Death of the UMPC?

An anonymous reader writes "Remember the UMPC, that little tablet that Microsoft once called Origami? Well it looks like that Intel has scrapped the idea of promoting the UMPC, in favor of a much smaller (and less capable) Mobile Internet Device (MID). The UMPC is now heading for a market niche, where it may be replacing the tablet PC as a mobile computer for field technicians. The MID takes on the role of the original UMPC concept, but it won't run Vista."

N800

[Russ Nelson]

If you'll notice, the Intel device is very similar to the Nokia N800. It runs Linux, and uses Nokia's Gtk enhancements for touchscreens called "Hildon".

Re:Another lame MS idea crashes & burns

[Yold]

I am assuming that you are making a joke since this was modded funny, but microsoft+vendors offer all of those features (including WiFi) in smartphones. The only real advantage that I could ever see for a UMPC was the full version of Internet Explorer. Despite Microsoft's claims to the countrary, WM5 doesn't support AJAX w/o some serious workarounds for the A part of the JAX. It has very limited support for things full-blown browsers have been doing for years, for example streaming media support is non-existant despite the device having Windows Media Player.

    Someone I once met (management doochebag w/ a MIS degree) interned at Microsoft last summer. All he talked about was "Web 2.0", which to Microsoft execs seems to mean internet applications. ABC is streaming their prime-time shows live and free, google and open office seem to think that web-centric applications are the future, and the web will probably become a more mainstream medium for delivering content. It is an upward trend that I think the new Mobile Internet device is hoping to ride.