As was widely predicted last week, the wraps finally came off Microsoft's secretive new device, revealing not a rival to the iPod or the PSP, but rather an Ultra Mobile PC - basically an extra-tiny Laptop equipped with a touch-screen, Windows XP tablet edition, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. The new machine, now called an Ultra Mobile PC, rather than Origami, will come in several different flavours, and whilst it will be able to play games, music and other media it won't be a rival to smaller personal systems in the traditional sense. In fact, Ultra Mobile PCs look far more like an evolution of the traditional laptop than a challenge to the iPod world.

The new machines will be able to play games of course, like any Windows PC, but are far from being a dedicated gaming platform, in fact, business use seems like the most common aim of the platform given the connectivity options manufacturers are planning. Intel have been co-developing the UMPC standard, and hope to become a key player in the new market with Microsoft and other manufacturing partners.

The device, revealed at the CeBit gadget show in Europe last week, will be about the same size as a paperback book, with the model shown developed by Samsung. Asustek and Founder are also signed-up to create devices, but critics of the new device point to the lacklustre 2.5 hours battery life as inadequate. Pricing in the region of 550 - 1000 USD is expected for the UMPC. More on this as we get it.

By Luke Guttridge

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