Microsoft’s Origami tease gets old

(There’s a Buzzblog March 9 update on Project Origami here.)

Anyone holding their breath this morning for Microsoft to lift the covers off its Origami Project – an ultra-portable “lifestyle PC” that’s said to do everything but whiten your teeth — had better exhale and chill for another week. As had been predicted by a number of sharp-eyed sleuths who are closely following this hype-fest, the just-posted Week 2 production on Origami’s teaser Web site does little more than drag everyone along to what we presume will be the actual news in seven more excruciating days.

The second clip – which hammers home the idea that this device will be a constant companion — opens as the first: “Hi there.”

“Wondering where to find me?” (Actually, I’m wondering why I am talking to an inanimate object, but I digress.)

The video then flits from a city skyline … to a beach … to a mountaintop … a subway platform … and a car cruising a highway.

“I am everywhere you are … but never in the way.”

No bathroom shot, but c’mon, this thing’s made for the throne, no?

“Find out 3.9.06.”

Now I like a “mystery” marketing campaign as much as the next guy who needs something to write about every day, but Microsoft may be overplaying its hand here by at least a week: Queue the backlash?

Well, the fellow who originally clued me in on all of this — and has actually seen the device — says it will be worth the wait and the gamesmanship. He says the interesting thing about it will be the computing devices it can displace, either entirely or in certain cases. “Watch to see who’s disintermediated,” he says.