Some more of my ideas

[WizardStan]

what would you all think / say about an UMTS / GSM support?

I would be opposed to this unless it could be modularized simply because not everywhere uses the same standard, and even if a standard can be agreed upon that could hit most customers not every standard is equal.For example, my phone is on the 1700 band and I get unlimited voice, text, and data for $45. If they went with the 1900 band the best I could get would be unlimited voice, text, and 250MB of data for $70, or just internet would be $20 for 500MB: at that price I'd continue to simply tether to my phone like I'm doing now.

Basically I'm saying that adding UMTS support is not cheap and when looking at a niche device in a global market it is going to be very, very hard to get the number of users required to make it worthwhile.

Keep in mind though, I wouldn't not-buy a P2 if it included something I couldn't (or wouldn't, due to cost) use, I'd just grumble about having to pay an extra $30 for a feature that is absolutely useless to me. Grumbling that would be mitigated if I knew there were enough people actually making use of that feature, though. I'll gladly accept extra $30 for a feature if the majority of people want and use it as I'm sure there are going to be features that I want that others do not as well. It's very give and take in a niche market.

 

[PowerGod]

^ Only if it has a hardware killswitch (dip or suchlike)

I find old 5.25" write protect stickers are handy for covering over user facing cameras on my devices.

1/2 of a post-it note works too (for laptop cameras) and is non-destructive.
Still, I'd rather not have a camera on the Pandora successor. I want every possible square millimeter of the lid to be consumed with screen.

Good, so I'm not the only one with a sticker over it on my PC... now I feel better

Also I don't like to have those TPM things on it...

 

[ghostpatch]

^me2

I wish there was a mechanical switch connecting camera and microphone! ; )

 

[God Ginrai]

I'd be happy dumping one of the speakers and having mono sound from the device itself if the other speaker was replaced with something good like a camera personally.

People use headphones/tv-out for the full sound experience anyway

I would like a camera, but I wouldn't trade stereo speakers for it. Augmented Reality and such would be neat, but I wouldn't want to throw out features I know I would use more (stereo speakers for one) just to have one. However, if EvilDragon does see a way he can add a camera without dropping other useful features, I'll definitely support it.

-God Ginrai

 

[Binky]

I don't relay care about a camera, as long as it isn't a user-facing one above the screen.

That would waste space the screen could be occupying, or result in the device being too big front-back.

 

[_wb_]

I don't relay care about a camera, as long as it isn't a user-facing one above the screen.

That would waste space the screen could be occupying, or result in the device being too big front-back.

I agree - we have absolutely no screen space to waste, especially not vertical space. Maybe we need two user-facing cameras, left and right of the screen, for 3D videoconferencing

 

[Grench]

Our world is surrounded by crappy cameras with small lenses. We don't need yet another device with the same crappy camera modules in it.

 

[Klumpen]

Our world is surrounded by crappy cameras with small lenses. We don't need yet another device with the same crappy camera modules in it.

The eyes! They're everywhere! h34r:

 

[PowerGod]

I don't relay care about a camera, as long as it isn't a user-facing one above the screen.

That would waste space the screen could be occupying, or result in the device being too big front-back.

 I agree - we have absolutely no screen space to waste, especially not vertical space. Maybe we need two user-facing cameras, left and right of the screen, for 3D videoconferencing

And another one at the bottom of the keyboard, so they can also see the inside of your nose

 

[Askarus]

I don't relay care about a camera, as long as it isn't a user-facing one above the screen.


That would waste space the screen could be occupying, or result in the device being too big front-back.

 
I agree - we have absolutely no screen space to waste, especially not vertical space. Maybe we need two user-facing cameras, left and right of the screen, for 3D videoconferencing

And another one at the bottom of the keyboard, so they can also see the inside of your nose

Of course.

Always wanted to see what's going on in there.

 

[bzar]

^ Probably nanolemmings.

 

[zonova]

Our world is surrounded by crappy cameras with small lenses. We don't need yet another device with the same crappy camera modules in it.

Unless you'd like to provide a cheaper one of better quality, I think I'd be just fine with having Some sort of camera, rather than none. I was thinking it would be on the inside, however it doesn't need to be on the lid. It can be between the lid and the base. If we are to look at one of Binky's old designs, just to point out what I'm talking about, I'm thinking you could put the camera here, so it wouldn't take up screen space:

In the red circle, I was thinking. Would that be possible?

 

[Null]

Would that be possible?

 Well Nintendo managed it with the DSi so you never know.

 

[God Ginrai]

I was thinking it would be on the inside, however it doesn't need to be on the lid.

Dear god no. We don't need a user facing camera. Being able to take pictures of real things is much more important that being able to take selfies.

-God Ginrai

 

[moz]

Well, if Skype is eventually ported via qemu or Android, then a front facing camera is probably necessary.

 

[God Ginrai]

Not instead of a camera that faces outwards. That's just idiotic.

-God Ginrai

 

[zonova]

I was thinking it would be on the inside, however it doesn't need to be on the lid.

Dear god no. We don't need a user facing camera. Being able to take pictures of real things is much more important that being able to take selfies.

-God Ginrai

It comes down to utility and usefulness, and I believe that the potential for the next pandora to provide video chat is a bit more impressive than being able to take sub par quality pictures of "real things" with a mini-laptop. The Pandora isn't designed well to be a useful camera. Although the idea of the virtual reality thing might be cool, it might also just be a gimmick. Nintendo did it and, as far as I can tell, it hasn't been particularly defining. But, every laptop has a webcam. I think there's a reason for the difference in success of the two concepts.

 

[Tenka]

I don't want a camera in it, another surface I'm both afraid to touch and feel the need to cover.  I'm into augmented reality too, but it'll have a USB port, we can stick the tiny future USB cameras in there when we need them.  Nice cameras still take up space, and they're one of those technologies which even with infinite room, many people don't want them to be there for privacy concerns and paranoia. 

And you can communicate just fine without showing your face, even in Skype.

 

[PowerGod]

Just thinking about the possibility to use a phone camera from the pandora... so when you are using a phone for connectivity, you just use even it's cam

Maybe this can work only on some models, or maybe not... I know nothing about the argument, except for the fact that iPhones cameras can be accessed remotely

 

[Klumpen]

Something like Skype with video input would be neat.

Is there an open source application like this?