Are netbooks the fulfillment of Microsoft's Origami vision or the end of it? Two-and-a-half years ago, Microsoft launched Origami [1, 2, 3], or ultra-mobile PC, among great fanfare and criticism. The fanfare came from successful, viral marketing for a mystery product. Criticism was for pricing. Microsoft's price goal was $500 or less for the touchscreen, sub-tablet UMPC; but most OEMs delivered devices costing at least $300 more and many of them for above $1,000.

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