Now this is exactly what I was hoping would come up when there was a buzz around Apple‘s ipad. Sadly the ipad did not go all the way and still has tremendous scope for improvement in terms or becoming a proper computing platform than a media display unit. The concept was put forth here.

The MSI however loses out on giving a  page span virtual keyboard that is identical to a real keyboard. Some thinking would have prompted them to give a more usable split keyboard when vertical and use one touch screen as input device when horizontal and the other as a display, creating a regular laptop kind of environment to work in.

Hands on is discussed at Endgadget

Dual Screen tablet

Tablets in Grid mode. One gets 10 screen space (assuming that the screen borders are minimal) and 5 processors.

A view of the workspace

Some items in the kitchen

A 5 year old Onkyo Liverpool that I still use

The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Lens

The Camera is a Nikon D3000. It’s not exactly good and quite useless over the ISO 800 limit where it completely looses it. The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G lens is cheap but great. Except it has no metal mount which is a concern when there are too many lens switches. The AF-S system is fast enough to keep up with jumping kids. The other lens, a 35mm f/1.8G is a gem. It can shoot almost in any light without a flash.

Check out the other photos on Flickr as well.

Screen Grab from the Video

This is the result of TAT’s Open Innovation experiment. It is an experience video showing the future of screen technology with stretchable screens, transparent screens and e-ink displays, to name a few.

Well actually I would expect more. For instance the Keyboard and Mouse sure look redundant with a display and touch sensitive table surface. And a few other things here and there. Interface shown for Mobile to Mobile sharing is really great, hope speeds and technology catches up with such things faster. I am not a fan of straight edged black screens, but I guess it’s just the idea that counts at this stage.

Via www.unpluggd.com

A new package altogether

Then there is the new iPod Nano. This has gone a step beyond being just a small iPod with a screen. It’s now a touch screen device with full functional multitouch and some Apps to go as well. Sweet!

More touch in less space

And last comes the all new glossy Apple TV. It’s smaller, has only the essential ports and is much much easier to hide away than the earlier version which made us contemplate buying a Mac Mini instead and having all the fun.

All the essential bits come straight out of the box including the HDMI port

The small form factor will be fun as well. The earlier one did not really fit in with any home entertainment gadgets, well neither does this one but at least it’s not big and silver. Small and Black is easier to hide. I hope Apple has given a provision to hang it on the wall as such small things don’t really stick to a table once all the cables are connected. I see that being one of the first flaws unless this weight in at a few kilos.

It's definitely small

Old Keyboard

Over the years we have used many types of keyboards. Early years they were the bulky ones with klunky keys that still made a “klapaty-klap” noise. In fact I still use a later version of that for my daily work, never needed a reason to upgrade.

Keyboard - Early 2000

Over the years they got quieter and sleeker. The keys got smaller and their aesthetic appeal increased. With that, the problem of dirt and grime getting stuck in them got minimized as well. (Here’s a step-by-step guide to clean the old one)

Keyboard - Current

Next to come were the backlit ones where each key was illuminated even in absolute darkness. Apple‘s Power Book was one of the first ones to have them and we all drooled over it for years.

Logitech diNovo Edge

Of the recent fore runners have been the Optimus Maximus and Tactus . Featuring full and functional backlit displays under each key and a complete touch screen with customizable layout. They are made in a way to customize your keyboard for every need imaginable starting from an Video Editing Layout to a Photo Editing Layout.

Optimus Tactus Concept

It is possible that in future, the ultimate keyboard will eventually be a touch screen that is infinitely customizable for almost everything under the sun, much like an ipad, used dedicatedly as a keyboard.

i-Pad Keyboard Layout

If made the correct size and shape, this would probably be the ultimate keyboard. And yes, carry it off wherever you go with just the files you need for the day.

(via Gizmodo)

Philips 56" Super Wide LCD TV

Toshiba Libretto W100

Sometime back when the ipad popped out from Apple‘s stable, I kind of wished something like this was offered by Apple instead of the current ipad. I think the ipad is beautiful but it’s just not really a useful device.

The Liberto “looks like” it has its basics correct. There are two touch screens, you can use either as an input device and you can use the whole thing as a conventional laptop with a virtual keyboard on one of the touch screens. Smart and ideal. Except that the device looks a little too bulky for it’s size and definitely uglier than the ipad. Personally we would prefer something thats got a 15″ display on each side to work and play with.

http://www.timeline-studios.com/blogs/2010/02/concept-grid-with-tablets/

A concept I had with the dual screen tablets, probably some fodder for those who are actually developing these things.

Tablets in Grid mode. One gets 10 screen space (assuming that the screen borders are minimal) and 5 processors.

