Should Pyra have a Camera?

[ZetaNeta]

edit: I've just read a poll about the expected delivery. If it really is 2015 then I think it is yet not too late.

Forget that poll. 2015 might be realistic, but that poll doesn't say anything about the actual date. It's more of an "I'm bored, what could I do? Ah yeah, create another poll on the Pyra board, they love those."-thread than anything useful.

I am a creator of this pool. BWAHAHAHAAnd no, i just really wanted to know when i can get it. It looked more like in the next few months, but....

I thought that EvilDragon already stated that there would be no camera. Do I remember this incorrectly?

Personally, I would like to have one (I prefer a builtin one, but USB would be ok). The Pandora (and Pyra) are fantastic devices for Getting Things Done.

A camera would add much to its task capturing capabilities, regardless of its quality (well...text should be readable).

Take a quick picture of the whiteboard at the end of a discussion, of a hole in the wall in need of fixing or of a bill which needs to be split.

Just set the default save location as your GTD inbox and your task has automatically been filed for processing.

It would be nice to not have to carry around an extra device for such tasks as having everything in a single system is quite important for GTD.

/me expected a "mad guy opening walnuts with a pandora" video on this link.

Yep, that would be fine with me, probably a 8mb camera similar to the likes of a galaxy note 2 would be nice.

I don´t see problem into the quality stuff, just like the mic, it dosen´t need to be super high quality, but it needs to be there.

If there's an overturn, I don't think we are getting anything higher than 5MB. Which is fine.

Only 5MB? Even NetBSD is unlikely to fit on it :3

I'm glad the pandora doesn't have any cameras, there are enough cameras on devices as is.

That is a strange argument. There are also enough screens on devices as is. The fact that it is included in many devices could be just hype/trend, but it could also mean that it is actually a useful feature that people like to have.

Or are you just saying: I already have another device with a camera, so I don't need to have one on the Pyra?

I don't think a camera is essential for the success of the Pyra, but it's still a nice feature to have. To me, the long-term goal is to have one ultra-portable device that can replace all other portable devices: laptop, game console, music player, media player, PDA, e-book reader, phone, tablet, camera. Of course for any of these specific tasks there will always be dedicated devices that are (much) better at it. That is OK. We can't be as portable as an mp3 player and we can't have a keyboard and screen that are as comfortable as on a full laptop. It's a compromise device. It's a swiss army knife, not a chef's knife. It's what you would take to an uninhabited island (together with a small solar charger) if you could take only one device.

I'm not talking about trends, I barely ever used the cameras on my 3DS and Vita and feel like they're just an unused extra, but that's just my opinion.

Well. I dont just use a camera, but i wear one non-stop, pluged to a car batt. in my bag.

But before i got that one, yes, a portable camera was very useful.

Once i was left without any portable camera, and i had to carry a "traditional" one around. Not very comfortable

 

[Natsu]

Only 5MB? Even NetBSD is unlikely to fit on it :3

Huh? Explain.

 

[Granitehead]

I'm talking about video conferencing, scanning QR codes to visit websites, stuff like that.

Camera or cameras? Because the the two above uses would require to have both, front and back facing cameras.

Or a single camera that can be aimed/swiveled, as has been suggested previously.

The mechanical aspect of a swivel camera would have to be dealt with (ie. modify case design, extra costs due to more complex plastic parts, etc). Then there's the electrical aspect too (another flexible cable which can break, etc).
Also where would it fit in the clamshell? Either the lid would need to have a hole straight thru so the camera can be pointed in either direction, or maybe one complete corner of the lid rotates?

Where? In the hinge, as mentioned. If the hinge is like the Pandora's, imagine a cylindrical camera module at one (or both (-: ) ends. The camera would point out of the side of the cylinder (not the top/bottom). The cylinder could be turned back and forth by 180 degrees or slightly less. The cable should be pretty easy, at least compared to an LCD cable.That camera would need to be pretty small, but I think such cameras exist more or less commonly.

I'm no hardware designer, that's why that idea could be transferred to the case company for evaluation.

