vandyswa
Member
I wanted to put a new concept for the P2. We can all sit around and move the keyboard bits around a bit, demand a faster CPU/higher res screen/bigger battery. But what about looking a little further outside the box?
I had a concept jump out at me because I was playing with Sony's little bluetooth watch which slaves off your Android device. This made me realize that during most of the day, my Android device actually wants to be a small data processing lump sitting on my belt (or in my pocket, whatever). The keyboard/screen are just huge, unfortunate hunks of plastic making it hard to carry the CPU+RAM+radio(s). I mostly want to see what's happening by glancing at my watch, and mostly just tapping OK to let people know that I've seen their message.
So then you get that message which requires a couple sentences of reply, and you have to drag out all the plastic. But now you're bummed because you you have now dragged out a hunk of plastic which is *too small* for the job. You have to peck at the screen, or--if it's very old skool--slide out a teensy keyboard and punch at that with your thumbs. The Pandora kicks *ss for typing in text, but it's still far behind an actual keyboard, even one of the downsized mobile format USB or BT ones.
So why not make the P2 modular based on the realization that one size is never an optimal fit for even 10% of the time?
Make the core P2 small blocks which click together on a USB bus, so you can assemble the core functions you want to bring along in the mobile unit. Keyboard, screen, USB slots, SD reader, hey even a CF slot if you want it. They're all just low-cost slices which bus onto the system.
And that core system is just the main storage, a USB bus driver, and a Bluetooth interface. (Maybe add Wifi to that core, not sure yet.) Each user expands physically based on their taste (and customize whenever you want--bulk up the system if you're travelling maybe). But have UI stuff over BT if you decide that you need a comfortable keyboard, or a mouse, or something like a Sony Smartwatch (or, of course, Google Glass and its competition).
So P2 can indeed be clicked together to be an up-spec'ed P1. But drop off everything and it's the brains behind your watch or other heads-up display. And when it's time to write a paragraph, spin up a BT keyboard. Or, if space is at a premium, one of those cool Magic Cube projection keyboards. Plug in an extra battery block and double your endurance. And so forth.
Thanks for reading! I was inspired to write this after reading a bout Google Glass and fiddling with a Sony Smartwatch. Thi stuff really changes the purpose of a mobile computer IMHO.
I had a concept jump out at me because I was playing with Sony's little bluetooth watch which slaves off your Android device. This made me realize that during most of the day, my Android device actually wants to be a small data processing lump sitting on my belt (or in my pocket, whatever). The keyboard/screen are just huge, unfortunate hunks of plastic making it hard to carry the CPU+RAM+radio(s). I mostly want to see what's happening by glancing at my watch, and mostly just tapping OK to let people know that I've seen their message.
So then you get that message which requires a couple sentences of reply, and you have to drag out all the plastic. But now you're bummed because you you have now dragged out a hunk of plastic which is *too small* for the job. You have to peck at the screen, or--if it's very old skool--slide out a teensy keyboard and punch at that with your thumbs. The Pandora kicks *ss for typing in text, but it's still far behind an actual keyboard, even one of the downsized mobile format USB or BT ones.
So why not make the P2 modular based on the realization that one size is never an optimal fit for even 10% of the time?
Make the core P2 small blocks which click together on a USB bus, so you can assemble the core functions you want to bring along in the mobile unit. Keyboard, screen, USB slots, SD reader, hey even a CF slot if you want it. They're all just low-cost slices which bus onto the system.
And that core system is just the main storage, a USB bus driver, and a Bluetooth interface. (Maybe add Wifi to that core, not sure yet.) Each user expands physically based on their taste (and customize whenever you want--bulk up the system if you're travelling maybe). But have UI stuff over BT if you decide that you need a comfortable keyboard, or a mouse, or something like a Sony Smartwatch (or, of course, Google Glass and its competition).
So P2 can indeed be clicked together to be an up-spec'ed P1. But drop off everything and it's the brains behind your watch or other heads-up display. And when it's time to write a paragraph, spin up a BT keyboard. Or, if space is at a premium, one of those cool Magic Cube projection keyboards. Plug in an extra battery block and double your endurance. And so forth.
Thanks for reading! I was inspired to write this after reading a bout Google Glass and fiddling with a Sony Smartwatch. Thi stuff really changes the purpose of a mobile computer IMHO.