One device to rule them all

[charlesatan]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

For women or men carrying purses, bags, or briefcases a 7" device is actually very portable.

Yes, and that's precisely the problem.

Carrying it to work in a bag, sure. Out for a jog? No. And the issue here is I want my phone with me at all times, in case of emergency. (An eReader or browser, not so much.)

[Kumabjorn]

I do believe people went jogging in the 80's as well.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

OMG, surely you are not serious. The MS Surface looks like a total disaster to me.

Why? I thought it was cool

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

Why? I thought it was cool

Yes, but MS pricing strategy suggests that they are not marketing it to the minions out there. Seems to be specifically targeting corporate customers with IT budgets, not individuals with gadget feber and tiny wallets.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by wodin

That would be WONDERFUL for me, my left macula (center part of the retina) has been destroyed by macular degeneration rendering my left eye pretty much useless.

Since the optic nerve is intact; what a great computer screen it would make!

It's being worked on.
Early trials look good.

For macular degeneration:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1...n-to-the-blind
For retinitis pigmentosa:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_1...tish-patients/

Lots of amazing developments are going on but not publicized.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Yes, but MS pricing strategy suggests that they are not marketing it to the minions out there. Seems to be specifically targeting corporate customers with IT budgets, not individuals with gadget feber and tiny wallets.

Don't be so sure.
They haven't announced pricing yet.
More, the Surface tablets are meant to nudge the OEMs into raising the quality and functionality of their WinTab offerings. Or drop their prices.
Either way, we win.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It's being worked on.
Early trials look good.

For macular degeneration:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1...n-to-the-blind
For retinitis pigmentosa:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_1...tish-patients/

Lots of amazing developments are going on but not publicized.

Wow! Only $115K (not counting the trip to Europe) for 576 pixels, le'see (figer figer); why that's only $200 per pixel. Cheap at twice the price!

[Kumabjorn]

Out of curiosity could you get your US insurance companies to pay for something like that?

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Out of curiosity could you get your US insurance companies to pay for something like that?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by wodin

Wow! Only $115K (not counting the trip to Europe) for 576 pixels, le'see (figer figer); why that's only $200 per pixel. Cheap at twice the price!

Its a purely experimental treatment. For now.

The digital side isn't the issue--the tech is obviously well understood--the biology is what they're testing, to see how much bandwidth the optic nerve can *safely* accomodate.
(Remember the little bit about: "First, do no harm?")
So they start low, then gradually go higher.

That said, they don't need to go terribly high to make a big improvement in the quality of life of the patients. As little as a few thousand pixels would be worth the effort if they let the patient navigate the real world unaided or even read with aids.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Out of curiosity could you get your US insurance companies to pay for something like that?

As a rule, most plans do *not* pay for experimental medical treatments; rather they are funded by charitable organizations or government research grants.
(For drugs, the pharmaceuticals testing the drug foot the bill.)
But on rare ocassion it *has* been known to happen, usually when the treatment has been tried enough to be under consideration as an approved treatment.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Yes, but MS pricing strategy suggests that they are not marketing it to the minions out there. Seems to be specifically targeting corporate customers with IT budgets, not individuals with gadget feber and tiny wallets.

Try this one:
http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/leno...-35411720.html

Apparently, MS is waiting on Intel's next-generation x86 mobile CPU/chipset for Surface. Lenovo isn't; theirs will be available with the Win8 launch.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

That said, they don't need to go terribly high to make a big improvement in the quality of life of the patients. As little as a few thousand pixels would be worth the effort if they let the patient navigate the real world unaided or even read with aids.

I'd think it would take a few megapixels to make a decent "retina display" for a BIER (Bionicaly Implanted Electronic Reader).

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Out of curiosity could you get your US insurance companies to pay for something like that?

Originally Posted by wodin

Don't get me going. After my recent interactions, I'm ready to join the "Fix the Health Care System Army!"

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Don't get me going. After my recent interactions, I'm ready to join the "Fix the Health Care System Army!"

i don't quite understand the whole health care issue, but i guess i should go to the politics forum for this x.x