Report: Origami "not a portable Xbox"

As Microsoft drags out its teaser campaign, the Associated Press confirms suspicions the device is merely an "ultra-mobile PC" with limited game and entertainment functionality.

Earlier this week, the game industry was rocked by word of the so-called Origami Project, a secret Microsoft device that appears to be a portable PC with gaming functionality. The rampant speculation was kick-started by a leaked video showing what looked like a minitablet PC running Halo. Microsoft confirmed the Origami Project video's authenticity to GameSpot, but said it was a year-old "concept video," and hinted the Halo footage was for demonstration purposes only.

Then, after promising revelations today on the teaser site origamiproject.com, Microsoft merely posted a new flash movie...which makes promises of more information to come. After asking, "Wondering where to find me?" the movie shows a montage of locations: a city skyline, tropical island, a snow-capped mountain, a subway system, the interior of a car, and a long shot of Rio de Janeiro. "I am everywhere you are...but never in the way" the site tells visitors via text, apparently promising a new level of portability in the device.

Then comes the tease. After posing the rhetorical question, "Who am I?," the site says, "find out...3.9.06..." Now it seems the public will have to wait another week for the official Origami unveiling, which appears to be coordinated with the CeBit PC trade expo, held from March 9 to 15 in Germany.

However, unofficial reports have already broken about what the Origami can and cannot do. This morning, the Associated Press ran an article citing a source inside Microsoft that confirms suspicions that the Origami is merely a new line of "ultra-mobile PCs" the size of a paperback book. It says that the line of devices is aimed at "tech-savvy consumers who want a smaller computer that is easy to take on vacation, in the subway or anywhere else where a full-sized PC would seem too bulky." As shown in the leaked video, Origami machines will feature a touch-sensitive screen a la Microsoft's tablet PC line, will run Windows XP, and will be priced lower than most full-size laptops, running from around $500 to $1,000.

If that price tag seems too low for a mobile PC with a high-end graphics chip--which would be necessary to run the Halo footage shown in the leaked concept video--that's because it is. The AP article says flat-out that the Origami is "not a portable version of Microsoft's Xbox videogame console," nor is it "a music player designed to take on Apple Computer Inc.'s mega-popular iPod." According to the source, the Origami will be "less powerful than full-fledged PCs," and won't have "advanced entertainment capabilities."

However, the AP article contradicts itself somewhat, quoting its source as saying that Microsoft expects consumers to use the Origami for "watching movies," presumably on DVD. That means that the device could have enough processing and graphics power to play older PC games that don't require a high-end GPU--think Civilization III on the go. It also raises the possibility that Microsoft is optimizing less demanding versions of semirecent PC games specifically for the platform, as is now rumored. However, Microsoft reps had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

GameSpot will have more information when Microsoft divulges further details on the Origami Project next week.

178 Comments

  • ZERObaker000

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 8:00 pm PT

    another thing...
    off topic but why do people get so heated over which gaming system is better...i like them both for their own features...i just don't understand why people who are all hardcore 360 or supafly bout ps3 and then bash the other company...loosen up guys seriously...games are meant for entertainment not for online comment riots

  • ZERObaker000

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 7:55 pm PT

    the rumors truly got my hopes up...i want an xbox but more like an xbox 90...1/4 the size of a regular xbox 360 and then mash all the good fun that an xbox would hold...if only if only

  • callumohare

    Posted Sep 26, 2007 1:51 pm PT

    lmao... Oragami. boy, where'd that one go?

  • PolkaStripe

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 2:09 pm PT

    gayy

  • terdoo

    Posted Mar 16, 2006 4:31 pm PT

    That sucks,I was hoping for a great xbox portable,well I GUESS you dont always get what you want right.

  • Zerofitz

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 12:31 pm PT

    Just what the world needs, a hand-held that's over-sized and has a bunch of useless features. It also looks like it has "commercial failure" written all over it.

  • snakes2solid

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 11:36 am PT

    crapagomi!!! what a waste!!

