Origami Lost?

Like so many others, I have been reading every piece of information I can get my hands on regarding Microsoft's Origami project. Most recently, I took Peter Wolchak's advice and read through CNet's Origami article.

Being a techno geek, I have to say that I am surprised at how nonplussed my reaction has been to the Origami. My take on the unit is that its sort of a lost soul. Its not a full computer and its not a pda. Its just a little to big to comfortably carry in my pocket and its not quite big enough to use as a laptop computer.

According to Microsoft's own spokespeople, the Origami isn't all they had hoped it would be and I'm quite honestly not sure what they were aiming for to begin with. Is this another example of Microsoft trying to create a market for something where there really isn't any demand to begin with?

Granted, the unit is a curiosity and that in itself with sell a few units to those of us who have to have the latest in gadgets. But I honestly don't see there being sustainable demand. Based on what I have seen so far, my Treo 650 can do pretty much everything the Origami can and it has the added benefit of fitting in my shirt pocket and answering phone calls! The Origami is portable but not quite portable enough. Its powerful, but not quite powerful enough.

Being a clinic manager, I can also look at this from the point of view of medical need. There are many instances where medical professions benefit from the power of a portable PC when managing patients and working with electronic medical records. PDA's are an integral par of our practice but there is still a definite need for portable computers. Tablet PC's have come a long way in filling this need (e.g. reduced weight and longer battery life), with the added benefit of a larger screen than either a pda or the Origami. In this regard I honestly can't imagine staring at the Origami's screen for eight hours straight.

So where does that leave the little guy? It doesn't seem to do a great deal more than what we can do on our palms and it doesn't seem to quite offer everything that most of the population would want in a full PC. Perhaps I will be proven wrong but at this point I see the Origami finding a cozy place on that dusty shelf that showcases the great ideas of the past that never quite made it in the real world!

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the media and marketing hype around Microsoft's new darling as I quietly sit here writing my articles and completing ALL of my work on my Treo with the assistance of my universal keyboard.

Cheers!