Next palmOne device with a flexible screen?

Alexander Turcic · 02-07-2005, 02:56 PM

What is palmOne up to? The Tungsten T5, the successor of the popular Tungsten T3, is a solid performer, but it lacks features that we would've liked to see from palmOne's new top-of-the-line device (such as integrated WiFi or OS 6).

With the new polished Treo 650 palmOne might hit a home run, although its true success is still quite difficult to predict (people aren't so happy either about crippled software in OEM versions, nor about the recent price increase for the uncrippled device).

Let's be harsh: Neither the Tungsten T5 nor the Treo 650 are what I'd call revolutionary.

The idea of an hybrid with a flexible display

Imagine: A PDA and a cell phone incorporated into one device by using a foldable dual-sided display. In a closed state, the device would resemble a typical cell phone ('candy bar size'). In an open state, it would use the form of a typical PDA, providing an enlarged viewing area. Sounds very much like a Nokia 9210 Communicator -- except for the foldable display.

palmOne just received patent US 6,850,780, "Compact palmtop computer system and wireless telephone with foldable dual-sided display". Although the company filed it several years ago, it might come useful now when everyone it talking about convergence in the mobile sector (I am not a great fan of convergence myself, but I don't speak for the majority (although sometimes I wish I did)). It's probably also not a disadvantage that flexible displays are just around the corner.

Who knows, maybe palmOne will have the competitive edge once again.

TadW · 02-07-2005, 03:01 PM

Would be great if the display would then also have 100dpi like those flexible displays developed by Siemens.

hacker · 02-07-2005, 06:19 PM

I find it ironic that the thing we stare at all day, our computer screens, have a resolution of 75dpi, in most cases (99% of computer screens don't go higher than this, including LCD screens, its a hardware limitation).

But printers, even the most bare-bones entry-level printers, print at 300dpi at their lowest resolution (some go lower, but "Fast Draft" printing is 300dpi). We don't look at printed documents as much as we look at our screens.

Does anyone remember the flexible communicator that was used in Roddenberry's "Earth; Final Conflict" series? And what about IBM's "flexible paper" displays?

hacker · 02-07-2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander

palmOne just received patent US 6,850,780, "Compact palmtop computer system and wireless telephone with foldable dual-sided display".

Your link to the patent brings you to the wrong page. Try this link instead.

Alexander Turcic · 02-08-2005, 03:44 AM

I fixed the link in the first post. It used to work, but apparantly it wasn't a permanent link! Thanks for pointing it out, David.

phoenixz · 02-08-2005, 08:39 PM

Keep dreaming... You have all seen clamshell cellphones with a second, small display, haven't you?

hacker · 02-08-2005, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoenixz

Keep dreaming... You have all seen clamshell cellphones with a second, small display, haven't you?

Did you see the diagrams and pictures in the patent filing? There were 16 of them. Several of them show great detail about how they're going to build this device. They included closed, open, perspective, and other drawings. They are primitive, but you can definately see the market they're after. The writeup of the patent filing itself provides even more detail that explains each of the 16 drawings.

Its basically a clamshell phone with a "peek" window (like the flipcover that shows the clock on some Zire models) that opens up with a screen on both sides of the inside portion, a screen you can tap and interact with.

So, think of your phone now, about 2-3" wide, maybe 5" tall. Open that up, and now you have a 5-6" wide screen that is 5" tall.

The idea looks grandiose, but we'll have to wait and see what they come out with.

phoenixz · 02-09-2005, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hacker

Did you see the diagrams and pictures in the patent filing? There were 16 of them. Several of them show great detail about how they're going to build this device. They included closed, open, perspective, and other drawings. They are primitive, but you can definately see the market they're after. The writeup of the patent filing itself provides even more detail that explains each of the 16 drawings.

Its basically a clamshell phone with a "peek" window (like the flipcover that shows the clock on some Zire models) that opens up with a screen on both sides of the inside portion, a screen you can tap and interact with.

So, think of your phone now, about 2-3" wide, maybe 5" tall. Open that up, and now you have a 5-6" wide screen that is 5" tall.

The idea looks grandiose, but we'll have to wait and see what they come out with.

I have to admit I didn't see all the pictures because I didn't want to install a plug-in just for uspto. I only saw one on palmaddict and thought that's just a clamshell with a common two sided display. After reading it more carefully, I think it's great if it gets implemented, but I don't expect to see it in less than 5 years... The technology is simply not there yet.

doctorow · 02-09-2005, 03:38 AM

Nice scoop Alexander. Would have been nice if other news sources had credited you for it.

Alexander Turcic · 02-09-2005, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorow

Nice scoop Alexander. Would have been nice if other news sources had credited you for it.

I agree. Oh well, at least you know where it was coming from

02-07-2005, 02:56 PM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Next palmOne device with a flexible screen? What is palmOne up to? The Tungsten T5, the successor of the popular Tungsten T3, is a solid performer, but it lacks features that we would've liked to see from palmOne's new top-of-the-line device (such as integrated WiFi or OS 6). With the new polished Treo 650 palmOne might hit a home run, although its true success is still quite difficult to predict (people aren't so happy either about crippled software in OEM versions, nor about the recent price increase for the uncrippled device). Let's be harsh: Neither the Tungsten T5 nor the Treo 650 are what I'd call revolutionary. The idea of an hybrid with a flexible display Imagine: A PDA and a cell phone incorporated into one device by using a foldable dual-sided display. In a closed state, the device would resemble a typical cell phone ('candy bar size'). In an open state, it would use the form of a typical PDA, providing an enlarged viewing area. Sounds very much like a Nokia 9210 Communicator -- except for the foldable display. palmOne just received patent US 6,850,780, "Compact palmtop computer system and wireless telephone with foldable dual-sided display". Although the company filed it several years ago, it might come useful now when everyone it talking about convergence in the mobile sector (I am not a great fan of convergence myself, but I don't speak for the majority (although sometimes I wish I did)). It's probably also not a disadvantage that flexible displays are just around the corner. Who knows, maybe palmOne will have the competitive edge once again.

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02-07-2005, 03:01 PM	#2
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	Would be great if the display would then also have 100dpi like those flexible displays developed by Siemens.

02-07-2005, 06:19 PM	#3
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	I find it ironic that the thing we stare at all day, our computer screens, have a resolution of 75dpi, in most cases (99% of computer screens don't go higher than this, including LCD screens, its a hardware limitation). But printers, even the most bare-bones entry-level printers, print at 300dpi at their lowest resolution (some go lower, but "Fast Draft" printing is 300dpi). We don't look at printed documents as much as we look at our screens. Does anyone remember the flexible communicator that was used in Roddenberry's "Earth; Final Conflict" series? And what about IBM's "flexible paper" displays?

02-08-2005, 03:44 AM	#5
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	I fixed the link in the first post. It used to work, but apparantly it wasn't a permanent link! Thanks for pointing it out, David.

02-08-2005, 08:39 PM	#6
phoenixz Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2005 Device: TJ35	Keep dreaming... You have all seen clamshell cellphones with a second, small display, haven't you?

02-09-2005, 03:38 AM	#9
doctorow Guru Posts: 914 Karma: 3410461 Join Date: May 2004 Device: Kindle Touch	Nice scoop Alexander. Would have been nice if other news sources had credited you for it.

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