What Is Your Dream Device?

[Kris Kumar]

AvantGo recently published the results of its annual survey of PDA and smart phone users. The 2004 Mobile Lifestyle Survey (http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS9297631002.html) sheds light on the eternal question - What are the "must-have features" for an "all-in-one dream device"?

The Top 12 must have features according to the respondents:
• Calendar and Contact list
• Easily syncs with PC
• Great battery life
• E-mail/Messaging
• Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
• Compact size
• MP3 player
• Phone
• Large screen
• GPS
• 20+ Gigabyte memory
• Camera

So what are the features you are looking for in your "Dream Device"? This is what my "Dream Device" looks like. <!>

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/DreamDevice1Small.jpg

Creativity inspired by David Johnson's Slot Machine. (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=286544) :lol:

[Phoenix]

My Dream Device is a Motorola MPx with the following enhancements:

In no particular order...

1.) VGA OLED Screen
2.) 40 GB Memory (for true Digital Music, Photo, and Movie Storage)
3.) Anti-Skip Technology - for Digital Music playback
4.) GPS
5.) 2-Way Radio
6.) 5mp Camera w/ 5x Optical Zoom
7.) Very High Quality Video Capture
8.) Biometric Fingerprint Reader (maybe)

****************************
9.) A D-Pad with a center button on the front of the MPx in addition to the three buttons already there so that it can easily operate like a Digital Voice Recorder and a Digital Music Player without having to flip open the phone (which is more cumbersome):

*As a Digital Voice Recorder:
Center Button of D-Pad - Record
Top of D-Pad - Play/Pause
Bottom of D-Pad - Stop
Left of D-Pad - Rewind/Previous
Right of D-Pad - Fast Forward/Next

And the three buttons already there could be for accessing Menu and Folders, etc.


*As a Digital Music Player:
The D-Pad would be self explanatory here, but the center button on the D-Pad (while functioning as the "Record" button when in Digital Voice Recorder mode) would serve as an "OK/Enter/Execute" button (like you'd see on any Ipod, for example) when in Digital Music Player mode.

The screen on the front of the MPx should be larger so that the MPx would be easier to use as a Digital Music Player when not flipping open the phone - of course, meaning that everything would be easier to read with a larger screen when navigating through menus, etc.
****************************

10.) Second Camera Lens inside the phone for video conferencing
11.) Next Generation Battery technology (whatever that will end up being) for incredible runtime
12.) TV tuner (streaming cable or satellite with local stations over WiMax or 3G would be even better) and FM tuner (including XM streaming over WiMax or 3G since XM will be offering their service online soon)
13.) How about built in Photon Light capability (or some sort of a bright LED) and a Red or Green Laser Pointer? (Might sound stupid, but hey, do you know how handy that would be to have? Less to carry around in your pocket and those two features could run off the main phone battery - so very little power drain and no watch batteries to mess with).
14.) A very nice, included, Black Leather Case (maybe a Vaja-made case included, instead of the cheap junk that manufacturers always seem to include. A manufacturer that actually put some thought and care into making (or having someone else make) a leather case for once, would be a welcome change!).

I think that covers it. :D

All of this in addition to what the MPx already offers, would be my Dream Device!!!

[Kris Kumar]

VGA OLED screen is good.

And I would also go for a push to talk or walkie-talkie two-way radio feature. Recently was helping a friend move. I was driving the truck and my friend was following me in another car, that feature would have helped us a lot.

Like the idea of using the D-Pad for music controls. :-)

[Phoenix]

VGA OLED screen is good.

And I would also go for a push to talk or walkie-talkie two-way radio feature. Recently was helping a friend move. I was driving the truck and my friend was following me in another car, that feature would have helped us a lot.

Like the idea of using the D-Pad for music controls. :-)

Ahhh, yes... OLED is very gooood! Or would be, anyway. And the D-Pad would be fantastic. :D Of course, the whole list would be nice, too!

I made a few changes/added a few things to my above list. But I think it would make for the Ultimate Device!

[encece]

throw in an AM/FM Radio and TV as well.

[Mike Temporale]

For me, it has to be small. That's #1 on my list. I don't want some big honking device to carry around all the time. Other features would be: Bluetooth
Wi Fi
large internal memory
miniSD for programs to be installed on to
SD for quick swapping of music and pictures
2-3 megapixel camera - not required but would be niceOh, and I agree with encece, and FM tuner would be great too!

[Kris Kumar]

I guess the key requirement, other than a portable/small form factor, should be that - whatever is included on the Dream Device should be high quality and not there for name sake.

Like if the camera is 2-3 Megapixel, then the photos from the phone should be the same as from a regular camera. The phone/all-in-one should not be an excuse for poor quality.

Same thing with WiFi/Screen/TV tuner/Radio etc.

[Phoenix]

throw in an AM/FM Radio and TV as well.

I had already included that in my list 8) Those features would be great!

[Mike Temporale]

throw in an AM/FM Radio and TV as well.

I had already included that in my list 8) Those features would be great!

opps. I must have missed that line. In that case, I agree with you and encece. :wink:

[wardy]

Mine would be:

1) Same size as the SE P900
2) 400mhz+ cpu
3) 512Mb internal RAM for apps and O/S RAM
4) Voice recognition that actually works, to control any aspect of the device
5) DVD quality video recording.
6) 3MP camera with above 2x zoom
7) XD memory card slot (faster and will hold more in future then current formats, 7GB!)
8) Definately no hard drive based storage, has to be flash based for best power consumption.
9) Battery life that would last 7 days with 2-3 hours heavy use per day.

[Kris Kumar]

Its amazing how much progress has been made in terms of hardware.

I remember when I first started playing with computers. The Intel 8008 used to operate on 800 Kilohertz. And it had 256 Bytes (not KB or MB). The processor could only access 16KB of RAM! The popular storage media used be the 5.25" Floppy Disk which could store a whopping 1.2 MB (and that was its max capacity).

And now we are talking about 400Mhz+ processor, Memory in MBs and GBs, storage capacity on SD cards is 1GB. 8O And all this fits in the palm of our hands, instead of a desk or a room. :lol:

Computing Tech has come a long way...and I can't wait the future!