Are UMPCs an overhyped trend?

PcworldlogoPC World seems to think they are, along with Microblogging and Kitchen PCs. I’ll side with them on the kitchen choice, but that’s about it. Here’s something right out of the November print issue:

"…by delivering a platform that’s too small for true productivity and too large for genuine mobility, Microsoft ensured that the UMPC was pretty much dead on arrival, and new designs have done little to around consumer interest…"

You can argue for or against the statement of course, and because personal computing is personal, the only right answer is the one that suits you best. As it applies to me, I disagree with PC World in general on this topic. I’m quite productive with a UMPC as it meets my relatively meager needs. It’s genuinely mobile and easy for me to tote around wherever I go: I haven’t once left it behind because I thought it would be too bulky for my destination or journey. Quite a bit of the rationale that PC World uses here pins the problem on Microsoft as well, and while I agree there’s merit in that approach, it’s not Microsoft that develops the hardware. Sure, a lighter OS that retains legacy Windows application compatibility would go a long way here, but you can’t pin the entire blame on Microsoft in this case. In fact, I think the entire "Origami 1.0" platform spurred hardware and software design for the small device class, so "overhyped"? I don’t think so…

That’s my take on the statement as it applies to me. How about you?

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