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Turn Your PC Into A Tablet
Odkin writes "Geekstreet.ca has a story on a new concept invented by Philips called Detachable Monitor. It's an LCD with a touch screen that connects to your PC via 802.11b. I found this article in German with some nice hi-res pictures and there's also a link at Philips' homepage. "
Microsoft presents something similiar on the CeBit. It's called Mira and is a hybrid between a PDA, a Webpad and a PC.
Read about it at CNet and Microsoft PressPass.
Boycot? Blackout? Subscriptions?
I don't care!
Of course, one of the greatest Windows CE Tablets is/was the Clio.
The portable display (along with a portable keyboard/pointer) is the missing link in my home network. I carry around a laptop with WiFi sometimes, but this is overkill. I want the smarts in the "house server" and the remote terminal to be comfortable to carry, nice to look at, and not too expensive.
So who's doing this in the OpenSource world?
--Martin
Fiat Lux.
Note that this kind of screen could be the first step to DRM mechanisms build into the output device: They could use it to send pictures or videos encrypted to the screen. Unless you know the key that's inside your screen there will be no chance to get the raw data. Much safer than a software solution. And at least a solution thats a little bit more OpenSource-friendly (you can safely give away the source of the OS without harming the DRM protection, because everything happens in the screen). Also note that the same thing is possible for audio with USB speakers.
The english link is rather thin on information - how is this device supposed to "connect" and "allow access" to my PC?
For my computers, it wouldn't be a big deal to export DISPLAY=tablet:0, but for Windows users how would this work? VNC, perhaps?
Or is this just using your PC as a gateway, and running it's own software.
Any bets on how long until this is running Linux?
www.eFax.com are spammers
Panasonic had a wireless touchscreen tablet, the Cruise pad, we were experimenting with in Army motorpools in 1994.
Eve Fairbanks says I drive a hybrid!LOL
Ever since the first PC's, the technology in the box has been modularized and extracted from the box. Ironically, the PC was to break us free from the centralized mainframes.
Networking has once again revitalized specialization, centralization and modularization of the components within the box. We no longer think of the printer being an accessory to the PC. Direct Attached, NAS, and SAN storage have moved disks out of the box. Applications which used to run on our PCs now live on the server.
We now ask questions about our PCs. Why is there a hard disk in my workstation? Why is there a CPU capable of immense processing power in my workstation that will run idle for most of its life? Why is there anything in my PC other than the input and output devices that I require? Why can't everything else go in a specialized room somewhere, where it can be maintained, backed up and monitored more easily? Perhaps more controversially, why do I have to bother with that room at all and couldn't it be a service that I subsribe to?
Someone you trust is one of us.
Yes, the monitor communicates with the PC via IEEE 802.11b at 11 Mbits/s. This isn't really adequate for anything that refreshes the screen a lot, especially since I doubt the communications protocol between the monitor and the PC is as high-level as the communication between an X client and an X server.
The philips page here gives more details. I don't know why the Slashdot article links to the Philips home page instead of the Philips page that discusses the monitor.
Putting blocks together (any kid can do it):
More than that in modularity concept
Consistant Common Connection
And the OS to handle the software side will be the Hurd.
those pictures are really his-res, 200kb, 800kb, 1100kb? this site's gonna be up for a while... someone should mirror it.
it's nothing impressive to look at, btw.
Runnin' On Empty
From http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm:
---
Wacom's Cintiq combines the advantages of an LCD monitor with the control, comfort, and productivity provided by a Wacom tablet. The LCD monitor is clear, bright and easy to look at. The Cintiq pen has 512 levels of pressure-sensitivity, is cordless, and batteryless and includes both a DuoSwitch and a pressure-sensitive eraser. The Cintiq pen is used directly on the screen offering everyone from designers and illustrators to doctors and professors a powerful and intuitive new way to work on their computers.
The Cintiq LCD monitor is a true-color active matrix screen providing 16.7 million colors, a resolution of 1024 x 768 and a full 15" diagonal viewing area (the equivalent of a 17" CRT monitor).
For comfort and convenience, Cintiq features a removable pen holder that can be attached to either side and adjusted to your preferred height and angle. The Cintiq stand allows you to easily adjust the angle of your Cintiq screen between 18 and 73 degrees - and you can even remove the stand to comfortably rest the Cintiq in your lap.
---
It also works with UNIX.
Is it just me, or do those pictures look computer generated?
Did you click on the links or something? You must be new here.
All these companies from microsoft to phillips keep talking about having a "revolution in handheld computing." Where the hell is it? Can I buy it today? No. We're still 5 years behind where we were when we lost the newton. Grr... I wish these people would put their chips up and let me vote with my wallet.
