Decius wrote:
] ] Understand that 802.15.3 is a high data rate Personal
] ] Area Network with a range of about 10 meters. This isn't
] ] a WiFi competitor. Think of it as a kind of Super
] ] Bluetooth, capable of sending video over short distances
] ] without interference and with true quality of service,
] ] which 802.11 can't provide. Conventional wisdom says a
] ] deal will shortly be worked out in the IEEE, Multiband
] ] OFDM will become the standard and we'll see products
] ] appear in late 2004 or early 2005.
]
] An interesting discussion of new networking protocols, related
] to tablet PCs. I think tablets will be great as long as you
] can flip them around into a laptop mode. I saw something like
] that at phreaknic. Little $500 machine. Perfect for couch
] surfing...

why would you want a laptop form factor if you could have a tablet? The laptop is a 20 year old ergonomic factor in the history of humanity (100 if you count the typewriter as a precursor). The tablet is about as old as humans. Which do you think has got more evolutionary karma?

you can argue about the efficiency merits of a keyboard, but free form writing is still the standard of communicating and will be for quite some time. Particularly in certain professions, like legal, medical, or the arts. It's amazing to me that we haven't had this type of form factor earlier! Had it not been for the big VC blow out in the early 90s with Go and Pen and General Magic, we might've had a quantum leap in computing 10 fucking years ago!

I like the idea of a computing device that's lightweight, easy and familiar to interact with, works in absolutely any situation or environment (school, car, space, etc), and doesn't require the entire universe to re-align itself to its form factor and impracticality (poor weight distribution, doesn't travel well on a bus, abysmal usage ergonomics, etc)

RE: UWB might be coming sooner than you think