My ultimate Pocket PC

[BanjoFrog]

Going over all the specs of today's models and rumors of devices on the horizon, I began to daydream about my ultimate Pocket PC.

Forget the reality of making such a device... but I'd lay down fat cash if anything ever met these specs:

Screen:
~200 DPI, at least 480x640, preferably 600x800
bright, readable in daylight
OLED (supposedly better for battery life)
durable/scratchproof

Features/gadgets:
unlocked GSM phone
Bluetooth, 802.11g, IRDA, zigbee :)
Universal remote control (not uncommon these days)
2MP camera/camcorder w/ flash
SD/CF types 1 & 2
blue LED flashlight for emergencies
voice recorder with one-touch recording button
scroll wheel on side of case
at least 1 USB port
AM/FM radio
1/8" audio input jack & external microphone
A processor fast enough that I can use it for realtime guitar effects
optional MIDI in/out/thru adapter
always on digital clock on secondary screen
little flip-out stand so I can set it on a desk w/out the docking unit
battery that lasts a full 10 hours
8GB CF harddrive built-in

...and of course, all in a titanium package the size of an iPaq 1945.

Guess I'll keep on dreaming. Anyone? Apple?

-bf

[Zack Mahdavi]

Awesome specs, but a 10 hour battery life would never be possible even within the next few years. With those kinds of specs, maybe a 10 minute battery life would be more reasonable.. :)

Wireless power... where are you? I'm waiting... :roll:

[BanjoFrog]

Seems like these things should be able to do basic realtime audio processing today. I wonder why nobody makes one with an audio input jack? I'd love to plug in a standard cellphone mic/headset to use Skype. Bluetooth is just another power drain.

[Aerestis]

real tiem audio processing.,..? Are you sure?

That would be one expensive audio port... Then again I guess it would be as flexible as your software. But I don't know, my old 200 mhz computer with 64 mb of ram couldn't process a flange and reverb, or reverb alone, without the occasional pause. I once wrote up a cheap and sloppy reverb with a goofy innaccurate sequencer, and that worked smoothly, but ultimately it sounded terrible.

I guess a high end ppc might process a brief echo or bland reverb. I wouldn't expect anything rich or warm though, because sound is surprisingly demanding.

But now that I'm thinking about it, that would be suchhhh a cool audio port :) On screen value adjustments, frequency display, the ability to have presets, the ability to use multiple channels in only one piece of hardware, wow. It would be a stomp board, only cool looking, and super elegant. I would pay huge money for an audio port with a ppc interface :)

oh, and in terms of it being a stomp board, I guess it would be a bad idea to stomp on it :wink: ahhhh but I would love that. I can see devices like the oqo doing some justice to the audio world once they grow a bit.

[BanjoFrog]

I'm thinking of something like the Zoom effects processors. At the very least, it could be useful like the PS02 and PS04 zoom devices, providing a few tracks of digital audio backup, mixdown functionality, rhythm, etc.

Heck, chuck a DSP chip into my specs above :)

[jake080]

what happened with that external laptop solar panel thingy a couple years ago!?!?!?!?!?!

we need to begin working on those, i wouldnt mind carrying an additional lightweight, object no bigger than a, say 1945! COME ON!

[Pat Logsdon]

what happened with that external laptop solar panel thingy a couple years ago!?!?!?!?!?!

we need to begin working on those, i wouldnt mind carrying an additional lightweight, object no bigger than a, say 1945! COME ON!
Well, there's this (http://www.mobileplanet.com/private/pocketpcthoughts/product.asp?dept%5Fid=6560&pf%5Fid=MP861122&listing=1). You won't see a solar charger the size of a 1945 that can charge a laptop. The hardware isn't efficient enough yet.

[jake080]

good point, though i meant one that size to work with ppcs :D
i suppose that one would work on them!

[BanjoFrog]

There's always the new solar-powered ScottVeste:

http://www.scottevest.com/

[Pat Logsdon]

good point, though i meant one that size to work with ppcs :D
i suppose that one would work on them!
Try the Sun Catcher Sport (http://www.mobileplanet.com/private/pocketpcthoughts/product.asp?dept%5Fid=6560&pf%5Fid=MP861123&listing=1). :wink:

[Kowalski]

...and of course, all in a titanium package the size of an iPaq 1945.

it seems that someone should wake you up from your dream

[Jonathon Watkins]

...and of course, all in a titanium package the size of an iPaq 1945.

it seems that someone should wake you up from your dream

That's a bit unfair Kowalski. Give it time (and hope for good eyesight with 800x600 on such a tiny screen). 8O :lol:

Nice name & Avatar BanjoFrog! 8)

[Kowalski]

yes everyone would like to see a goodie like this but hey give the engineers a couple of years!
i am sure in the following years most of these specs will be real but when it comes to fit all these in a tiny package like the casing of 1910, you should think twice :wink:

[BanjoFrog]

Why not that size? Think back a few years to the Apple IIe. Your PPC has a hundred times the power as the old Apple, and fits in your hand. I'm sure we'll see something tiny like this down the road... It's just physics, afterall ;)

Also...

real tiem audio processing.,..? Are you sure?

I just found this from another mailig list - they make several audio processing apps for PPCs:

http://www.phonature.com/home/index.htm

... and MSDN just published this article about writing a drum machine app in C# using the .NET Compact Framework for a PPC:

http://www.microsoft.com/belux/nl/msdn/community/columns/munoz/cfrhythm.mspx