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The last few days have been interesting for the mobile industry. First, we hear a rumor that Microsoft will release a Halo 2 capable portable device.

Intel probably thought this was a good time also for them to announce new Origami-like devices.

Then Gizmodo brought pictures of what they believe to be the Origami.

So, what exactly is the Origami? It seems to be a portable media device that runs a special version of Windows XP (yes folks, yet another different version of Windows) with a 7″ screen (which will supposedly be 3″ bigger than Apple’s next video iPod) and can still fit inside a pocket, well, according to Microsoft anyway. Supposedly, it can also play some games, but with the rumored 800 Mhz Centrino processors announced for early Intel-like devices, I very much doubt it will be able to pull it off.

Basically, I think that Microsoft is trying to set a new market for portable devices. Something that will stand between a PDA and an ultra-portable laptop… even though, Sony has already released an Origami-like device for quite a while now that runs any “real” Windows XP and not some tuned-down version of it. Why will (or should) Microsoft succeed where Sony has “failed” ? Well, that depends on what exactly they bring out. Do we really need/want a smaller laptop? There are already good alternatives for someone that wants a quick surf on the internet like some Nokia tablet devices or a PDA like the Life Drive.

So basically we’re getting a device that “isn’t” a computer, nor a PSP, nor an iPod, nor a PDA, nor a laptop. But a mix of all of those with different parts of each. Will that idea stick? Well, in my case folks, it certainly won’t with the current pants I’m wearing, the PSP is hard enough to carry in them as it is, but we got to hand it to Microsoft for finding a new ground to set market where “no one” has gone before. Question is, will there be an audience?

And more importantly, why do I get the feeling that as soon as Apple announces the next iPod everyone will forget about the Origami?