Re: How they should have designed it
 

I like the idea of just the screen sliding. At the same time, make the keys rise up a little more, maybe put some space between them, get them into a staggered arrangement...

Then:
- Place the camera on a swivel.
- Add a "lock" switch.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Now you are getting closer to what I consider the ideal design...a clamshell. Instead of having the screen slide have it close. This affords some screen protection. Leave some room for basic controls for MP3's and possibly video and mic recording and you are all set.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Lower the dpad and I like it.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

I would call it "Sidekick III" ;)

http://www.mobilegazette.com/images/...dekick-3-1.jpg
(Well, I guess except the sidekick screen does this interesting 180 rotation action, as far as I recall...)

Sidekick is a really nice device, no doubt about it.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

I dunno. I'm fine with the way it's looking aesthetically . could do without the screen bevel, but other than that I think its fine. or maybe move the webcam/light sensor to the top. but I', sure there's reason they put it there. I guess, to each his/her own. i mean there are some who love the design of the n800/n770 which I dislike. I've always been a fan of clean/minimalist design. I'm not 100% in love with the n810 design. but its bearable.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

That's why I kept referencing the Sidekick Slide when I was talking about the "screen slides only" design idea.

The Sidekick 1, 2, and LX have the rotation you're talking about, but Motorola is about to release the "Sidekick Slide", which slides out instead of rotating out:

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/wp-co...kickSlide1.jpg

Plus, the ElectroBit red chinese linux PDA has that same form factor, and i-Made just announced a similar device as well. I like it because you don't really shift from holding the sides of the screen to holding the keyboard - the side rails are stationary, so your grip doesn't change just because you started using the kbd.


Oh, and, again, the thing I would add to this (that the sidekick slide does not have) is the tilt. Have the screen be able to tilt in either closed or open position. (tilt when closed -> no need for a stand; tilt when open -> use it like a tiny laptop)

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Slide out with tilt option (along the lines of what was shown in the 2005 Nokia patent someone recently linked) would be ideal IMO.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Like this:

http://ucscb.ucsc.edu/~jrudd/nokia-n810-modified-3.jpg


(centered the dpad, and the right thumb buttons, put the menu button just above the dpad instead of below)


And, here it is closed:


http://ucscb.ucsc.edu/~jrudd/nokia-n...ed-3closed.jpg

Re: How they should have designed it
 

But see, using the dpad is still awkward with screen up. Hard to get to.

Lower... lower... :D

Re: How they should have designed it
 

:p

I don't agree :)

If you put the dpad down in the lower corner, then your thumb has to flex a lot to use it. Whereas if your thumb is on the dpad, in my last 2 pictures, then you can reach the keyboard from there without much flexing (a litte bit of downward stretching, but not flexing). More ergonomically sound.


I also thought about doing 2 dpads (one left, one right), and removing all of the other buttons (escape, menu, home). Then you'd have a control panel to select "dpad left, button cluster right" or "dpad right, button cluster left".

When one of the pads is acting as the button cluster, then left would be escape, clicking on the center would be menu, and right would be home. Up would be zoom in, and down would zoom out.

That would get you a nice ambidextrous solution.

I don't think I need to work up an image for that ... it should be easy to imagine it.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

yes, and it would also ruin the design aesthetics of the n810. I 'm sure they thought about putting a dpad on the front, or whatever buttons. but they opted for a cleaner minimalist look, and in that respect I believe they are almost there. I guess this follows the whole form over function idea, there is ALOT you could change on this devise, but some people (I would assume the average person) would like to buy pretty/visually appealing gadgets.

using the n810 for a few days, like any other gadget, you will automatically get used to it. If not after a few days, shortly after.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

If you are going to have a form factor with a keyboard, then the best design and feel was and is the psion 5.

I would kill for a design based on that, with the hardware from the 810, including the gps, and the twn card slots from he n800 (bit of an own goal, not keeping that feature)

Add in version of the psion apps, especially the dairy, and you would have a winner!

BTW the is already a connction, as apparantly psion did a lot of early design work on hildon.

gaz

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Aha ! Nice to see I'm not alone (I've been ranting about this here for more than a year :-)
You mean, milk it for all it's worth ? :-)

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Yea, seriously though the psion 5 has the best set of apps of any pda / handheld device I have ever used. I just about stopped using the 2 I own as they are getting fragile now, but everytime I use it I am still impressed.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

We are agreed. That above was just a bad pun on a typo of yours, never mind :-)

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Whereas I see my thumb hitting the screen a lot, especially trying to access the right side of the dpad in futility. :p

Re: How they should have designed it
 

The average consumer seems to buy up lots of devices with d-pad like buttons on the front. For example: palm pilots, MDA-like phones, sidekicks, etc.

If the specific look of the dpad isn't appealing to you, it's not hard to come up with a new look for a dpad.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

@ johnkzin

Very true. It should be possible to hide any buttons on the face with clever usage of materials and styling, while still maintaining tactile feedback.

I would also like to keep the mic on the left side, and add a hidden speaker on the right side, so that one could use the device as a phone if one chose. Of course, this wouldn't have to be an advertised feature that confuses the Internet Tablet brand, but I think it would be a major step towards the perfect convergence device.


}:^)~
YARR!!

niatpaC tpurroC

Re: How they should have designed it
 

That, and a rotating screen (virutal rotation, like the iPhone, not physical rotation like the sidekick) would indeed be nice.

Though, for me, I think I might prefer the mic to be on the right, and the low-volume/phone speaker on the left. That would just better suit the way I hold my tablet (ie: the way the iPhone is laid out).

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Agreed, Psion way way ahead of its time. I owned Series 3's and 5's. I wouldn't have given up my 5 if it hadn't been hit by an errant basketball while sitting in my gym bag. Smashed the screen. I was soooo sad. Spent the next 10 years swapping between Palm and WM devices and never finding any of them as nice as that 5.

Re: How they should have designed it
 

In fairness, the 5's screens were among the worst ever put on a device.

And there was that video cable issue...

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Ok, finally got mine and I have my own feedback (I will reproduce this on my internal blog).

Overall I like it. No surprise there. But I have to agree with some quibbles and add my own.

-keyboard definitely needs more space between lower device edge and upper row of keys. I'm thinking another 5mm at least. Lower edge should be sloped, too.

-zoom and other buttons should be on the top half of product body (LCD portion), not bottom half (keyboard/battery portion). They are hard to reach with keyboard extended.

-transflective screen is nice outdoors, but reflects too much indoors. I wonder if that can be overcome...

-battery cover switch is too difficult for me to lock after opening. Switch should have ridges IMO.

So far that's it. Now back to playing...

Re: How they should have designed it
 

The keyboard problem is disheartening as such a problem should never have made it past design testing much less a focus group. Methinks someone dropped the ball... Hard...


}:^)~
YARR!!

The Original Scurvy Scoundrel

Re: How they should have designed it
 

Reviewers have made similar comments about some Nokia slider phones, like the N80. Not enough clearance. I don't get it, either (I used to be a product designer, and I wouldn't have done it as it has been done...).

Re: How they should have designed it
 

@Textrat

The keyboard, the storage, etc, open very obvious doors for the competition that will soon offer similar Nxxx-like devices when prices/technology allow. The iPhone was/is adored because perceivably apple paid attention to the details. The N810 was/is criticized tremendously for precisely the opposite. Considering the size and reach of Nokia, it hints at a lack of vision from within.

Still, the strategy is a five parter, and this isn't the end. We'll see if the Internet Tablet grows into its potential, or hands it off to another that has superlative vision.


}:^)~
YARR!!

Capt'n *cough* Corrupt