Microsoft is building up hype before its launch of the much-speculated new product, 'Origami'. There has been quite a lot of speculation as to what exactly this is (engadget, windowsfordevices, gizmodo, origamiportal), and Microsoft is taking an unusual marketing route (IMHO) of being extra secretive about the actual details.
The official Microsoft Origami site has a cool, but non-informative flash app that says, "I am everywhere you are, but never in the way" (not exactly, but something like it). It also says, it will be announced on March 9th.
Interestingly enough, in this News.com article, it is revealed that there are more information than just that in their website:
"...right-clicking outside the flash animation of the main Web page and viewing the source code provides this: "Origami Project: the Mobile PC running Windows XP."
So, it IS going to be running XP! I am not sure if this is a bug or a feature, but I'd like to believe it was intended, clever marketing - it becomes a much bigger issue this way.
This type of marketing is what Apple has mastered, and I'm glad to see Microsoft finally doing something cool. However, what makes Apple so successful is how they keep over-delivering the expectations. (Until two days ago, that is) Another thing is that when Apple finally announces something, it is usually available at the store the next day (or week). If Microsoft can do both of these this time, I really think it will help them get back a lot of people's confidence again.
I know there are many people out there who are skeptic about anything that Microsoft does (who usually happens to be the ones who gets excited about anything google does), but I am trying to be really optimistic here. The market has been waiting for a replacement for a PDA for too long.
If this thing is light enough, small (but not too small) enough, and is running Windows XP, I'll definitely be one of the first to buy it. I am a strong believer in a between-notebook-and-pda device.
03.07.06 11AM
The hype continues to add up:
3/3 Blogs continue Origami guessing game
3/4 Week in review: Unfolding Origami
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