Re: TECH:NOMAD

From: Eugene Leitl (Eugene.Leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)
Date: Tue Jun 03 1997 - 10:37:45 MDT


On Tue, 3 Jun 1997, Felix Ungman wrote:

> I guess I have to clarify my point a bit. Do you really care where the
> processing power is? I think that for the moment, stationary computers

Yes, I do care. Bandwidth to display is dear, has latency, and is not
under my control, but that of the cell RF connectivity provider. Distance
matters in a relativistic universe. A CM-5 at home is useless for me in
the field (not exactly useless, let's say complementary). I sure will let
my linux box run permanently, so I can log on via telent and PPP both.
A laptop with a cellmodem is a good thing to have in the field.

> will continue to be faster and cheaper than laptops/wearables. So it

True, so what?

> seems better to concentrate on wearable connectivity, than on wearable
> processing power. With good enogh connectivity, the border between
> communication and computation starts to blur.

If it works for you... Can I drive a MDM from home, over a 9.6 kBaud link?
  
> Another point: You will not always have the spare attention to do word
> proccessing, web browsing or email anywhere. With my Newton MP 2000

Why not? With a good headup, I can read while walking on the street. I
can let the machine read my mail, and dictate responses. There is lots of
small, irritating waits which can be utilized much better. Making tree
killing obsolete is impossible without a good head-up, and a head tracker,
and both are impossible without a wearable. I'd kill for a good wearable.

> and Nokia PC-card I can do web browsing anywhere, and it gives me a
> feeling of safety and security. But still, for some reason, I do most

Me, I simply don't get mad. But the Newt2000 is just an expensive toy.
(The Newt130 is an unusable prototype.)

> of my browsing at the office. This is more a marketing than a
> technological point: How do you convice the potential customer that
> with wearables, she could work at places where she doesn't want to be
> in the first place?

Speak for yourself. Working in the park, in the meadow, in the mountains.
Untethered.

People yearn for wearables. They just don't know it yet. Now this is a
challenge for marketing.

ciao,
'gene



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