 

[Yoyobuae]

The mechanical aspect of a swivel camera would have to be dealt with (ie. modify case design, extra costs due to more complex plastic parts, etc). Then there's the electrical aspect too (another flexible cable which can break, etc).

Also where would it fit in the clamshell? Either the lid would need to have a hole straight thru so the camera can be pointed in either direction, or maybe one complete corner of the lid rotates?

Where? In the hinge, as mentioned. If the hinge is like the Pandora's, imagine a cylindrical camera module at one (or both (-: ) ends. The camera would point out of the side of the cylinder (not the top/bottom). The cylinder could be turned back and forth by 180 degrees or slightly less. The cable should be pretty easy, at least compared to an LCD cable.
That camera would need to be pretty small, but I think such cameras exist more or less commonly.


I'm no hardware designer, that's why that idea could be transferred to the case company for evaluation.

Could be possible, but not without additional cost / development effort / delays to production.

 

[ZetaNeta]

Only 5MB? Even NetBSD is unlikely to fit on it :3

Huh? Explain.

5MB = 5000 KB. Its bigger than the popular "640k which are enough", but still wont house a full NetBSD install.


5MP = 5 MegaPixels.

 

[Natsu]

Only 5MB? Even NetBSD is unlikely to fit on it :3

Huh? Explain.

5MB = 5000 KB. Its bigger than the popular "640k which are enough", but still wont house a full NetBSD install.


5MP = 5 MegaPixels.

You do know I was talking about the camera, right?

 

[FBnil]

5MP = 5 MegaPixels.

Wow. MP5 already. I know MP4 and MP3 (and even MP2's)...

So MP5 is better than MP4? Man, I can't wait!

 

[alanjf]

5MB = 5000 KB. Its bigger than the popular "640k which are enough", but still wont house a full NetBSD install.


5MP = 5 MegaPixels.

<pendantic>

If you actually mean 5 MiB (that is, 5x1,024^2 or 5,242,880 bytes, and not 5x1,000^2, which is 5 MB), then that equals 5,120 KiB (or 5,242.88 KB or 5.24 MB.)

If you really did mean 5 MB (5,000,000 bytes), then that would indeed be 5,000 KB (or 4882.81 KiB or 4.77 MiB.)

Or if you instead meant 5,000 KiB (5,120,000 bytes), then that would be 5120 KB (not KiB) (which equals 5.12 MB or 4.88 MiB.)

</pendantic>

Sorry for the pedantary, I usually try to avoid it, but in this case I genuinely want to know which you actually meant, whether about bytes or pixels.

 

[WizardStan]

He's trying to say "I believe you meant to say 'MP' for megapixels. Cameras are not measured in 'MB'".

 

[Natsu]

He's trying to say "I believe you meant to say 'MP' for megapixels. Cameras are not measured in 'MB'".

The other poster mess me up and I kept seeing MP too. lol

 

[WizardStan]

The other poster mess me up and I kept seeing MP too.

That's because you're human. The human brain is very good at pattern matching and glosing ower thangs thit dont quit fitt what we were expecting

 

[Neelix]

... unless you have OCD in which case every misplaced letter is like fingernails on a blackboard.

- Neelix

 

[Granitehead]

The mechanical aspect of a swivel camera would have to be dealt with (ie. modify case design, extra costs due to more complex plastic parts, etc). Then there's the electrical aspect too (another flexible cable which can break, etc).

Also where would it fit in the clamshell? Either the lid would need to have a hole straight thru so the camera can be pointed in either direction, or maybe one complete corner of the lid rotates?

Where? In the hinge, as mentioned. If the hinge is like the Pandora's, imagine a cylindrical camera module at one (or both (-: ) ends. The camera would point out of the side of the cylinder (not the top/bottom). The cylinder could be turned back and forth by 180 degrees or slightly less. The cable should be pretty easy, at least compared to an LCD cable.That camera would need to be pretty small, but I think such cameras exist more or less commonly.

I'm no hardware designer, that's why that idea could be transferred to the case company for evaluation.

Could be possible, but not without additional cost / development effort / delays to production.

Of course, but if the camera lines are exposed somewhere on the PCB, it could be done as just as a case mod/revision.

