Re: [News] Origami PC Fails, Microsoft to Try Again

[Jamie Hart <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Erik Funkenbusch wrote:
> On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 09:29:50 +0100, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
> > I beg to differ. The reason why people choose a portable device is for
> > portability, enabling them to do _portable_ 'things'. When the initial
> > wah-wah over the 'PC everywhere' concept is over, they opt for things they
> > do _on the go_. People are unlikely to play games while walking in the
> > street and if they ever wish to do so, the devide must be small and light.
> > It doesn't need to assimilate to a laptop or be anywhere in between. The
> > Nokia 770 is big enough already and it has even got Gogole's attention and
> > support.
>
> Does the Nokia have full handwriting recognition?  Not just character
> recognition?  Does it have full continuous voice recognition so you can
> dictate to it?  These are the kinds of things people want in a mobile
> device.  They want to jot things down quickly, or they want to record.
> Since the Nokia has no hard drive, that limits its usefulness as a
> recording device as well.  

I'm not at all sure that the general public wants full handwriting 
recognition or voice recognition in a device the size of an ultra-mobile PC.

I know they'd like both handwriting and speech recognition, but also 
know they'll accept less if the device will fit in a shirt pocket.  The 
Psion 5 devices had a usable keyboard and a bigger screen, but Psion 
still lost out to the likes of Palm, whos offering was half the size 
with awkward data entry.

Personally, I use a Sony Clie and do a lot of reading on it, so 
presumably, I'd like a bigger screen. But I carry the Clie everywhere, I 
never carry a briefcase and rarely any other kind of bag, so an 
ultra-mobile PC would not suit my needs. I'll stick to my Clie, which is 
always there, but never in the way.