"If you are an idealist it doesn't matter what you do or what goes on around you, because it isn't real anyway."-R.P.W.
It's a lengthly video, but Microsoft demonstrated this very use at CES. Video can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ehome/news/news.a sp.
r a.asp
What you're talking about is exactly what I've been looking for from a PC as well. Microsoft is bundling this "Mira" detachable screen and their new "Freestyle" interface to deliver exactly the home media center that you're describing.
The first version has the following limitations:
1. Only one user session can be active
2. No video or high-end graphics
There's another good overview of these technologies here: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/freestyle_mi
How in the hell are they getting video to the monitor over 802.11b. The article doesn't cover this aspect at all.
I can just imagine trying to decipher the text in my editor through all the block artifacts left from the MPEG compression they are doing to the video?!
"And like that
IBM follows a much more interesting concept when it comes to such hybrid devices. It's called Meta Pad and is currently developed by IBM Research.
The MetaPad provides different services in different environments without rebooting.
Boycot? Blackout? Subscriptions?
I don't care!
you want it wireless so you don't have cords. To me, if this comes in at around a few hundred bucks (below 400), I'd maybe buy one instead of a laptop due to the fact that a laptop costs over $1000.
--- RFC 1149 Compliant.
One of my favourite concepts is the PaceBook. It's a kind of web pad or panel pc plus wireless keyboard. Both parts ship in a special bag so you can also use the system like a notebook.
:)
(And it looks as if the device is actually available
If we all rush out and buy all the 802.11b and Bluetooth gadgets that marketdroids are shrieking about, aren't we going to run out of bandwidth really fast, especially given that 802.11b and Bluetooth share a frequency and don't play nicely together? Sure, we've got used to contending for network resources, but hands up who would swap a wired in IO peripheral for a wireless one that has any sort of lag or stutter, even (or especially) intermittent jerkiness. You're going to spend $$$ on a bunch of super-hardware and then tolerate a worse user experience? Excuse me if I don't put down a deposit right now.
Huh, I shouldn't speak. I develop voice over IP, and we're still stuck with IPv4 (with no QoS). Our marketdroids actually tell customers that the choppy voice quality is all in their imagination. Funnily enough, they're not buying that, in any sense of the word, and I wouldn't buy this product either unless I could test it thoroughly in a realistic office environment first.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
It doesn't seem to be a new concept at all.
1. Only one user session can be active
2. No video or high-end graphics
Interestingly, the one user session limit is strictly a licensing restriction on XP. XP Professional is limited to a single remote user connection not because of technical limits, but because MS doesn't want people running terminal services without paying for a server OS. The RDP in XP is pretty much identical to the RDP that has existed in NT Terminal Server and Win2k server platforms for the past few years. That said, I don't see that limitation being a drawback to this particular product since it is more geared toward a single-user environment (where you can carry your desktop computing environment with you to the conference room or to the toilet) and not toward having a ton of roaming users off of this single box, although it would be nice to be able to run the type of home entertainment system from one box and have multiple clients scattered throughout the house.
I've been experimenting with this type of use at home. I've use both a Panasonic CF-01 and a Fujitsu Stylist 1200, using 802.11b. They are hooked into one of my machines that has a DSL connection. Having wireless web surfing was my prime reason. A few issues that I've experienced:
Battery life - 802.11b pcmcia cards seem to suck the lifeblood out of batteries. They really drain dry within an hour or two. They also generate a large amount of heat.
Screen Size - 800x600 would be the bare minimum for surfing. Anything less really is sub optimal on the user experience.
Keyboard input - In my opinion, this is a huge limitation. No keyboard means using sometype of onscreen keyboards, which really sucks. It's painful to type sentences by tapping on the screen and the "writing" recognition just isn't there yet. The killer app for these wireless handhelds will be someone coming up with a easy and RELIABLE way of entering textual data.
-jim
"Geekstreet.ca has a story on a new concept invented by Philips called Detachable Monitor
Considering Microsoft already have 'invented' the idea (Mira), and that Philips have just announceed that it will deliver Mira devices, don't you think the article summary is a bit um...made up?
Perhaps this article would never have made it to the main page if it had said that Microsoft 'invented' the idea.
Yes, this may be considered a troll, but, I'm so sick of all the cry-baby whiners and complainers on slashdot. Most of you just bitch and moan about products and stuff you've never even seen or used.
:)
:D
I for one *have* used this device and it was incredible. It was connected to a tivo-like box,
a stereo and a home computing system. You could watch TV or movies or surf the web, from anywhere in the base station range. I listened to mp3's too
So, for all you disparaging this product, wait until you get to try one before you make a fool of yourself in front of all us slashdotters...
