Microsoft explains its Zune strategy and leaves UMPC out of the picture

In this article from Todd Bishop’s blog on SeattlePI.com, Todd quotes Microsoft’s Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division, on how Microsoft sees the Zune fitting in to its media offerings. Read the quote and then jump down below for my comments:

Speaking to an audience of financial analysts, Bach had this to say:

“In the case of Apple, they have certainly an iMac business, they have their iPod business, and they’ve sold a few things into the home that compete with (Windows XP) Media Center, although the numbers there are actually quite small. Look at our business. We have a burgeoning IPTV business that we think is going to grow and be successful in the home. We have Media Center with over 14 million units and growing around the world. We have Xbox 360 in place and growing around the world. We have Xbox Live, MSN and our Windows Live initiatives. Put all of those things together and then take Zune and put it in the context of that. It enables us to complete the picture. It enables us to have the full entertainment, connected entertainment experience that we want to have.”

Where is the mention of Origami or UMPC in that picture of devices and software creating a “connect with your media everywhere” scenario? Isn’t that the kind of thing that Origami is supposed to be helping to deliver as well – take some of your movies, your music, throw it in your purse and go. Watch TV via sling over your Origami. Put Vista on the Origami and it suddenly becomes a Media Center PC for goodness sakes: Now you have a Media Center PC in your purse. It is not a pocketable device, but that is where Zune comes in. Sync to it!

Zune and an Origami  – two ultra portable devices providing the ultimate in flexability and connectivity.

The Origami is a device that will help complete that entertainment picture, and is something that has been designed and marketed by Microsoft to do.  If Microsoft isn’t careful, consumers are going to get a little confused if they don’t see Origami in the picture from a marketing perspective. Warner posted some yesterday on this same issue.

 To leave that out of the picture is a bit puzzling to me.