Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta...

I keep bragging that I could have written any of these UMPC reviews two months ago. Well, here's something I did write two months ago in my Obligatory Origami Post.

[Okay, so Origami has been revealed and it's everything we knew it would be, which is not much. Yes, I am glad to see the built-in game controller, on-screen thumb keyboard, and other elements I've wanted, but the prototypes show no advancements and no direction. There's nothing in the hardware we don't already have and the software improvement consists primarily of a new layout for the keyboard. And what is it supposed to do? We've got specs and interface methods. but what do they do? Obviously, I know what a tablet can do, but Joe Average needs a demo, especially if there's any hope of turning the hype into actual interest.]

Was I impressed? Clearly not. Notice my big problem was lack of direction. Microsoft would not define what it does. The reviewers could not figure out what they do. Mass hysteria ensues.

By contrast, look at Apple. They know how to build hype, but they follow it up with money-making interest. How? They tell us what their devices do. It's no accident their top-selling product of all time is their most focused device. A little focus with the UMPC would have helped a lot.