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#1
IMHO, the following is the coolest hardware announcement in the smartphone world ever:

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news...s.php?id=19314

It's the first phone I would buy sight unseen just to encourage Fujitsu to continue down this path. Breaking a phone into components offers so much flexibility, both to the user and the manufacturer.

Now if they'd just offer the phone with their U820 screen.
 

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#2
To be able to break your phone into components is a nice gimmick but it really isn't what I'm looking for in pocketable devices. I'm not saying that it isn't a good phone but you're not going to find it in my pocket. Thanks for the hint anyway.
 
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#3
Dang, that's pretty slick. And as much as that doesn't work *here* for the consumer market. This is a device that I'd love to see and use in many of my personal mobile conditions.
 
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#4
Originally Posted by DaveP1 View Post
IMHO, the following is the coolest hardware announcement in the smartphone world ever:

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news...s.php?id=19314

It's the first phone I would buy sight unseen just to encourage Fujitsu to continue down this path. Breaking a phone into components offers so much flexibility, both to the user and the manufacturer.

Now if they'd just offer the phone with their U820 screen.
Yeah, this is in the direction I wish everything would go. Why are we in such a small minority? It must be a Computer Science thing; modularity and reuse is pounded into our skulls from early on. I also like some of Modu's ideas.
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#5
Modularity is a good thing if we can each select our favorite keyboard and then keep using it with many different phones. Not so much if it's just a device that splits in two.

As interesting as it sounds, I don't see users constantly attaching and detaching something like that. They'll use it either always or never. First case, it's thicker than it could be. Second case, it's an unnecessary cost.

Can't wait until we get integrated projectors, though.
 
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#6
Originally Posted by livefreeordie View Post
I don't see users constantly attaching and detaching something like that.
Well, what about something like this?



The sky should be the limit Mr. livefreeordie.
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#7
Originally Posted by daperl View Post
Yeah, this is in the direction I wish everything would go. Why are we in such a small minority? It must be a Computer Science thing; modularity and reuse is pounded into our skulls from early on. I also like some of Modu's ideas.
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?

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.

The main problem to be solved is heat. The x86 processors are getting cooler and ARM processors are getting faster. Eventually we should get a fast processor I can stick in my pocket without worrying about frying the motherboard.
 

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#8
Originally Posted by livefreeordie View Post
As interesting as it sounds, I don't see users constantly attaching and detaching something like that. They'll use it either always or never. First case, it's thicker than it could be. Second case, it's an unnecessary cost.
People do it all the time with other devices. Take your MP3 player. You attach and detach it from a speaker dock and/or a computer dock not to mention you attach and detach earbuds. With portable game consoles, you attach and detach game cartridges.

Even with cellphones, many people attach and detach them from a carrying case all the time. Who's to say you couldn't build the keyboard into the carrying case?
 
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#9
Originally Posted by daperl View Post
The sky should be the limit Mr. livefreeordie.
Yes, that's the good kind of modularity. Attaching third party accessories, rather than having one keyboard you can attach to one phone. But as you see from the picture, that's already possible with current devices.

Although I should add that game controller accessories never turn out well, because the initial user base is always too small for anyone to develop games for them.
 
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#10
Originally Posted by DaveP1 View Post
Why can't somebody with a desktop computer see that separating the screen, keyboard, and processor makes sense?
It's a mystery. But I give it about 30 more minutes before someone chimes in with one or more of the following:
  • Research shows there's no market for that
  • Research shows there's no market for that
  • Research shows there's no market for that
  • It's not economically and/or physically possible
  • It's not economically and/or physically possible
  • It's not economically and/or physically possible
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