Microsoft and Intel unveiled the Ultra-Mobile PC at CeBIT in Germany today, but if you're a gamer, the device probably isn't everything you had hoped it would be. The 7-inch widescreen is nice, but instead of a portable Xbox, we have a smaller Tablet PC with an $800-1,200 price tag. Instead of Sudeki, we get Sudoku. As we learned last week, the "Origami" has no aspirations of being a mini fragbox, and will instead be marketed as an all-purpose consumer and business device. It currently runs the Tablet PC edition of Windows XP and includes a special thumb touchscreen keyboard, although Vista will sport additional features suitable for the small form factor.
No speculation has been made yet as to whether the UMPC will get a future boost in the GPU department, but keep in mind Microsoft has plans for music and movie-friendly battery life. Developers could always create scaled-down versions of games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 (as they did for Xbox), but there would have to be considerable market penetration to justify the effort. What are your thoughts on the UMPC and its potential as a portable gaming device?
Here are some other links of interest:
Engadget's coverage - "Live at CeBIT: Origami is dead, long live UMPC"
CNET article - "Reality check for the much-hyped Origami PC"
MSNBC article - "Microsoft unveils much-hyped 'Origami' PC"
Microsoft's Ultra-Mobile PC web site
