Third device

After tracking Apple's launch of tablet with all the hype and not so revolutionary product as an outcome, dont you think we need a hybrid of iPad and a netbook?

What are the requirements of this "third" device as they call it?
Should be larger than a phone. an optimimum screen size is somewhere between 8-12 inch (between a paperback and a magazine)

Should be lighter than a laptop. less than a kg. some would be happy with upto 1.5 or 2.

Battery life as long as possible. 5-6hrs (full power mode) 20hrs (as a media player) 60hrs (standby i.e say connected to the internet to just inform abt new mail or get a ping on chat software, almost equivalent to a phone)

Touch screen Keyboard is optional. Would be nice to have if onscreen keyboard is responsive. Else normal keyboard is better. I dont want to wait too long for the response during typing.

Processor - 1-2GHz should be sufficient. May be multi core, one core for handling the touch input

RAM - 2GB minimum

Web cam with integrated microphone

Storage - 32GB SSD Hard disk takes too much of space and weight

Wi-fi + 3G - To get on the move internet

Bluetooth

OS is a very tricky choice. Should be light enough to load fast, power efficient and have small footprint on the storage. Ultra light version for standby and media player modes. Quick switching between modes. I dont want to stop my song and reboot to open my mailbox

Stripped down version of linux should be fine.

Softwares
Mail client - need not be fancy as outlook. But should be more user friendly than Pine. Should be integrated with the calendar and contacts

Media player, Chat client, browser - Any of my fav should be installable

Document processor - cant live without doc, ppt, pdf

Image viewer


Can somebody make this for me?? Can it be assembled?

Comments

Arun Iyer said…
I think we should first understand how the time is spent in using the device. Slice up the 100% and we have answers on where to focus for 80% of the population.

For example, what if wanted to carry a bunch of movies and music for a trans-continental flight. The 32GB would be insufficient. Option to add an SD card, or ability to replace the in-built HDD for a larger one etc..

etc ...
etc ...
1:16 AM
VG said…
What I have tried to conjure is what best suits my needs. What would I use this device for?

Primary use - using internet lying down on the couch - Laptop is too heavy for that. Smart phone is too small for me. Smart phone too restrictive in terms of available software. Laptop has full flexibility. Can there be as third device almost as powerful as laptop only when needed (10% of my time), power friendly (longer battery life) as smart phone (80% of my time, wouldnt mind charging it once in a day, wouldnt mind connecting it to power when I am on my couch and using it)

Long train journey and/or Trans-continental flight - Listen to music, read book, watch movie - A USB or SD card slot would be enough to carry sufficient material for that (10% of my time)

Carrying the device to my native place. I wouldnt want to carry my laptop everytime. Too much of baggage.

Essential features hence are different power modes for different scenarios, light in weight, customizable so that it can be made up to a slow laptop in need (i.e. can run heavy applications slowly)
10:21 AM
Mukesh Agarwal said…
you might find this interesting
http://notionink.wordpress.com/2009/05/
12:56 PM
HJKL a.k.a h2l said…
Choice of N900 is not too bad for all your needs except the screensize (only 3.5") and the battery life (with wifi only around 10 hours).

Dualboot the N900 and get both Android and Maemo running. Heard Meego is also working on N900 which could be triple boot.
2:40 PM
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