Microsoft handheld glimpsed – Gaming functionality and 360 link considered a cert

Still looks like a crappy tablet PC to me. I don't see what's new. And if it's going be that and have all the functionality of a laptop, it's gonna be expensive. I give it two preview thumbs down!

We'll see how the Cockwagon(tm) markets this...

I refer the above to my previous post.

"Bill Mitchell, vice president of mobile platforms at Microsoft, said a couple of weeks ago at a conference that Microsoft hopes the handheld devices can sell for $500 to $800. That's much cheaper than similar Windows handhelds from San Francisco's OQO, which sells its device for $1,900 and up."

Admittedly it doesn't satisfy Vault 13's argument that it'll be a crappy laptop - indeed the hardware restrictions (e.g. no dvd, keyboards appearing to be optional) to keep the cost down does remove some functionality. As has already been mentioned this is beginning to sound more akin to a quasi large video ipod/gaming device/ mobile media centre. It really depends how they're going to market it.

Also from what I've gathered from gamingsteve's latest podcast and the above article, it seems that rather then developing their own hardware MS will be developing origami as an OS for these handheld devices. Intel also appears to be one of the manufacturers. Make of this what you will.

all quoted from a post suggesting Intel are releasing info next tuesday:



"The key feature of the new devices, Graff said, is the ability to get the full Internet, with plug-ins and other advanced Web features. Entertainment--including music, movies and TV--is probably the second biggest selling point, he said.

Although Intel has consumers in mind for the Ultra Mobile PCs, Graff said he expects technology enthusiasts, as well as some niche business and education customers, to be the most likely buyers of the first generation of devices, which will sell for under $1,000.

"We expect this to be a real consumer product and to do that, you have to be able to hit real consumer price points," he said.

Intel also found in its testing that the devices appeal to active mothers, who, the chipmaker learned, have schedules similar to corporate road warriors.