06-14-2004, 07:06 PM
|
|
Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
|
|
Is the "petfrog" Your Future PDA?
The words "pet" and "frog" do not immediately invoke futuristic technology in my mind. My first thought is that a pet frog would be kinda lame. My second thought, after some deliberation, is the same. There is a reason, however. "Frog" is the name of one of the most influential design firms in the world, and they put this mockup together for Newsweek magazine. I'm guessing they tacked "pet" to "frog" because...people like pets...? Whatever the reason, the concept and design of the device are certainly interesting. The main idea seems to be a series of nested physical tabs that can be pulled out to reveal different hardware. A tab on the top of the device reveals a screen, a tab on the bottom contains a keyboard, etc. A "primary" screen on the front of the device shows system information and navigational elements. The UI also seems to be designed around the "tab" idea.
While the tabs are sort of neat looking, I think it would be cooler (and more space-efficient) to lose the physical tabs sticking out of the top and bottom in favor of a spring-loaded, no effort-required operation. Need the keyboard? Press the keyboard button on the side and it pops out. Need some extra screen space? Thumb the button and it comes gliding out of the top, like Excalibur in the moist grip of the Lady of the Lake. Perhaps I wax a bit too lyrical, but I think the bottom line here is that this thing is a cool idea. What do you think?
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 07:21 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
|
|
Looks like a Star Trek communicator.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 07:47 PM
|
|
Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,734
|
|
Its too thick, and if the tabs are meant to be added on as 3rd party accessories then it would be locked in to that design and size (kind of like the design of pc cases)
It may have a chance in the 3rd world though, as a pc replacement.
Surur
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 07:51 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 171
|
|
NOT impressed. They are developing electronic paper and along comes a plastic box over an inch thick??
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 07:52 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 340
|
|
I like innovation but such a setup would make any pda too thick...
Also, I am not too enamored with multiple moving parts. It's just more things that can get stuck, or loose, or broken.
Back to the drawing board...
Steve 8)
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 08:08 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,208
|
|
same here. this is another futuristic and possibly non usefull design
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 08:36 PM
|
|
Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
|
|
Nah I'll stick with a 'traditional' PDA style.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 08:38 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 165
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ricksfiona
Looks like a Star Trek communicator.
|
Or a "ST: The Next Generation" Tricorder.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 08:46 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
|
|
Dude it looks like a high tech version of those old school remote controls for TVs!!
__________________
PDA History: Palm Pilot 5000 -> Apple Newton 2100 -> Casio E-11 -> iPaq 3650 (64MB Upgrade) -> iPaq 3700 -> Casio EM-500 -> HP Jornada 568 -> HP iPaq hx4705 www.spreadfirefox.com |
| |
|
|
|
06-14-2004, 08:51 PM
|
|
Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jonathan1
Dude it looks like a high tech version of those old school remote controls for TVs!!
|
:mrgreen: True! I think they made kind of a big mistake in going with 70's Burnt ORANGE for the "sliders". If you check out the Frog Design site, they've got a picture of the petfrog on the cover of Newsweek. It looks pretty small, but the primary colors make it look like a toy.
I still think it's a cool idea, though. 
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
