HP and Microsoft develop next pc-generation
HP and Microsoft gave a furrow proof of theirs 's last prototype for the concise pc-market. The draft carries the code name 'Athens'.
The businesses present the prototype officially during the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) of Microsoft. These becomes of 6 until 8 May held in New Orleans. Athens is a streamlined desktop that according to HP and Microsoft as a hub for concise communication must serve.
The device resembles yet it mostly Apple's Cube-desktop and is based on an earlier draft that under the name Agora through the life went. It is a single console for the processing of telephone conversations, voice mails, video streams and text message. Pc-manufacturers and IT-divisions bundle often different software and hardware for these positions. The prototype of HP and Microsoft want to let see how a pc there looks forward as all these positions already in the factory become installed.
As contain the system a video conferencing-application with digital camera that also in state is connections to make with telephone networks round conversations and voice mails to process. “Developers work yet at a voice about ip-connection”, tells Byron Sands, manager advanced technology of HP personal systems-division.
Athens sees to about a 23-inch apartment panel-screen with high resolution so that it more information at the same time again is to be given. “Users will the extra space utilize round the different windows, as e-mail, word processor and web-browser, better to divide about the screen”, expects Sands.
The transparent plastic covering of the screen contain a series kleurcodede lambs for coming in e-mails or voice mails and walking video conferencing-sessions. The keyboard has furthermore a number navigationtoetsen, with which a video- to check is or audio-truce and different buttons answer to let the user telephone conversations, or the voice e-mail finished to listen.
Analysts are only moderate positive about the prototype. Roger Kay, of market investigation desk IDC, stilt for instance: “It has its advantages, but I know for instance but little men that video conferencing use during their work, And also the individual user uses this technology yet but little.”
On Athens, and Microsofts future Longhorn-operating system, based pc's will temporarily not yet on the market appeared. HP-spokesman Sands expects that this pace from 2004 will happen.
John G. Spooner, CNet