It isn’t often that Microsoft announces a completely new concept in computing, Well, maybe for some of us it is too often. But last month we saw the announcement of the ultra-mobile PC, code named Origami. It is a new form-factor computer that will fall in between the sizes of a typical PDA and tablet PC, but use a standard Windows operating system and cost less than $1,000 retail.

Clearly, there is some need for another and smaller form factor than the traditional notebook PC. PDAs don’t run standard Windows OS, and many tablets are too heavy to carry around all the time. The trick will be having something with usable battery life and screen size.

I did a roundup of what has been promised for the site How Stuff Works, and you can read the entire article here. I haven’t yet gotten my hands on any units.

The challenge for UMPC vendors will be delivering a device that has the appeal of a touchscreen with the widescreen format for viewing movies with a bright enough screen that can be used in daylight. The UMPC is,unlike the current crop of tablets that come with special digitizer pens and are promised to work with just your fingers.