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Posted by lawman on 02-08-2003 02:23 AM:

What a Palm device ought to be ...

This is my version of what a Palm device oight to be:

The Palm device should have the following:

- An ability to upgrade it's Palm OS

- Run on a Intel Xcale processor

- Lots of memory with at least 256MB (minimum). Don't bother if you're coming out with stupid 16MB of memory. When you're adding maps for GPS receivers, it comes in handy.

- Support Graffiti (cause I like it and it's quicker than stupid little small buttons like the Blackberry)

- Have built-in WiFi

- Support standard ports like i.e. USB, SD, CompactFlash etc.

- Color screen with 64000 colors.

Anyone coming out with this device, will grab the Palm market.

Any votes?

Posted by Keefer Lucas on 02-08-2003 11:44 PM:

Where's my Coupon?

Yeah, I'll run out an get one when the price at Staples is under $250.

Posted by Digisane on 02-10-2003 03:52 PM:

Ideally, it should also run errands and buy sushi for me, wash the dishes and posses the ability to fix my kitchen sink. Oh, and its phone range should allow me to contact another alien being from the other side of the universe should my business expands that far.

In reality, I've sort of lost interest in 'the ultimate PDA for me' bit altogether (although I still use mine) and I really don't know what to get should anything bad happen to my current one.

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by argent on 02-11-2003 04:04 PM:

Re: What a Palm device ought to be ...

quote:
Originally posted by lawman
Run on a Intel Xcale processor

Why would you want to run it on the processor with the absolutely worst performance per clock cycle in the ARM family?

quote:
Lots of memory with at least 256MB (minimum).

I'd rather have 16M, springboard, and either dual memory slots or a built-in linear flash module plus a memory slot.

quote:
Have built-in WiFi

Thinking small... give it an SDR module so it can do bluetooth, 802.11, GSM, CDMA, CDPD, or 3G all from the same software-controlled transceiver.

quote:
Color screen with 64000 colors.

Thinking too small again. VGA resolution and 32-bit (16 million colors plus alpha) color.

You forgot form factor. Make it PC-card sized, with a new (and as yet unannounced) technology display that occupies the whole face so you can have a display as large as a Visor Prism in a device the size of a REX because you don't waste space around the edge of the screen. Make it a flexible scratch-resistant touch-screen so you don't need any protection when you shove it in your wallet.

Give it a PCMCIA connector so you can just shove it in your PC-card slot to sync at full ATA speeds, and make it function as an ATA drive as well so you can just drag-n-drop files to it.

This connector would also be used to attach the adapter cards. You'd have a variety of these, from a full cardbus adapter sled to a combo thumboard-and-SDIO module. The PDA and a full size PC card together would still be smaller than an iPaq h1910.

Four buttons and a force-sensitive thumbpad below the screen, 5 buttons on each side that function as navigation buttons and a chord keyboard, symmetrical for both left and right handed users. At the top you'd have the high power IR (with OmniRemote software built in), 2.5mm stereo+mike headset jack (compatible with cellphone headsets), stylus, and the internal SD slot. On the back would be the openings for the cellphone SIM, the removable battery pack, and the processor upgrade module.

Oh, and make it waterproof down to 300 feet.

Retail price would be $98.88, shipping 3Q03 in time for Christmas.

If you're going to break the surly bounds of possibility, break them good and hard!

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Posted by Toby on 02-11-2003 04:11 PM:

Re: Re: What a Palm device ought to be ...

quote:
Originally posted by argent
[...] On the back would be the openings for the cellphone SIM, the removable battery pack, and the processor upgrade module.
[...]
If you're going to break the surly bounds of possibility, break them good and hard!

And obviously this is with the cold fusion battery which lasts like a watch cell (life measured in years) despite being able to run real-time HDTV with 24/96 6.1 surround, right?

Posted by argent on 02-11-2003 04:49 PM:

Re: Re: Re: What a Palm device ought to be ...

quote:
Originally posted by Toby

And obviously this is with the cold fusion battery which lasts like a watch cell (life measured in years) despite being able to run real-time HDTV with 24/96 6.1 surround, right?

Don't be silly, we'd use an alcohol fuel cell, running off vodka, tequila, rum, or single-malt scotch.

