powered meaningful chipset from Nvidia or ATI in it instead of this generic garbage. Forget about gaming, even with older gamers that don't care about the processor. Seriously, this thing is shaping up to be the portable equivalent of that Walmart Lindows PC I bought a couple years ago.
3. Cost... cheaper than a tablet, more expensive than a PDA... it's not a bad price by any means, but it's not a revolutionary "sweet spot" price that makes up for 1 and 2... considering the components I'd like to think they could get these out for under $500, though I'm sure we'll start seeing closeout sales in 12-18 months that get the price closer.
4. Battery Life: Just in case you mistook cheap components for "low power consumption", think again... the battery life of the Origami is poor even for laptop standards, and downright shameful for what's really an overgrown PDA. The thing it puts me most in mind of in this regard is the PSP... sure, you can watch a full length movie, if you've got a fully charged battery or a handy outlet. Giving you 2.5 hours under a realistic workload keeps this thing from being particularly portable... and that was really all it had going for it in the first place.
If I were someone looking seriously at this, I'd look into getting a refub Compaq TC1000... it's got a comparable CPU with better power consumption, a much better battery life, a bigger screen, better graphics chip, and its liable to cost you about the same.
