maemo.org - Talk - View Single Post - Fujitsu F-04B

	allnameswereout	2009-11-14 , 18:46
	Posts: 3,397 \| Thanked: 1,212 times \| Joined on Jul 2008 @ Netherlands	#23

Sure, I'd want eSATA too on the device. Adding hardware comes with a drawback: weight, size, power usage, price.

On top of that, making the hardware modular such as with SIM card, keyboard, and other hardware components such as WLAN (e.g. in PCMCIA, MiniPCI-Express, ExpressCard 34) comes with a drawback: weight, size, power usage, price. This is in addition to previous mentioned drawback.

Then it is question which standard to add, what exactly should be modular, and if its not possible to simply hide the hardware (slider). It is also question what is inserted to hide the 'empty space' when add-on is not in use.

Judging from the pictures in referred article in this case the size of product is clearly influenced! Wow, what a bulk!

Also, I don't think you can use the keyboard as remote control for the device which is a bummer. I can do that with my foldable Nokia SU-8W.

Originally Posted by DaveP1

I admit to my share of Computer Science courses. I also have been to innumerable seminars stressing modular design and reuse. But you don't even have to get that sophisticated. Why can't somebody with a desktop computer see that separating the screen, keyboard, and processor makes sense?

Because ARM-based mobile hardware must be viewed from an embedded hardware point of view, then thinking of modularity features instead of from a PC desktop point of view. You don't 'check out what a PC can do and then mimic this'. You check what your embedded hardware is capable to do in its target size and budget.

I actually find it is usually those desktop people who are not able to discern are the ones who are making the unrealistic mistakes of 'why doesn't device have hardware feature X', 'being able to compile and use Linux desktop applications is a godsend', or 'why is there no iPhone or Windows emulator'.

BTW, you do realize not everything in a PC is modular? You realize tons of aspects are nowadays put on-board? IGP cannot be put off. RS232 is not put on board anymore. eSATA is often not on board. PS/2 is still sometimes on board. DVI is put on board. Sound card is put on board. Why? Catering to common customer.

My ideal portable device is almost possible. I would have a screen with nothing but a Bluetooth radio and battery. I'd send the signal to the screen from a black box (with a CPU, GPU, RAM, SSD, and battery) via Bluetooth 3.0. The box would also connect with a keyboard via Bluetooth.

Is the screen modular? Is the CPU modular or soldered on board? Is the GPU modular or soldered on board? Is the RAM modular or soldered on board? Is the flash memory modular or soldered on board? Is the battery modular or soldered on board? Is the Bluetooth modular or soldered on board? Does the device have USB? WiFi? HDMI? eSATA? FW?

USB is cool because then you can add your own USB-based protocol such as Bluetooth. The disadvantage it doesn't integrate well with the hardware size-wise, it is asynchronous, and may require USB-powered hub.

What I think is a good idea is one touchscreen which is light and can be used as remote via different protocols (Bluetooth, WiFi, IrDA/Infrared and even GPRS) for e.g. servers. Hmmm, seems like N900 can fill that role, and a lot more

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Last edited by allnameswereout; 2009-11-14 at 19:14. Reason: merged posts

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