The Ultra-Mobile PC

The ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a small, mobile computer that runs the Windows Vista® operating system. The UMPC goes anywhere, and can be used anytime, just like your current mobile PC.

The UMPC offers the following advantages:

• Smaller and lighter than traditional notebook computers
• Multiple input methods: touch screen, tablet pen, hardware controls, speech, and optional Bluetooth or USB keyboard
• Operating systems include Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, or Windows Vista Ultimate

You can hear from the UMPC team, share your own knowledge about UMPCs and the Microsoft® Origami Experience pack, and download new Program Launcher backgrounds by visiting http://origamiproject.com/ .

Quick Start Guide for Ultra-Mobile PC Development

The ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a fully functional computer that runs Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, or Windows Vista Ultimate. The UMPC offers all the functionality of Windows Vista with the additional pen-and-ink functionality of the Tablet PC. Users experience the same operating system with the same applications and features that are available on desktop and mobile PCs.

When you build programs that support technologies such as integrated Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and Ethernet, your programs are automatically extended to the ultra-portable size of the UMPC. These types of programs make the UMPC suitable for a wider range of compelling mobile PC experiences. Imagine what users can do with a UMPC:

• Connect and communicate more easily, in more places, and in more situations.
• Be productive anywhere and anytime.
• Be entertained and informed wherever they go.
• Enjoy more integrated digital entertainment experiences, like music, videos, and gaming.
• Easily take advantage of programs that can offer increased productivity, such as driving directions, shopping lists, to-do lists, and more.

Specifications for the Ultra-Mobile PC

Although the exact specifications vary by OEM, the baseline specifications for the UMPC are as follows:

• Screen size: 5-7 inches
• Screen resolution: minimum 800 × 480 resolution
• Weight: less than 2 pounds
• Display orientation: landscape or portrait
• Input methods:
• Touch screen (type or select with a finger)
• Tablet pen (write or select with a pen)
• Hardware controls (including navigation buttons, joystick, and integrated keyboards)
• Optional: add on Bluetooth or USB-based keyboard
• Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Business, or Windows Vista Ultimate
• Network connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and broadband services, such as 3G and EVDO
• Battery life: 2.5 hours or more
• Processor: Intel Celeron M, Intel Pentium M, or VIA C7-M
• Storage: 30 gigabyte hard disk drive or larger

Some UMPCs may include additional built-in features, such as GPS, webcam, fingerprint reader, digital TV tuners, light sensors, accelerometers, proximity sensors, CompactFlash, and SD card readers.

Microsoft Origami™ Experience 2.0 for Ultra-Mobile PC

Origami™ Experience 2.0 is a software package currently available only to OEMs. It includes the following programs and features that are designed for the ultra-mobile PC and its touch-screen interface.

Origami™ Picture Password —A program that you use to log on to your computer by tapping a sequence of targets on a picture instead of typing a password.

Origami™ Central —An update to the original Origami Experience program that brings together all your favorite media experiences—music, video, pictures, programs, RSS feeds, and the Internet—in one location.

Origami™ Now —A program that gives you quick, one-touch, instant access to information, all on one screen. It includes e-mail, calendar, RSS feeds, weather, and to-do lists, all according to the day, time, and your location.

Developer Information

As a developer programming for Windows, the knowledge that you have gained about Windows and the applications that you build today will transfer directly to the UMPC. Because the UMPC runs Windows Vista, all of the familiar Windows APIs are still available to you when you design applications for the UMPC. In addition, if you are a developer of Tablet PC and mobile PC applications, you already have the expertise that you gained from working with the API for pen and ink, and designing for flexible display layouts. As a Tablet PC and mobile PC developer, you also have an awareness of network and power issues that will help you optimize applications for this new class of computer.

The opportunities for the UMPC in the consumer space are exciting. Example scenarios include the following:

• Surfing the Web
• Managing e-mail
• Communicating in real time
• Mapping or following a GPS signal
• Gaming
• Playing educational games
• Keeping a journal or a diary
• Listening to music
• Reading e-books
• Creating and organizing scrapbooks
• Sharing digital images
• Searching a television program guide
• Controlling a television and other home electronics
• Watching recorded movies and television
• Watching and tracking sporting events, teams, and players
• Managing finances
• Managing food, recipe, and kitchen inventories
• Taking notes
• Managing health issues
• Managing schedules
• Maintaining a to-do list
• Managing time effectively

Developing Applications

As a developer you can create applications for this platform by using the APIs and tools that are available for Windows development today. The following are some of the benefits of developing applications for UMPCs:

Programs that run on Windows Vista also run on the UMPC. Use the full .NET Framework, Visual Studio and its tools, SQL Express, and other technologies that you are already familiar with.

The Tablet PC API for Windows Vista is part of the Windows Vista SDK. Use Tablet PC APIs for pen and ink, speech recognition, handwriting recognition, display awareness, and touch support.

The Mobile PC API applies to the UMPC. Use the standard Windows API for network and power awareness. You can find samples and whitepapers dedicated to network location and power awareness on the Mobile PC Developer Center .

You can use Windows Sockets 2.0 for UMPC applications. Windows Sockets 2 (Winsock) enables programmers to create advanced Internet, intranet, and other network-capable applications to transmit application data across the wire, independent of the network protocol that is used.

You can use the System Event Notification Service (SENS) for UMPC applications. The System Event Notification Service provides a unique set of connectivity functions and notifications in the operating system. These create a uniform connectivity and notification interface for applications.

You can use the Windows power management functions for UMPC applications. Applications that you build can monitor power status messages that are broadcast by Windows. The applications respond by preparing themselves for sleep, modifying their behavior to adapt to the power mode, or otherwise reacting to changes in power status.

Design Considerations

Consider the following issues when you are developing and testing an application for the ultra-mobile PC:

• Because of the touch screen display, limit the number of interactive elements on the screen and leave space for the user to touch the screen without accidentally activating it.
• Users may point with either a finger or a tablet pen tip. Make targets large because the finger is less accurate than a pen or mouse.
• The display resolution is small, so dialog boxes will not fit on the screen if they cannot scale to the minimum screen size.
• Make an application easier to move through by offering users the ability to scroll up, down, left, and right.
• The UMPC does not generate hover events. With the electromagnetic digitizers common in most Tablet PCs today, you can see when the pen is close to the screen. But because the UMPC is a touch device, you cannot see when the tablet pen is close to the screen.
• The edges of the screen are difficult to target. The bottom of the screen is especially difficult to target. Make sure that your customers can reach the UI that they need to activate.

The following techniques can help to optimize your application for ultra-mobile PCs:

• For navigation, use panning and flicks, and avoid vertical and horizontal scrolling.
• Build on-screen navigation buttons. Assume that the user does not have a keyboard or a mouse.
• Build in zoom capability so that the user can adjust the fit to different screen sizes.
• Ask yourself what you can eliminate from the user interface.
• Respond to changes in ambient light, because the UMPC is used in a variety of lighting situations.
• Consider that users may be viewing in portrait or landscape mode. UMPCs generally have a widescreen aspect ratio.

Check back for more samples, white papers, and code examples to help you build an awesome UMPC application or to have your existing application run well on the platform. Look for these and other resources on the Mobile PC developer center .

We encourage you to send us e-mail messages with feedback and questions about your developer needs for UMPC. Send e-mail messages to Mobile PC ISV Information Alias@microsoft.com .