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NEC Develops Linux Tablet/PDA Hybrid
zmcnulty writes "I've translated today's PC Watch article (Japanese) about a new tablet/PDA device from NEC - it has an 8.4" (640x480) touchscreen LCD, and a CD-ROM drive. It's also suprisingly affordable; about $645 USD. However, don't expect to be able to buy one soon, as production is limited to only 4,000 units for the first year. Still, this is an interesting prospect, and it's good to see major Japanese corporations interested in Linux."
Actually, 1998 wants its Blue Screen of Death back. "M$" is a perennial favorite, esp. given MSFT's penchant for a) charging exorbitant prices for its stuff and b) making unheard-of fortunes (to the tune of $4 billion per quarter).
Taskbars existed before Microsoft. They were in the form of icon collection boxes under various WMs (Window Managers).
Minimize, maximize, and close button locations have varied widely, and are extremely configurable under Linux and are very arbitrary. The only "intuitiveness" about the location is where people have been programmed to look for 'em.
Print dialogs are standardized to various things. Again, "intuitiveness" is (almost) entirely pre-programming.
Browser file integration has existed before MSFT got involved (via the file:/// URL). MSFT upped the ante, though. Whether this is due to trying to crush the competition and dominate an important software sector or enhancing the end user desktop experience depends on whose kool-aid you drink.
"Start" menus again are of dubious intuitiveness. Personally, I found the click-on-root-window-to-bring-up-menus method of various WMs to be much more useful.
I'm not saying MSFT doesn't come up with interesting stuff, just that you need to come up with better examples.
One example I'm curious about is tear-away/docking toolbars. I know toolbars/palettes existed before MSFT, but I don't know if the tear-away/docking kind did. Anyone have more info?
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Given enough personal experience, all stereotypes are shallow.
Believe it or not, I'm the one that wrote that.
I chose "suprisingly affordable" because the main product I was comparing the NEC to is Sony's Airboard, which retails for 136,500 yen (around $1,300 USD) just by form factor. Obviously, the Airboard has more functionality, but details on the NEC device are still scarce.
I would have to agree with this assessment, and add that JPY 68,000 is a lot to pay for something like this, especially when compared to the Sharp Zaurus C-760 PDA, which also "runs Linux", has 640x480, is Flash upgradable to a full open OS, and retails for JPY 45,000 (~$420).
The only thing this has going for it is the 8-inch screen, which is not so much of an advantage if it cannot fit in your pocket, and therefore must be treated like a full notebook PC.
davejenkins.com |
The operating system used is Linux. NEC has explained that "We were originally looking at TRON, but due to some problems with using the CD-ROM, we went with Linux." And about using Windows, "Apart from the cost being high, we wanted the ability to save the state of the device to memory immediately before powering off - and be able to resume work in that same position when the device is power on again. But since operating the device in this fashion made freezes very likely, we let Windows go."
The only way to make something like this work is to use the "server" machine for storage and extra cpu power, but most everything would still have to run locally on the tablet display in order to make it usable for real computing. It wouldn't need a P4, but something strong enough for basic use, geared for power efficiency (Transmeta or VIA chip maybe). It would save power/weight by not having a built-in HD or other drives. Some usb ports and SD/CF slots would cover storage, and the base system could load off of internal flash.
Well, whose going to build it first? It's basically a Network Computer like Sun always envisioned, but portable. Why hasn't it happened yet?
There are more Tablet PCs, which come pre-installed with Linux. But almost none of them has made it into the market yet.