The Intel Developers Forum kicks off soon in Beijing and the IDF website already has a lot of information available. For example. All the PDF files for the presentations seem to be available. There's a lot there to go through but the first ones I want to highlight are those that mention MID's. Mobile Internet Devices.

"UMPC transitioning to MID" is one of the PDF slide titles that jumped out at me and it looks like Intel are trying to move away from using the term UMPC for consumer devices.

I totally agree that the UMPC market will split [my previous thoughts here] but what's really interesting is that Windows doesn't really feature an operating system for MIDs. Could they be thinking about the componentized Windows XP embedded? Here's some of the characteristics that Intel think are important for MIDs.

Read from UMPCPortal

This PDF, due to be presented at the Intel Developers forum this week, goes through a lot of Linux-based MID (Intel's name for a consumer focused UMPC.)

If you're a Linux fan (Pepper, Maemo, Nokia N800) then take a look at the PDF. Its interesting.

All we need in another intermidiate device to confuse issues

I wonder if this is MS trying to prempt any monopoly type issues by supporting a minority

I was thinking M$ was literally pushing the UMPC / Origami concept into the market even though the numbers were less than their expectation.

Now - Intel joins the race in different track. This will get the pricing to some standard level - IMO

quote:

This will get the pricing to some standard level - IMO

Nahh, pricing already fixed by the small laptops eg Sony TX's

UMPC's will be pegged just under these, otherwise it makes no sense IMO