... that they forgot to put on the tablet, is a retractable can holder to attach a bottle of glassex or mr. clean (whatever your fav brand) and add a wiper (the mercedes benz style, single blade) to the tablet, in order to clean the screen every once in a while. I found myself using my iPaq without a stylus because I lost it on a trip. It's incredible how the screen gets greasy and dirty quickly. It becomes so murky that you end up obtaining an anti-aliasing blur effect.
PPA, the girl next door.
-- I feel better now. Thanks for asking.
You're kidding, right?
Ahem. Philips' North American jingle is taken from a Beatles tune:
I've got to admit
It's getting better,
A little better all the time...
What their marketing department apparently doesn't know is that the very next line is:
It can't get no worse
Fire and Meat. Yummy.
Products already existed that allowed you to put a touch screen to a currently existing monitor, this product right here is just an evolution of those other products.
:)
:D
:) )
Now once they release one for which a Waccom Airbrush works on (They are those Digital Airbrushs that detect tilt and have flow control and every other possible feature. They are Very Nifty Indeed(:D) ) I will be right out to buy it.
Well right after it drops below $400 or so, hehe.
Still though, I am instantly thinking of the artistic possabilities for this.
No, wait. The UI possabilities! YA!!!!
Heh, can I set the machine up so it has five "mouse pointers" going on at once? Hehehe. I have long fingers so I could get some REALLY [i]creative[/i] usage out of this thing, LOL! Would give a whole new meaning to the term multitasking, LOL!
"Oh yah, hell, I'm just playing Quake3, UT, and Half-Life all at once."
(Ok so my poor left hand would run out of fingers to use to control all of my characters, but hey, hehe. I could still do Defender, Breakout, and Joust all at once.
Need help treating your acne? Come here!
It's nice to see slashdot.org announcing innovations coming out of Microsoft, but it would be nice if you'd properly attribute them as well.
The only thing new and innovative about this thing is the fact that it's wireless. Wacom has had an incredible little tablet lcd you can sit on your lap or desktop and draw directly on the screen with for years. Pretty good tech, expensive as hell though. I guess they'll have to come up with a new model that's wireless to compete now.
I laugh whenever I hear about decentralized computing, because it assumes the people running the decentrialized systems are competent and above board and would NEVER screw anyone over or scrimp here and there to save a few bucks. How did this get modded up so high? There will be a huge market in providing these services in a complimentary fashion, however.. but, since you asked:
Why is there a hard disk in my workstation?
Where, exactly, will you store all your pr0n? Are you going to accept huge latencies to move data around? Are you going to trust that the provider of space-of-the-week isn't going to get a court order from the RIAA/MPAA to get rid of your goodies, or serve you with a summons? How about playing your games? Are you going to trust whatever encryption they offer?
Why is there a CPU capable of immense processing power in my workstation that will run idle for most of its life?
Because it costs $100 bucks, and will be $50 bucks in a year? CPU power is cheap, and we're nowheres near what's required for the next generation of applications. Will you trust your provider of CPU cycles to always have what you want on demand, and never scrimp to save money? The real question here should be "why do I only have one CPU in my machine" or "why aren't rack mount home basement clusters more popular". My definition of "immense processing power" and yours are likely quite different. Call me when I can get real-time photorealistic 3D pr0n, then, maybe, we can talk about there being enough CPU power in my box.
Why is there anything in my PC other than the input and output devices that I require?
Ummmmmm.. that's what's in your PC now. There's no reason to control the data in a central spot, you're right. Anyone who assumes users will mindlessly buy into service models when stuff is cheap is fooling themselves. Does anyone remember Divx, and how hard that flopped? Think about it. That's why most of us have home servers.
Why do I have to bother with that room at all and couldn't it be a service that I subsribe to?
Anyone stupid enough to buy into this gets what they deserve.
..don't panic
While I didn't and wont deny your points regarding data ownership and privacy, I'd be more cautious about your technology presumptions. Latencies around hard drives are huge, and they haven't changed much over the past 10 years. It certainly is not keeping pace with networking and transport speeds. Your 100Mbs NIC has roughly the same throughput of the latest and greatest IDE drives. GigE has about 6-8 times the throughput of a disk drive and 10GigE has 60-80 times the throughput. It's just a matter of time before drive latency is outpaced by networking latency.
Network Latency is an issue, but on the LAN it is already noise compared to spindle speeds. It wont be long before the WAN is no different.
While I'm personaly not going to put my storage in some SP, I will put in my closet.
Someone you trust is one of us.
How hard Divx flopped? What are you talking about?
Perhaps you should put it in context. The Divx I'm thinking of is an mpeg-4 video codec that encodes at about 40% better than mpeg-2 a lot of the time. That codec is currently in widespread use on desktop machines everywhere. I don't see how this has any relavence to servers at all.
Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!