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Intel's 'Personal Server': The Handheld Killer?
markbaard writes "Intel is developing a wireless, pocket-sized personal server that may replace laptops and PDAs altogether. The 'personal server,' which is being developed at Intel Research by ubiquitous computing wizard Roy Want, is the size of a deck of cards, half the weight of an iPaq, and has no i/o, no screen, and no peripherals. The device never leaves its user's pocket or handbag. Pictures of the personal server and the story are at baard.com."
Permalink here: http://www.baard.com/archives/2003_05.html#000071
This already exists, more or less, in the form of the Toshiba HopBit. And I think that Toshiba's smarter than Intel in positioning their personal server as an accessory for PDA's rather than as a replacement for them. A box with no screen doesn't have very much sex appeal, and people like to be able to access information on the go, so people will probably buy these things mostly to serve as video storage for their Tungsten T's and iPaqs.
According to the article, this "box" has both Bluetooth and 802.11 interfaces. You walk up to any PC that supports these technologies and can access your box.
I imagine that, alternatively, you could use a Bluetooth keyboard, speakers, etc. and display? to use this.
Overrated / Underrated : Moderation
This is typical /. misreading of the article. It's designed as a server... something that provides background services to the user.
Now combined with various IO devices it may match the functionality of a handheld. Here is the ubicomp 2002 paper about it.
since the link is horribly /.'d already, this has a lot of detailed info:
Intel persional server PDF
Mirror
Look up some information on MIThril. It's a cool wearable computing platform that seems to me to be similar to what you are talking about. It has removable components that all network to one another over a rather interesting bus and add all sorts of fun functionality.
Her name is Teresa Nakra.
2 02 ,00.html
http://www.wired.com/news/images/0,2334,58679-7
Another interview of Roy Want about the personal server can be found on Intel's website here
"The first technology--a prototype developed by IBM Research--is the Meta Pad, a 3-by-5-inch, 9-ounce device that an IBM official hailed as the "ultimate personal server." The Meta Pad contains an 800-MHz chip, a 10GB hard drive, a 3D graphics chip, and 128MB of memory; it is capable of running Windows XP.
The device, which supports Bluetooth, is designed to help give users access to all their data whether they are connected to their desktops or laptops, via a docking station or wirelessly over the Internet. "
Bullshit. English came by way of the people living roughly what is now western Germany and the northeastern part of the Netherlands. The French influence came by the Norman invasion of England, which formed Middle English (the Normans spoke an old French variant). Modern English was then further influenced by incorporating Latin and Greek during the industrial revolution.
American English is a further derivative of EARLY Modern English influenced heavily by Spanish, Native American, and to a much lesser extent French.
So do you actually know some Etruscan or are you a hypocrite?
A radio maverick jumps to internet only. The Future of Rock n Roll
It's already starting to exist but requires special paper (it reads dots on the paper instead of using gyros) and a dock (no bluetooth). Read all about it at Logitech's site or buy one at ThinkGeek.
In other news, I've seen those 256 MB USB keyring drives on sale for $90-100 for the last two weeks. Probably even cheaper if you look around at pricewatch or whatever power-shopper site you like.
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