  • Tiefster

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 8:29 am PT

    Failing time....

  • skitzocyko

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 7:13 am PT

    it is just a cheap portable pc alternative. a mini laptop.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 5:21 am PT

    i think the reports that say the origami is an "ipod killer" are rediculous. i'm guessing that this will go the way of the tablet pc. who wants to pay $1000 for something that big (small) that will be easy to break? m$ will only kill the ipod if they release something that is twice as better for half the price (which, in their right mind, won't do.....even though m$ does like to lose money when they sell things (xbox))

  • Mytharis

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 5:25 am PT

    Yeah, sure. Ultraportable.

  • MHZero22XX

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 2:26 pm PT

    I WANT ONE!!!!!

  • slayerofshadows

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 6:18 am PT

    could have just been another attempt from microsoft to scare the opposition.

  • sugreev2001

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 3:45 am PT

    Good,theycan now save face.Next,maybe they'll come up with controller that looks like a TV remote codenamed "TVREMOTE".;-)

  • mkdc

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 9:35 pm PT

    As long as it can play counter strike: source, i'll consider one seriously...

  • fantasy_freak_1

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 9:10 pm PT

    GO THE PS3! XBOX SUCKS!

  • fantasy_freak_1

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 9:09 pm PT

    THANK GOD!!!! If Microsoft released a portable games console like that they would have to be stupider than all the anti-microsoft cartoons say they are. As for computer=related things, microsoft are pretty good in that area. This should be interesting.

  • JamaicanBadBoy

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:47 pm PT

    yeah yes microsoft is okay but.......PS3 ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OR SONY SAMETHING

  • teh_werry_man

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 6:53 pm PT

    good

  • SoberWarock

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 6:23 pm PT

    OMG i just read the artical and saw the preview of it..and its so awsome but i got a psp which i really LOVE..and when i saw that this thing can play halo i was like "OMFG" the GRX must be better way better!!!! and its like a touch screen which made me SO SUPER SUPER JELOUS I AM JELOUS ....*AHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

  • Wangtang32000

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 5:51 pm PT

    what a relief

  • abelmaestro

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:56 pm PT

    mmmm...... I don`t like it >.

  • gamespotr0cks

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:43 pm PT

    I hope Sun, Apple and all the Linux companies sink this device as quickly as possible. For a laugh, here are my responses to the Origami teasers:

    Q: "Wondering where to find me?"
    A: Yeah, in the trash can!

    Q: "I am everywhere you are...but never in the way"
    A: You weigh too much, liar.

    Q: "Who am I?"
    A: Bill G's ticket to another $5 billion? I dunno

    btw, you DO know what Origami means right? It's the Japanese art of paper folding. It's not simple to do. Sometimes it's really frustrating. That's what I think this device will become. What a PR0PER name M$oft. You hit it right on da head

  • Cross_eye

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:42 pm PT

    DarthUltima
    It doesn't look like it would be good for games anyways. That guy in the video wasn't even playing he was just shaking the thing around while a video of Halo was on it lol

    lol totally ture

    otherwise it wouldve been like
    *origami OS*
    insufficiunt memory (XD)
    "but i put in an 8 gig stick!"
    insufficient memory

  • sgallagher1969

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:29 pm PT

    Too bad they wont build it. I priced out everything parts wise (except power supply) and you can build a system for just over $300 retail. And thats using a cpu 2x more powerful, a HD 4X the size and 4X the ram.

    So let's see for about $300 retail we realisticly could have a portable DVD player, ipod, game system more powerful than the PSP, and tap into the entire library of current games!!!!

    Throw in an optional wireless access card for Xbox Live and you could play halo anywhere!

    If apple can sell a $300 video Ipod MS should ceartinly be able to build X2Go with out taking a loss, and continue to leverage revenues from continued sales of xbox games.

    And MS if you don 't want to build it how about licensing the rights to me???

