Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!liuida!isy!lysator.liu.se!howard From: howard@lysator.liu.se (MindWalker) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: Re: Dream Machine (Re: HP Announces New Calculator!) Message-ID: <566@lysator.liu.se> Date: 6 Apr 91 15:27:38 GMT References: <559@lysator.liu.se> <11566@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> Sender: news@isy.liu.se (Lord of the News) Organization: Lysator Computer Club, Linkoping University, Sweden Lines: 85 jokim@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (John H. Kim) writes: >In article <559@lysator.liu.se> howard@lysator.liu.se (MindWalker) writes: >> >>The dream machine, to me, would be something the size of an 48SX, but with >>no keys. Right, _no_ keys. Instead, replace everything with a large LCD >>touch sensitive display. ... Attached to the side of the >>"calculator" would be a "pen", which would be used for menu selections, >>or writing in text. The text would be written in by writing with the pen, >I think there's already something like this in the works, although >I don't remember what company is doing it. It uses handwriting >recognition software much as you suggest. As far as I know, most of the technology exists, with the possible exception of multilayer chips (or Cubic Chips as I call them), where I suppose cooling presents a problem. But just imagine, with chips the size of a standard credit card, and, say, 10 layers you could sqeeze quite a lot on to it. For the "Dream Machine" it ought to be possible to put a CPU, couple of MB of memory (RAM/ROM) on one chip (card) (perhaps a few hundred). In fact, the CPU could be implemented as a network of CPUs, or perhaps transputers, all on one chip. This should give the computational speed needed to do things such as handwriting recognition in real time. One of the problems today is that chips need so many connections to the outer world (PGA, PLCC etc.). So why not simply mold everything into one massive chip and only have a few connections to the outer world, ie a communications line or six. Make each chip a computer. I imagine that another problem with this is manufacturing. The times that I've seen pictures from manufacturers plants on TV, when they show the process of dotting each faulty chip with red dye, there seems to be a great number of faulty chips on each wafer. I don't know why this is the case, or what ways there are of remedying this, but it seems to me that if the problem could be conquered, there'd be a lot to gain. >>Standard RS-232C port, preferably with another connector, IR port, high >>speed port for add ons, such as HD, or local networking with other >>calcs or computers. >They mentioned a built in cellular phone so you could do file transfers >while on the road (important for the traveling businessman). I'd hate >to know the battery life of this thing. Actually I thought of the idea of a cellular phone interface, or perhaps even one built in as you suggest. This would enable email to be transfered between different DM's by having software phone up a stationary site at night and do the transfers. Battery life is a field of techology which unfortunately doesn't live up to the demands of other fields of technology. It would be nice if we could apply the progress of the past five years within RAM chips to the next five years in battery technology research. Maybe in five years time we could then have a Dream Machine snuggly tucked into our coat pockets. >>The "calculator" >>(hmm, a new term is going to be needed. Pity notebook is already used), >How about "notepad"? The unit I saw looked about 5" x 9", or larger >than a notepad, smaller than a notebook. The way you write on it >with a pen also suggest a notepad. Notepad is good. I like the understatement; Calling something with that computational power a notepad is ok... :) :) But seriosly, I think that if and when things reach this stage, we will for the first time see a really _useful_ personal portable computer. It needs to be this powerful, offer this number of alternatives (and preferably more) and be this size if we're going to start talking about _personal_ computing. Something which incorporates the FiloFax, the numbercruncher, the notepad, the personal organizer, the telephone directory, the storage facilities of a couple of optical disks, the size of an HP-48SX and a nice design to top it off is just what I need... Now, if they could only sell it for less than $200... /mvH -- Programming isn't a science, | Foo: howard@lysator.liu.se it's an art. | Bar: d89marho@odalix.ida.liu.se Why is it called common sense, | Fubar: Martin_Howard:d89:lith@xns.liu.se when so few possess it ? | Voice: Int +46 (0)13 261 283 (GMT + 1h)