Pandora In The Future

[Svartalf]

I always thought that patents have deadlines.

The thing is that the patents in question have something on the order 10+ years of life left to them.

Keep it solidly in mind that there's a window of about 17-20 years unto which you can't commercially (and this includes making kits, parts for kits, etc...) DO something that touches on a patent without paying the royalties- and because it's a Patent, in most cases, they can plain flat tell you "no" on licensing it.

 

[Bosbeetle]

Pandora 2 (or 3) should have

A pico projector that has the same abilities as a regular one now
A transporter
A DNA sequencer (in case you want to identify a source of dirt somewhere)
A Portable size mass spectrometer (see above point)
A integrated photo printer/3d printer
A mini full frame SLR camera
A confocal microscope (or two-foton microscope for on the go life cell imaging)
GPS
A Tinfoil hat (to protect from aliens)
A built in coockie jar
A mental interface for cognition extention
and Duke nukem forever

 

[White Flame]

Pandora 2 (or 3) should have

A pico projector that has the same abilities as a regular one now
A transporter
A DNA sequencer (in case you want to identify a source of dirt somewhere)
A Portable size mass spectrometer (see above point)
A integrated photo printer/3d printer
A mini full frame SLR camera
A confocal microscope (or two-foton microscope for on the go life cell imaging)
GPS
A Tinfoil hat (to protect from aliens)
A built in coockie jar
A mental interface for cognition extention

Sure!

QUOTE
and Duke nukem forever

Don't be ridiculous, that'll have to wait until at LEAST the Pandora 5.

 

[adamorjames]

Well with the nano technology boom that will hit sometime in the next 15 years... the Pandora 2 could be quite impressive if everything is played out right.

*gets on spaceship and travels back to his home planet*

 

[lulzfish]

No, it'll be flexible! And modular! And made out of touchscreens!

 

[Frogboy]

Pandora 2 (or 3) should have

A pico projector that has the same abilities as a regular one now
A transporter
A DNA sequencer (in case you want to identify a source of dirt somewhere)
A Portable size mass spectrometer (see above point)
A integrated photo printer/3d printer
A mini full frame SLR camera
A confocal microscope (or two-foton microscope for on the go life cell imaging)
GPS
A Tinfoil hat (to protect from aliens)
A built in coockie jar
A mental interface for cognition extention
and Duke nukem forever

So you're saying that Pandora 2 should be a Triquarter?

 

[lulzfish]

Speaking of patents, Slashdot posted an article along the lines of Apple getting a patent for:

"detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command"
Slashdot

So I think this Pandora will be safe, but the Pandora 2 can't use any heuristics for its touchscreen processing.
If only I could remember what heuristics are...

Wikipedia: Heuristic

"In computer science, a heuristic algorithm, or simply a heuristic, is an algorithm that is able to produce an acceptable solution to a problem in many practical scenarios, but for which there is no formal proof of its correctness."

So as long as you don't use any sort of guesstimation in the touchscreen software, you'll be okay. Maybe.
And make sure a multi-touch Pandora 2 doesn't use any pesky heuristics, or Apple will sue you for being like the iPhone.