In 2005, the tech world was abuzz with rumours that Microsoft was ready to enter the hardware fray with Project Origami... whatever that was.
As the frenzy reached fever pitch, reports pegged it as an iPod killer, portable gaming console, or some sort of general media device. Rather disappointingly, it was none of these things.
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| The Samsung Q1 was a major disappointment when it was released in 2005. |
Even more disappointingly, Microsoft wasn't even building it. Origami turned out to be the underpowered Samsung Q1 - an ultra mobile personal computer built to demonstrate the Redmond Giant's view of the future.
In Microsoft's vision a UMPC is a device smaller than a laptop, but larger than a smartphone and capable of doing anything a fully featured computer can. In reality, UMPCs were too big for your pocket and not as useful as a laptop, a halfway house that nobody was particularly interested in.
This high-profile marketing failure wouldn't stop Intel trying the same trick with the Mobile Internet Device at its developer forum in 2007, though. As with UMPCs, you'd struggle to find a person in the street who could explain what one was, although Intel seems to believe you only qualify with an Atom inside.
Thankfully, at the same forum it was also touting the term netbook, which has proved to have a bit more grip. One out of two isn't bad.