Monday, February 6, 2006
Microsoft's Ideal Lifestyle Ultra-Mobile PC
Posted by Jonathon Watkins in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 05:00 PM
"Word is trickling out that Microsoft has treated attendees at its Mobile Platform Division partner briefing to its vision of the next generation of "ultraportable lifestyle PCs." . . . Bill Mitchell, Corporate Vice President of the Mobile Platform Division, showed a slide that outlined specs for the new PC category, including that it be wearable, always on, no larger than 10-inches, connected through 3G networks, pen-based, and have a suggested retail price of $500 or less. Sounds like something of a cross between Windows Mobile smartphones and tablet PCs (sort of like the Ruby concept PC, pictured)"
OK, file this one as 'sounds very interesting; remind me again in a year or so'. This puppy is also meant to be running a full-blown version Windows, i.e. it's a slimmed down tablet rather than a beefed up 'mobile' device. No doubt we'll get devices that can do as Microsoft want and at the US$500 level, but when? Does this sound like a good concept to you? If you had an 'ultraportable lifestyle PC' like this, how would you use it?
OK, file this one as 'sounds very interesting; remind me again in a year or so'. This puppy is also meant to be running a full-blown version Windows, i.e. it's a slimmed down tablet rather than a beefed up 'mobile' device. No doubt we'll get devices that can do as Microsoft want and at the US$500 level, but when? Does this sound like a good concept to you? If you had an 'ultraportable lifestyle PC' like this, how would you use it?