The gadget that looks like a coffee cup

Images from Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Power Line 0900-66 200-Watt Coffee Cup Inverter with USB Charging Port and Two Outlets

Part # F5C412au140W from Belkin - Another thing for those long drives.

Belkin : AC Anywhere DC – AC Inverter.

Running out of power is a thing of the past with the AC Anywhere. Simply plug the unit into any 12-volt DC vehicle cigarette lighter socket and the AC Anywhere converts your vehicle’s battery power to 230 volts AC (common household current.) The AC Anywhere is perfect for charging batteries for your mobile phone, portable computer, electric shaver, TV/VCR, or virtually any device while travelling. The AC Anywhere inverter features a convenient On/Off switch and fuse protection along with an audible alarm that sounds if the vehicle battery voltage drops to 10.6 volts DC.

Features

• Low battery alarm at 10.4V DC
• Low battery shut-off at 9.8V DC
• Automatic overheat shut-off at 66° Celsius
• DC cord and cigarette lighter plug
• Replaceable fuse
• Overload protection
• 2 Year Warranty
• Recharges portable devices
• Power your mobile and laptop battery chargers
• Power up laptop computers, TVs, VCRs, cameras, and other AC equipment
• Convenient On/Off switch and overload fuse protection
• Low battery alarm and automatic shut-off

This sure would be a great product to have on long roadtrips where your camera keeps running out of battery. Also excellent to charge that old laptop with annoying battery performance. This also opens up a lot of possibilities such as running electronic mosquito repellants among other things.

Today, in the fast developing craze over ipad and earlier over iPhone, we have somehow forgotten Apple‘s first try at building a hand held computing device that did not do so well in the market. It did have a host of features including a fully functional hand writing recognition which was fairly good by existing standards in 1998 when it’s development officially was shelved.

The Newton Handheld platform was only followed by the modified OS X platform for the iPhone 10 years later.

Newton (platform) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Just a tribute to a pioneer. Not to forget what came first and where the “Pad” of ipad actually comes from. Probably just sentimental for Apple.

MessagePad 2000

1. You will need a good set of screwdrivers with the required sizes of Allen Keys. It’s probably the smallest available with any set. Check the back of the keyboard to confirm the size.
2. You will need a household glass and equipment cleaner.
3. A soft cotton cloth, preferably white. Colored cloth can leak color onto the keyboard and do more damage in the process.
4. A used towel to dry off the keys.
5. Some tissue paper to soak the excess liquid that fall off.

Note: The usability of the keyboard depends on how carefully one cleans it. The plastic is very fragile, more so if the keyboard has been used for last 5 years in a hot and dry climate. Things may be brittle and prone to breakage.

Warning:

1. Don’t try this if the product is under any kind of warranty.
2. Do not attempt if you don’t have a backup keyboard in place.
3. There is a possibility that the keyboard may permanently get ruined in the process.
4. Use your own judgement and evaluate your own risk.

Step 2: Do a complete cleaning of the surface of the keyboard with any available household cleaner.

Step 3: Start taking out the keys one by one using a regular key or a screw driver.

A close up of how to remove each key

Step 4: While taking out the keys, align and keep them in order so that you do not mess up the sequence. Note that all keys on this keyboard has the 'legend' on the bottom-left corner.

Step 4: Keep all keys organized

Step 5: Clean the keyboard with its keys removed with a used toothbrush or similar brush.

A closeup of the keyboard with the keys removed. Note: Do not use excess cleaner as they take time to dry and that could render the keyboard useless for a while even after putting back together.

Step 6: Remove the Allen Bolts at the back to access the insides of the keyboard.

Step 7: Use a soft brush to clean the dust from insides. Do not force anything as the wires are very fragile.

Step 8: Reverse the process and put back the keyboard in shape. Give the cleaning fluids a few minutes or hours to dry before firing it up.

1. First and foremost they needed to be legal, and were easy to acquire.
2. They were rugged unlike the CD that followed them with great quality but their reliability depended on their usage.
3. An album on a tape was a sequence of songs intended to follow each other in a predefined sequence, a function that lost it’s meaning with the fast paced Skip and Shuffle world of MP3.

And they had their share of disadvantages as well:

1. They often got chewed up until better motors and technology came in. Direct Drive from Sony was one such technology that sort of achieved this almost flawlessly.
2. The quality deteriorated with time and age of the tape and the player. The player also needed regular maintenance to run smoothly.
3. The battery life was appalling, with so many motors and moving parts the most advanced Direct Drives would just about manage a few hours of playback.

Remembering the walkman, a few images gathered from the web, surprisingly there are very few of them around.

The complete set as available in the 90's

Click on the small thumbnails above to check out other images.

