• Order of the Butterfly
    Order of the Butterfly
    merko
    Posts: 328 from 2003/5/19
    Well.. I believe in a "general portable digital device" thingy. I
    think it's wrong to claim that the market isn't ready.. more likely
    the tech isn't ready for market yet.

    I think it will be a hit when someone can make an affordable device with:
    - About 8-10" display
    - Durable and replaceable plastic display protection layer (it will get scratched, better face this problem)
    - Connectivity over phone network or local wireless
    - Web browser adapted for touchscreen input
    - Voice and video phone features (not necessarily very good video capabilities)
    - TV/radio receiver and display
    - Ability to store and play back movies as well as music (dedicated decoder chip)
    - Dual headphone connectors (for friends or partners killing time on the bus/train/plane)
    - Headset included as standard, as phone usage will be very clumsy without one
    - Well thought out software for calendar and note keeping
    - Easy-to-use voice memo / sound recording app
    - Good pen-based input, mainly for email/text messaging and calendar/note keeping (keyboards rule when you have a table, but mini-keyboards suck and especially so when you *don't* have a table)
    - Good battery time
    - USB for charging and file transfer, and to make it possible to attach mouse and keyboard if available
    - Some games (mainly of the "timekiller" variation)
    - GPS
    - Map services

    It seems to me that such a device should be technically possible rather
    sooner than later, but of course there's no way Genesi could do it without
    a very strong partner. Probably some major cell phone maker, for two
    reasons: manufacture is likely to be more similar (ultra compact,
    moldable batteries etc..) to cell phones than portables, and because
    it will require a strong partnership for services in the mobile area.

    With this said, I'm a bit doubtful that something based on the Efika would
    be a success.
  • »02.05.06 - 22:03
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