 

[Natsu]

Of course, but if the camera lines are exposed somewhere on the PCB, it could be done as just as a case mod/revision.

Explain. AFAIK you can put this on directly. Link Which is probably our best bet because it's so flexible.I forgot that this had 3D support, so you can put two cameras if you want, either for 3D or a front camera.

Assuming it (they) will fit,you want to mess with your Pyra like that, have the money to and assuming you can use the cameras

separately.

If it works by MIPI. If "this is where you cut" lines,instructions and the camera were provided, users could probably do it. Then he would only have to deal with software.

LED flash could already be on the case and be use as a flashlight if the person doesn't want the camera.

Yeah, posting out loud here. lol

 

[WizardStan]

Does MIPI support camera and display simultaneously?

I really should start reading more about this myself.

 

[Natsu]

Does MIPI support camera and display simultaneously?


I really should start reading more about this myself.

I really don't know. -_- Going to guess, yes...

 

[Natsu]

How about giving us the camera on board and we will cut the hole ourselves? The led logo can be used as the flash.

 

[ZetaNeta]

5MB = 5000 KB. Its bigger than the popular "640k which are enough", but still wont house a full NetBSD install.

5MP = 5 MegaPixels.

<pendantic>If you actually mean 5 MiB (that is, 5x1,024^2 or 5,242,880 bytes, and not 5x1,000^2, which is 5 MB), then that equals 5,120 KiB (or 5,242.88 KB or 5.24 MB.)

If you really did mean 5 MB (5,000,000 bytes), then that would indeed be 5,000 KB (or 4882.81 KiB or 4.77 MiB.)

Or if you instead meant 5,000 KiB (5,120,000 bytes), then that would be 5120 KB (not KiB) (which equals 5.12 MB or 4.88 MiB.)

</pendantic>

Sorry for the pedantary, I usually try to avoid it, but in this case I genuinely want to know which you actually meant, whether about bytes or pixels.

For a second, i thought that you been claiming that 5 MB = 5120 KB. Ehehehe....

Of course, but if the camera lines are exposed somewhere on the PCB, it could be done as just as a case mod/revision.

Explain. AFAIK you can put this on directly. Link Which is probably our best bet because it's so flexible.I forgot that this had 3D support, so you can put two cameras if you want, either for 3D or a front camera.

Assuming it (they) will fit,you want to mess with your Pyra like that, have the money to and assuming you can use the cameras

separately.

If it works by MIPI. If "this is where you cut" lines,instructions and the camera were provided, users could probably do it. Then he would only have to deal with software.

LED flash could already be on the case and be use as a flashlight if the person doesn't want the camera.

Yeah, posting out loud here. lol

A good idea. Especially if i can order the camera module straight from the DragonBox Shop

Does MIPI support camera and display simultaneously?

I really should start reading more about this myself.

Think how much a USB hub can do...

How about giving us the camera on board and we will cut the hole ourselves? The led logo can be used as the flash.

I dont think the logo can be used as a flash, as its unlikely to be fully transparent. And when its not, its a bad flash.

 

[TeDaDeS]

The Pyra doesn't need the camera, but if it would feature one I would use it for videocalling (skype/hangouts etc). If it would be on the outside I would use it for pictures, but than you would like the camera to be reasonable quality.

The gizmondo featured tracking based on the camera that can be used in a game, but that one was on the outside of the device (so you can take pictures with it) but quality was low (640x480 photo's).

If the Pyra has 3-axis sensor you wouldn't need the camera for movement tracking anyways.

 

[ZetaNeta]

The Pyra doesn't need the camera, but if it would feature one I would use it for videocalling (skype/hangouts etc). If it would be on the outside I would use it for pictures, but than you would like the camera to be reasonable quality.

The gizmondo featured tracking based on the camera that can be used in a game, but that one was on the outside of the device (so you can take pictures with it) but quality was low (640x480 photo's).

If the Pyra has 3-axis sensor you wouldn't need the camera for movement tracking anyways.

I got no need in motion-track, but i need a good rear camera.


The price is low enough to include it just for the people who voted yes.