ON ORIGAMI PUZZLES AND WISH LISTS

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Microsoft's Robert Scoble has a coy, "I know what it is and you don't" post on Origami, the much ballyhooed gadget expected from Microsoft and it's partners this Thursday. 

Cleverly, he puts together a puzzle-form list of what Origami IS NOT:

"Origami:

It’s not an iPod killer.
It’s not a portable Xbox.
It’s not an OQO killer.
It’s not a PSP killer.
Update: it’s not a Nokia N90 killer either (thanks to Marc Canter for asking about that).
Update 2: it’s not a Treo 700w killer either (thanks to Dave for pointing that out).
Update 3: hey, PalmAddicts, it’s not a Palm killer either."

Given that the various posts on memeorandum and other places over the last couple of weeks have intimated that the gadget does most of these things, a Microsoft wag (which I am emphatically not) might say that:

"Origami:

Is not an iPod killer, but is does music, just not as well.
Is not an Xbox killer, but you can play games on it...just not as well.
It's not an OQO killer, but you can do portable Windows PCs likst stuff on it...just not as well.

It's not a PSP killer, see comment on "Xbox killer" above...

It's not a Nokia N90 killer, and it definitely is not a cellphone, does not have a camera, but does have some PIM features, so you can do some N90 stuff, but just not as well.

It's not a Treo 700w killer, see comment on "Nokia N90" above...

It's not a Palm killer, but it does do some PIM stuff, just not as well..."

OK, so what does it do?  Well, as Robert tells us, we'll have to wait until Thursday to find out. 

But he's seen it and is ready to buy it.

I'll be ready to buy it as well, IF it does just ONE of the following things well...

1. Runs full Windows XP OS and applications in the form factor that's been hinted thus far (see alleged picture of prototype above from Engadget).
2. Runs full Windows XP Tablet PC OS and applications in the form factor that's been hinted thus far AND have a pen-driven screen.
3. Does either of the above AND has a built-in QWERTY keyboard.
4. Has either of the top two features AND has built-in WiFi for internet surfing.
5. Does number 1 or 2, AND number 4, PLUS having the option of an EV-DO wireless broadband modem from Verizon or Sprint.

If it does ANY of the above, it'd be a potentially game-changing device, but ONLY if it came at a price below $1000. 

But that's likely to be a tough order.

Guess we'll have to stay tuned to Channel 9 to find out as Scoble suggests.