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Posted by Toby on 02-11-2003 04:56 PM:

Re: Re: Re: Re: What a Palm device ought to be ...

quote:
Originally posted by argent
Don't be silly, we'd use an alcohol fuel cell, running off vodka, tequila, rum, or single-malt scotch.

Even better. I'll take the single-malt version...on second thought, make it the rum version. I don't drink that.

Posted by jhappel on 02-11-2003 09:05 PM:

quote:
Don't be silly, we'd use an alcohol fuel cell, running off vodka, tequila, rum, or single-malt scotch.

Oh, I can see it now, I have to give my PDA a breathalyzer test before using it to make sure it doesn't mix up appointments or phone numbers. Instead how about it runs of the fumes from the vodka, tequila, etc. You blow on it and it runs for ten minutes per blow.

__________________
Jonathan

Posted by Digisane on 02-12-2003 05:06 AM:

On the subject of power

How about just kinetic power. Then all you do is shake it real hard when doing processor intensive stuff.

It'll be great if it buys sushi.

-----------------

quote:
Originally posted by jhappel

Oh, I can see it now, I have to give my PDA a breathalyzer test before using it to make sure it doesn't mix up appointments or phone numbers. Instead how about it runs of the fumes from the vodka, tequila, etc. You blow on it and it runs for ten minutes per blow.

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by argent on 02-12-2003 03:47 PM:

OK, what happened to that post?

I could have sworn I already posted this link, for you scurvy pranksters who think I'm joking about alcohol fuel cells...

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-960823.html

Apart from the ultra-hi-res borderless display, and the unlikely battery life even with a fuel cell, I expect to see something from Sony with close to the specs I listed [1] by 4Q04, maybe sooner.

And a fuel-cell-powered PDA with a color screen and monochrome "battery" life before then.

[1] PCMCIA-card size, 320x320 display, memory stick, 16M RAM, 16-32M flash with a flash-based VFS, and probably a 40-70 MHz OMAP processor running PalmOS 6 and native ARM built-in apps... faster than an OS5 unit runs OS3-5 apps.

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Posted by Digisane on 02-14-2003 02:15 AM:

Re: OK, what happened to that post?

Yup, I know about it, and I know you're not partly kidding, but since I've actually lost interest in this subject already, I might as well make crude jokes about it.

Seriously, fuel cell for a PDA would be nice, but I just hope that it won't leak and spill in my pocket.

Now, more importantly, someone should invent a PDA that gets me sushi. I don't care if it goes to Japan to do it, as long as it gets the job done.

quote:
Originally posted by argent
I could have sworn I already posted this link, for you scurvy pranksters who think I'm joking about alcohol fuel cells...

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-960823.html

Apart from the ultra-hi-res borderless display, and the unlikely battery life even with a fuel cell, I expect to see something from Sony with close to the specs I listed [1] by 4Q04, maybe sooner.

And a fuel-cell-powered PDA with a color screen and monochrome "battery" life before then.

[1] PCMCIA-card size, 320x320 display, memory stick, 16M RAM, 16-32M flash with a flash-based VFS, and probably a 40-70 MHz OMAP processor running PalmOS 6 and native ARM built-in apps... faster than an OS5 unit runs OS3-5 apps.

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by argent on 02-14-2003 11:57 AM:

Re: Re: OK, what happened to that post?

quote:
Originally posted by Digisane
Now, more importantly, someone should invent a PDA that gets me sushi. I don't care if it goes to Japan to do it, as long as it gets the job done.

Careful with that kind of thinking, next thing you know those crazy Japanese will have invented an edible display screen, something printed on a sheet of nori, using some rice vinegar and specially tailored bamboo as a power source. Download your schedule into your lunch, don't forget to check the tekka-maki for instant messages before you eat it...

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Posted by michaelliumm on 03-11-2003 02:52 AM:

Diddo on the flexible screen

Eventually, the use of dynamic, interative paper that's brilliant, animate, and as cheap as today's 8 1/2 by 11, and most importantly foldeable and creasable, will replace the need for conventional screens. For now though, many companies have already made flexible LCDs. Its only a matter of making them cheaper.

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