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Webpads, Anyone?
crons writes: "Just found this on the LinuxDevices.com website. FIC is releasing a webpad called the AquaPAD that runs Midori Linux and has a Tranmeta 500MHZ Crusoe cpu. Here's the story from LinuxDevices.com, and here are a few specs. An 802.11b wireless LAN card is supported in the PCMCIA slot, as are modules for GSM, GPRS, and Bluetooth." For around $600, this looks like it might make a great living room terminal.
Hitachi also has a webpad that uses the Crusoe and runs Midori, the FLORA-ie55mi. I have actually had the chance to play with one, it is really nifty. Great on screen keyboard.
Here is the link. It's in Japanese. Babelfish to the rescue?
Execute? [Y/N] _
This type of thing could wipe out the $600 palm and pocket pc devices... it is a sub-sub-notebook, with enough power to do apps, not just organizer type things. 800x600 screen? That beats out th 160x160 for doing something other than scratching out a quick memo.
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For something a little sooner and a little cheaper, check out the now liquidated Audreys. Sure, they aren't the newest toys, but I just ordered a handful from Tiger Direct for $90 a piece, plus $30 for the usb network adaptor.
Out of the box, it supports web browsing, email, and palm syncing among other things. And with a little hacking, it can play mp3s, be an X server/client, VNC server/client, web server, etc.
Why do people constantly feel the need to pit devices against each other, especially when they are clearly in different niche markets?
Palm's are small enough to fit in your pocket, and are designed for taking short notes, keeping appointments, contact information, diet logs, cell phones, GPS guides, MP3 players, etc. Things you want in your pocket. Their screen sizes are adequate for these needs.
Laptops are mobile PC's. Enough said on that.
And in the middle now are webpads. A laptop with a touch screen instead of a keyboard, wireless connectivity, emphasis on internet and information access, roughly the size of a pad of paper. These are not meant to be carried EVERYWHERE like a PDA, and are generally not going to be used for the same things as PDA's.
If anything, webpads could evolve into laptop-killers for most people, NOT palm-killers.
Enough already!
"And like that
I hate to be negative here, especially because this looks so cool and is running Linux on a Transmeta cpu, but how useful could this ever really be to the average geek?
I understand that this might be great for those unable to get around or confined to bed, as it would be small and unobtrusive and allow easy access to the net, but at a pricetag of $600, could this ever be justified for someone perfectly capable of getting up and walking 15 feet to their machine?
For around $600, this looks like it might make a great living room terminal.
A great living room terminal? Do you really feel the need for a living room terminal? I spend about 10 hours a day in front of my machine, seriously, and that'd be more if I was working instead of attending class. When factoring in sleep (which is becoming less and less) and eating and simple things like transportation, I have very little time for anything else, and I very rarely find myself sitting around *itching* for the Internet, because normally I'm right there in front of it. I can't really imagine myself sitting in a recliner and thinking, "damn I wish I could get on the Internet but that'd mean I'd have to walk all the way over there, and use a keyboard, nahh I'll just sit here."
Also, configuration/ease of use becomes an issue, because I like to be webbrowsing in a comfortable and familiar environment, where I have my bookmarks at hand, I have my mp3s playing, I have Kinkatta up so people can IM me, I've got about 25 windows open, maybe even KVirc on #debian; in other words, if I'm only 15 feet from my computer, I'd rather just get up and go full Internet mode than sit around, dealing with a small screen and uncomfortable interface. Yes I read the specs and saw that it offers a "full" range of Internet tools, but you ever try to communicate on IRC with handwriting recognition?
Basically, I can't see buying one of these as anything but self-indulgence, unless of course you have an understandable need such as a disability preventing you from using a regular computer/terminal set up. If I had a spare $600 to burn on geekstuff that I'd never fully use, I'd think about building a cluster or an mp3 jukebox/mapping+gps system for my car, at least I'll have the parts left over in a couple months after I realize how little I used it.
Sorry to be so cynical, but after dropping $500 on a PDA that I only used to play Doom and for playing mp3s and it didn't help me get organized one bit, I've started to rethink my approach to gadgets.
Just my $0.02,
Mike
Yes, yes, I'd like to be able to browse the web in my living room using a comfortable wireless webpad about the size of an etch-a-sketch. But what about when I have to move beyond point and clicking to enter text. Laptops, especially when balanced precariously on knees, cause my shoulders to stress up because I have to be soooo careful not to hit the wrong key.
Yes, I need a personal organizer, but this is too big to strap to my belt.
Things that could really ingratiate this into a living room setting:
- is there an Uber-remote app for it and necessary IR hardware peripheral
- make it a nicely integrated controller to a media server in a different part of the house to stream digital video and digital audio to your TV and stereo.
My current home electronics system is a mess due to the multiple I/O ports on the VCR, DVD player, satellite TV, TiVo, TV, Receiver. If this device could make my life more convenient from that perspective (and it sure looks like it could), then it would get my vote for a purchase."Provided by the management for your protection."
-schussat
The hour of noon has passed. Let us go and get some Kentucky Fried Chicken.
When I heard "WebPad", I immediately flashed on an image of a commercial:
WebPad -- for those light-traffic days when you still need complete protection. WebPad fits your information needs perfectly, but still fits inside your purse. WebPad will absorb all your information with no leaks, and no bulky installation.
WebPad, 133t enough for a geek, but made for a woman.
For the real manly types it needs a name like "DataSlab"
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
For me, I really want this space to converge.
1)I want (BADLY) for something that is more powerful than a PDA - thus why the wince pocket pc's appeal to me - they have enough power to do more than just keep appointments and sync email. The form factor makes it tough to do anything but basic app - but even something like MP3's are tough to do with under 64M of storage. If this thing uses standard SDRAM, then w00t! 512M today is an easy thing to see happening. That does not even include the micro HDD advances... I want something less than a super mobile PC, more than a PDA.
2) I want something smaller than my thinkpad. I end up lugging this think in and out of meetings all day long. Toss it in my carry-on, and I don't have a lot of space left.
3) I want something I can code to - if that's IBM's j9, Microsoft's wince c++ package, whatever, I want to build some custom apps. If its a closed systsem - thanks, but no thanks. Give me a compiler and a resonable chance of building something, and hey, I'm in....
4) The only reason I don't have a pocket pc right now is the bloody price. If palm could run a JVM and had enough space to store a few hours of MP3's I'd shell out the $400 for one of the sony jobs. Its close... The wince kits have almost enough power and RAM, but come on... $600 is way to much when I compair it to some of the laptops out there. Get the price down to $300, and things get interesting.
In short, I'd like to see my laptop and PDA killed off. Way to many "wants" in this post....
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