Pity they are no longer there. Somehow they were mode dedicated to music than an iPod or Zune. The clunky physicality of using one is missing from the polished convenience of today.

Note: Images used are not taken by me, neither do they belong to me. They have been copied and uploaded back on the server simply because only few of them are available to view and enjoy these days.

iPod dock built right into a table

Now that makes perfect sense. I have one that dangles around everywhere all the time. Not to mention the battalion of wires that march out from it and into the PC / Stereo etc.

Here’s what the manufacturers say.

What’s special about this iPod® Dock?

1. Provides a safe docking station for your iPod® while you charge or sync it
2. Eliminates the need for additional USB cord for your iPod
3. Saves valuable desk space
4. Mounting grommet ring allows space for your cables under your desk to pass through
5. Works with USB 1.1 and 2.0 for high and full speed data transfers

Somebody had to do this. And the fact that it’s this sporty and has a bright interface (and not a geeky droidy thing) is a plus. There are website talking about how viable is the solar option and when do I leave it out to dry.. errr.. charge. Well, the fact that this comes with a sports kit suggests that you get charged while your phone gets charged. Spend time.. outside.

Definitely not for the regular office fellow who basks in fluorescent glow.

Check that drool worthy UI

Also check out the review on Gizmodo and more images on their website.

]]> http://www.timeline-studios.com/blogs/2010/02/puma-the-puma-phone/feed/ 3 http://www.timeline-studios.com/blogs/2010/02/notion-ink-adam-hands-on-slashgear/ http://www.timeline-studios.com/blogs/2010/02/notion-ink-adam-hands-on-slashgear/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:08:35 +0000 Shubhodeep Das http://timeline-studios.com/blogs/?p=367 Notion Ink Adam hands-on via Notion Ink Adam hands-on – SlashGear.

Here’s another Tablet in the market, hitting it a wee bit before the ipad, sometime in December 2008.

Since it’s a prototype the Adam’s casing here is not what the final design will be; in fact this was hand-made especially for showing the tablet at CES. The eventual hardware will be 14mm thick (Rohan said they could even get it down to around 12mm) with a reasonably minimal bezel, packed with the 10.1-inch Pixel Qi transflective display, a capacitive touchscreen eventually capable of recognizing six simultaneous points of contact, integrated WiFi and 3G. Thanks to Tegra 2 the Adam is 1080p capable, with an HDMI port to output to an HDTV or projector, and while the OS they’re showing today is bare Android they’ve a new UI in the works complete with a replacement on-screen keyboard more ergonomically designed for large-touchscreen use.

- Slashgear

Read the rest here. Notion Ink Adam hands-on via Notion Ink Adam hands-on – SlashGear. Notion Ink is based out of Hyderabad and the product design is carried our by Ether Design very much in Bangalore.

Notion Ink, Adam. Image courtesy - Slashgear

We all know that iPod is probably one of the most used devices in the car in conjunction with other devices that already exist. But why doesn’t Apple get into the market directly and give us front row right from the driver’s seat either as a Software (with 3rd part hardware) or Hardware + Software combo. Many die hard fans have already put their Mac Minis in the their cars.

Car audio running front row!

That’s how this thought came up.

What if the Mobile and the TV could talk. Which means I use the mobile to type and navigate while the TV did the display part. I would not mind a 640×480 display on the HD screen, but it would be larger, take less time, and much more user friendly just by the sheer size of it.

Mobile 2 TV display transfer

Tablets in Grid mode. One gets 10 screen space (assuming that the screen borders are minimal) and 5 processors.

The idea maybe a little over the top, but things should aim at heading this way.

Well this might be a little too early to say as I may give in to the looks and the design of the ipad sometime soon as soon as its stable and available in India, but I still have my doubts over the whole Tablet concept.

We all wrote on a paper with pen a little more than 2 decades back when Bill and Steve started selling us stuff so that we hit keys instead of flaunting a Pen. In came a PC and then a Laptop. All that was to replace and make stuff easier for us to handle. Little after this Apple got in the Newton and we all loved it, it could schedule and recognize handwritten stuff and let you even scribble aimlessly, and then faded into oblivion.

Then came the Tablet PCs/Laptops which had this screen that swiveled and frankly thats what was the weak point. Sooner or later, they would become lose, wobble etc.

And we are back to the ‘no physical keyboard’ era again with iPhones (and it’s million copies from LG, Sony, Samsung etc.) and now a larger one in the ipad.

But the basic is missing. The ease of having a separate Input and Output device makes like a lot easier. physical memory takes care of the rest, much like the stick shift in a car. QWERTY was perfect.

Hence This. A two screen solution is probably a way to go.

Dual Screen tablet

Although Gizmodo has revealed something similar by Microsoft, I would rather wait for the Apple one.