P2 Greenfield


vandyswa

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
111
Location
Seattle, WA
I wanted to put a new concept for the P2.  We can all sit around and move the keyboard bits around a bit, demand a faster CPU/higher res screen/bigger battery.  But what about looking a little further outside the box?

I had a concept jump out at me because I was playing with Sony's little bluetooth watch which slaves off your Android device.  This made me realize that during most of the day, my Android device actually wants to be a small data processing lump sitting on my belt (or in my pocket, whatever).  The keyboard/screen are just huge, unfortunate hunks of plastic making it hard to carry the CPU+RAM+radio(s).  I mostly want to see what's happening by glancing at my watch, and mostly just tapping OK to let people know that I've seen their message.

So then you get that message which requires a couple sentences of reply, and you have to drag out all the plastic.  But now you're bummed because you you have now dragged out a hunk of plastic which is *too small* for the job.  You have to peck at the screen, or--if it's very old skool--slide out a teensy keyboard and punch at that with your thumbs.  The Pandora kicks *ss for typing in text, but it's still far behind an actual keyboard, even one of the downsized mobile format USB or BT ones.

So why not make the P2 modular based on the realization that one size is never an optimal fit for even 10% of the time?

Make the core P2 small blocks which click together on a USB bus, so you can assemble the core functions you want to bring along in the mobile unit.  Keyboard, screen, USB slots, SD reader, hey even a CF slot if you want it.  They're all just low-cost slices which bus onto the system.

And that core system is just the main storage, a USB bus driver, and a Bluetooth interface.  (Maybe add Wifi to that core, not sure yet.)  Each user expands physically based on their taste (and customize whenever you want--bulk up the system if you're travelling maybe).  But have UI stuff over BT if you decide that you need a comfortable keyboard, or a mouse, or something like a Sony Smartwatch (or, of course, Google Glass and its competition).

So P2 can indeed be clicked together to be an up-spec'ed P1.  But drop off everything and it's the brains behind your watch or other heads-up display.  And when it's time to write a paragraph, spin up a BT keyboard.  Or, if space is at a premium, one of those cool Magic Cube projection keyboards.  Plug in an extra battery block and double your endurance.  And so forth.

Thanks for reading!  I was inspired to write this after reading a bout Google Glass and fiddling with a Sony Smartwatch.  Thi stuff really changes the purpose of a mobile computer IMHO.
 
I've always thought it would be cool to have a computer that I kept in my pocket and have various bluetooth peripherals. But Bluetooth is too slow tl support external displays. Maybe Wifi Idrect would work better?
 
While this could work out, if you have product that isn't as size constrained as a portable handheld is, and a huge fund to back up the development costs, I doubt the concept could work for a Pandora successor.

Modularity comes with the cost of size as every module needs a complete casing. Whith the P2 probably beeing on a shoestring budget, Ed sure can't afford the best material to work with, so he would have to make due with thicker material. With the Pandora already earning negative comments about its size/thickness, this could leed to less appeal in the target group.

Also every connection has to be real sturdy especially if the whole "construct" has to endure stress through gaming - a lot of people tend to use more force than neccessary in tens situations. So the Pandora would need to withstand torsional force from one end of the device to the other. This probably would need a lot of (expensive) prototyping, or this could backfire, with a lot complaining about the Pandora "braking apart" in their hands.
 
But could we not have a base computer housed inside a box, and then have the keyboard (iCP2??) and screen seperate and connected over some protocol (Wifi Direct might be the fastest) so that the thing you actually hold in your hand it smaller and more comfortable, and the rest sits in your pocket. Abd for charging, the keyboard/screen combo clips on to the box with the computer in it. So, if you want, you could use them together. But, the idea is that you dont have too. That way its lighter in your hands
 
I remember thinking up a solution like this back when I first heard about bluetooth.  It's still a nice idea if the additional problem of supporting the video bandwith without wires can be overcome, and it may in some ways make designing the case simpler and cheaper, as each box will be lighter than the whole and not constrained in shape.  But despite the fact you can probably get cheaper batteries given you can design the CPU unit around a standard battery, and don't need a lot of power for the keyboard (display is a problem I'll leave to the reader to solve), having two or three batteries instead of one, and all the extra charging circuitry would likely outweigh those cost reductions.
 
Ya, but it would be cool. And, then you could use the base usnit however you pleased. You could use it as your daily computer if you coupled it with a Motorola Lapdock
 
.


Assuming it wouldnt be too hard to do (And I dont really know for sure) I think it would be worth a shot. What all would be involved? The computer its self, some wireless protocil being broadcast around you, and a small USB reciever to capture that wirless protocol and allow you to input into the computer (touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, gaming controls, GPS, wifi module etc)
 
.


Assuming it wouldnt be too hard to do (And I dont really know for sure) I think it would be worth a shot. What all would be involved? The computer its self, some wireless protocil being broadcast around you, and a small USB reciever to capture that wirless protocol and allow you to input into the computer (touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, gaming controls, GPS, wifi module etc)
Air protocol is Bluetooth for keyboard/mouse/gaming/glasses/watch.  Video would have to be DisplayLink over USB, and then (handwave) VNC over WiFi for wireless.  Power is USB, inter-module communication is USB.  Storage expansion is USB module with whatever card slots you want.  It'd be nice if the end block one one side was the system unit (so its BT/Wifi antennas are exposed in a full 180 degree arc) and GPS on the other end of the stack.  I know, GPS is a total mass of patents, but I can dream.  I guess BT to an external GPS device if you can't integrate, just like now.

Anyway, thanks for giving my concept a look-over!
 
>VNC


HA! Good one. But seriously, VNC sucks. We need something way faster and less CPU intensive (if only RDP was open source - there are copies on Github, but nothing as good as real RDP)
 
I dont like the idea of physical connections (except for stuff like storage) I would like as much of it to be wirless as possible.
 
Back
Top