    (sorry about the multiple posts system was hanging)

  • sgallagher1969

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:29 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • offthechart

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:26 pm PT

    we don't need anymore portable game systems

  • sgallagher1969

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:25 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • sgallagher1969

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:19 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • rl_41

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:58 pm PT

    i have PSP, i wud still be interested in this, seems like something with potential, no matter how overdone the idea is.

  • doomsoth

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:33 pm PT

    I'm so glad that it's not.

  • chappellesshow2

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:32 pm PT

    haha go psp

  • V-Nine

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:01 pm PT

    Thank goodness its not a portable Xbox as I find the thing VERY hideous like a Tapwave gone awry. Hopefully the real thing will be big and heavy enough to fend off an attacker..like the original Xbox (long story) ;D

  • alcarazo9

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:37 pm PT

    that sucks who wants a dumbed down pc , and if it cant ply halo its not worth it.

  • alcarazo9

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:34 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • Pittfan666

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:34 pm PT

    Praise the lord!

  • Dayme

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:27 pm PT

    good trick microsoft

  • stewiegriffin78

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:26 pm PT

    Whatever it is, it won't outsell the DS.

  • ContraBandito

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 11:09 am PT

    Oh well, Its not going to be marketed at us anyway. This is obviously meant for business types. An alternative to the blackberry, without the phone features of course.

  • halo2maniak

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 10:04 am PT

    oh well

  • BullDogSquad

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:26 am PT

    Im not crying. Im actually Glad. But when I do cry the tears are green. Its actually kind of cool!

  • KevComesRipping

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:15 am PT

    Ah, man, really? Couldn't make that out from it being used as a NAVIGATIONAL DEVICE (EXTREEEEME SARCASM!!!!111!!!) I really thought it would be a portable gaming system!!! DANGIT!1!

  • XenonHID_VQ

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:08 am PT

    The Xbox fanboys are crying right now... see all the green tears?

  • shunpei90

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:56 am PT

    I think PSP will be better than this one.. even though I dun really support or like sony.. lol

  • d3L3710n

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:43 am PT

    Hm. Not too disappointing, but not too surprising either. Microsoft should clearly know that it's too late to enter into the so-called "mobile gaming" business. Well, to speculate what I mean, the PSP was--and I emphaszie, WAS--intended for gaming capabilities in the first place, but then it all became a portable, handheld CPU peripheral that you could play ROMs on, and a bunch of other stuff. So, it should make sense to Mircosoft that getting into the portable gaming world with a device such as the Origami would render it useless to the PSP in aforementioned aspects. But, I would like to admit that declaring it now as just a normal CPU peripheral without any primary gaming functions saved the Origami from any future competition that could instantly kill it.

  • gt4freak1985

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:23 am PT

    Come on its microsoft! Theyll screw up again like they did witht the 360 (YES!). Come on just admitt that the 360 is junk. Its just a sooped up crapbox and thats all it ever will be! I laugh at the fact the fact that all Microsoft has to rely on is Halo which is just totally sad considering its truly not that great of a game! You xbox fanboys cant admit that the game is only okay! I am not totally huge in console cause of the stupid fanboys! The xbox fanboys are way worse than the sony fanboys! Xbox has what one game vs PS2 20+ badboys! Oh and by the way some xbox games use ps2 graphics and textures! hahahhahahah! Microsoft will suck untill Vista ships if they dont screw that up too!

  • insane956dv

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 6:26 am PT

    Oh great, more crap

  • foxhound421

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 6:26 am PT

    didn't see that coming… *rolls eyes*

  • cyprus646

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:38 am PT

    Dosent this kind of remind u of "i love bees" ?

  • gaiden1024

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:03 am PT

    That's quite dissapointing , I think gaming would have been awesome on this device and isn't that the market MS has been talking about getting into ?

    A portable PC gaming console running standard desktop Windows. That sounds quite cool... Laptops aren't cut out for gaming by a long shot , so if someone actually put thought and effort into making this an uber game right that would rock

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