A UMPC is an Ultra Mobile PC. The Origami Ultra Mobile PC is a project by Microsoft that was unveiled last 2006 at a CeBIT exhibition in Hanover, Germany. Initially, Microsoft code named the project 'Project Origami'. Microsoft decided to keep the name as it was popularized by the media. The Origami ultra mobile PC is a $1000 PC utilizing a standard Windows OS. Its size is between a PC tablet and a personal digital assistant.

UMPC Operating System

Although the UMPC currently runs on Windows XP, Microsoft says that the future releases will incorporate Windows Vista. Moreover, the Windows OS that is used by current PDAs and smartphones is completely different from what will be used in these UMPCs. UMPCs will essentially be using the same OS that desktops and laptops are using. They will differ only in their touch screen features.

UMPC Features

UMPCs will also be light and small. It will weigh less than two pounds and will have more or less seven inches in screen size. These devices will be much smaller and lighter than the tablet PCs currently in the market. It will also be a lot less expensive.umpc

The UMPC is designed to be the next-generation mobile PC from Windows Tablet PCs. The UMPC will include better touch screen displays with the traditional keyboard input option attached via a universal serial bus port or a Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, the touch screen can also be manipulated to display a qwerty keyboard. Unlike previous touch screen models where the stylus is the sole means of inputting data, a UMPC is designed to recognize finger inputs or any touch screen input using any other object.

UMPC will also integrate Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet networking options, remote-control connectivity, echo cancellation and noise reduction microphone technology, external monitor support, multiple USB ports, and flash card slots. Processor variety will also be available in UMPC units with VIA C7 M and Intel as possible options.

Operating system enhancements are also available in the new UMPCs. One of the examples of these OS enhancements is the TouchPack which will enhance the touch screen experience by integrating an onscreen keyboard that is thumb based, a quick program launcher, Windows UI improvements, Media Player skins, and a Sudoku game.

The TouchPack enhancement makes it easier for the user to launch programs as they are categorized by the system via large and easy-to-find onscreen buttons. The TouchPack's Dial Keys, on the other hand, enables the user to use his or her thumb to input text and control other programs. Dial Keys basically divides a qwerty keyboard into two and places the keyboard into a thumb reachable part of the unit.

UMPC Challenges

One of the remaining challenges of UMPC is extending the battery life from the current 3 hours to a full working day's 8 hours. To combat this limitation UMPCs are designed with advanced power management systems that include a multiple boot option sequence which will enable the user to quickly boot a UMPC in different modes such as multimedia use.