From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

Tony Williams wrote:
> Ad wrote:
>
>>>> The point is simple, where others have a Linux kernel with a locked
>>>> proprietary stack on top of it, this one is open, top to bottom.
>>>
>>
>> Yup. It's what drew my attention. The Mobile phone will be the new
>> PC....wait & watch.
>
> The big question in the '90s was whether PDAs would turn into phones or
> phones into PDAs. Looks like that question has been answered with the
> newer smart phones, and I reckon the next step will be much tighter
> integration of portable units and stationary hardware.
>

Yup. Smartphones will be the new pc'es. Vastly larger numbers (eventually).
Basically all the functionality (certainly of the PIII/Win2K generation),
cheaper, more available (i.e. in your pocket) etc.etc. What was missing was
the "home-brew ecosystem" & stuff like this is what's needed
to really kick start that.

> I'm still waiting for a decent phone/mp3 player hybrid though.
>

My nokia is my mp3 player. Does the job & it has a 2gb sd card.

>>
>>> If they really mean that the whole phone stack is open source then
>>> that's a big deal. In the past the phone stack was usually a magic
>>> black box supplied by the hardware manufacturer, certified by the
>>> relevant telecoms authority and Not To Be Touched.
>>>
>>
>> Indeed. Mucho simpler for the hardware makers as well as they can do
>> the base level port et voila les apps.
>
> It wasn't so much the apps I was thinking of, more the lower level
> control of the phone stack. I can see the big telcos being a bit leery
> of opening up the RF side to random hackers. Spoofing phone ids is only
> the start.
>

Oh true. My only thought wrt that is being able to turn off the rf stack
when you don't want the comms/phone functions.

>>> Nothing beats having a real keyboard, even if it is tiny.
>>>
>>
>> Bluetooth m'boy.....You can even get a full size keyboard if you
>> like.....but if wireless keyboards & mice are too expensive for you
>> then....it has USB & I believe USB mice & keyboards are now the std.
>
> True enough, but you still have to carry around two gadgets. I prefer
> having a keyboard integrated with the handheld, e.g. the old Sharp
> Zaurus, which is still my PDA of choice and even runs Linux. I've often
> used it as a portable xterm for troubleshooting on-site, and it plays
> Nethack too :)
>

Oh yes, built in is best for the "in your pocket experience" but
if you wanted to use one as your pc, being able to hook up a mouse &
keyboard would make all the difference.

Basically now IO is dealt with via bluetooth & usb with the only dark
spot being external video i.e. being able to get a larger screen (normal
VDU or via wireless).

Once video is handled then le jou est fait.

AdaM

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