Ultra-Mobile PC
Microsoft and Intel have teamed with three different companies (so far) to roll out their new Ultra-Mobile PC, or UMPC. You can read articles about it here and here, or visit the Origami Project (Microsoft’s code name for it) website.
The devices all have 7-inch touch screens, and use the full version of Windows XP Tablet PC. They also incorporate a new set of software add-ons called Touch Pack that improve the touch interface, including an intriguing onscreen touch keyboard. (Unlike the standard Tablet PC, you can use your fingers or thumbs for touch input, rather than the official stylus.)
This is version 1.0 of the platform, but it sure looks promising to me as an education solution. The apparent price goal is in the $500 range, but these early-adopter models will be more like $1,000 and up. The battery life is too short, too (only around three hours or so). However, if they can get the cost down to the goal and increase the battery life, these could be great classroom devices.
There’s a marketing video that got loose on the Internet before Microsoft intended, and in one part about two-thirds of the way through, a young man is using the device in a wallet-like case, with an optional keyboard in the lower part of the case:
I have to admit it makes my little techie heart go pitty-pat. A much bigger screen than a PDA, but much more portable form factor than a laptop. I hope the product is successful enough to make the transition to classroom use, because education itself isn’t a big enough market to support it. And I hope Microsoft supports its use in classrooms, unlike their approach with Pocket PCs.