Today is officially the conclusion of a pretty transparent viral marketing campaign by Microsoft for what they called "Origami project," but will now be known as Ultra Mobile PC or UMPC. What is UMPC then? Microsoft says it's "a new kind of computer" that "combines the power of Windows XP with mobile-ready technologies that make it easy to access and use your software on the go." In other words: it's a smaller Tablet PC.
Why is this of interest to gamers? While it might not run Halo, Game Informer reported last week that the units would be able to connect to the Xbox 360, in a next-gen kind of Game Boy Advance/Gamecube sort of way. They wrote, "Origami is expected to function as a second screen for compatible games. One example we heard specifically focused on a game in the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter vein. While you’re TV is displaying the main game, the Origami could show the first person view of another player to help with tactical planning."
Now that it's been announced, we can't seem to find any mention of 360 connectivity. Sure it would be neat, but expecting developers to put that much effort into supplementary functionality for a device that could never claim as many units as the Game Boy Advance is unrealistic. We're guessing there may be some functionality in the works while they determine how much demand there is.
For more (lots more) on the Origami check out Engadget's coverage from the beginning, including some hands-on action with the Samsung model pictured above.
