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Tech industry analysts expect Microsoft to announce design details on Thursday for a new device for on-the-go computing, code-named Origami.


Tech-related blogs have been buzzing about Origami - part iPod-killer, part handheld video gaming device, part souped-up BlackBerry- since last week.
The buzz began after an advertising agency, DigitalKitchen, posted a four-minute commercial clip at a popular video website showing a prototype Origami being used to surf the Web, download music and videos, play the popular Halo video game and work on multimedia projects.
The appearance of the commercial roughly coincided with Microsoft's posting of a Web page, origamiproject.com, cryptically promising details about Origami on Thursday.
DigitalKitchen referred all questions to Microsoft's public relations firm, Waggener Edstrom.
Kathleen Callaghan, a Waggener Edstrom spokeswoman, acknowledged that Microsoft paid to have the commercial - viewable at youtube.com- produced about a year ago for internal use only.
She said it depicts "possible uses and scenarios" for Origami.
Microsoft executives have outlined Origami's basic design at two prominent developer conferences in recent months. Tech industry analysts anticipate that Microsoft will release design criteria to device manufacturers Thursday.
It is widely expected to be no larger than 10 inches, equipped with a full version of the Windows desktop PC operating system and priced from $500 to $800.
Much like the Windows Tablet PCs Microsoft introduced in 2000, the Origami will be operated with a penlike stylus, though it may also be available with an optional mini-keyboard.
Analyst Matt Rosoff at Directions on Microsoft says the device might be appealing to mainstream consumers.
"It's targeted at the consumer laptop market, which has been growing like crazy for the last two years," he says.
Origami could also help the software giant close the gap on two hot-selling competitors: Apple's iPod music and video player and Sony's PlayStation Portable gaming console.
But by trying to be all things to all consumers, Origami may find it difficult to earn "cool" points, predicts Piper Jaffray tech industry analyst Gene Munster.
"Consumers are generally bashful about trying technology they don't understand," Munster says. "Ultimately, this will prove to be a marginally accepted product."

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