12.20.00
Just to keep you on the edge of your seat regarding what we'll see
next, I'm including a piece in this issue about tablet computing.
All current signs point to danger in WAP territory, but that doesn't
mean that respected companies aren't still looking for ways to
improve the capacities of portable computing. Fujitsu has released
a tablet computer that is almost as good as anything you can buy for
a desktop at the moment, for example.
And since it's so cold outside this time of year (we just got a nice
blanket of freezing rain last night, here) it's always nice when
technology helps to make life a little more comfortable. Starting
your car from your front door is a great way to do it.
Thanks for reading, and as always, if you have any articles you'd
like to share related to consumer technology, please send it along to
my email address below.
Sincerely,
Betsy Boyd
Editor, HiTechEdge
What if a palm device and a laptop got together? You'd have a 3 1/4
pound tablet-style computer such as Fujitsu's Stylistic series. The
flagship of the series has a 400 MHz Intel Pentium III processor, and
a screen that's visible outdoors. Their primary market is users who
need to input data on forms--such as doctors, insurance adjustors,
and law enforcement officials.
Fujitsu claims that the unit is completely enabled as a desktop. With
a long list of available peripherals including floppy drives,
keyboards, and Ethernet cables, it certainly seems possible to
replace most functions a more traditional computer serves.
The price tag is hefty: $4100 to start. Reviews say that its outdoor
use is hindered by the additional plastic casing that is intended to
shield the screen.
With recent developments like the electronic pigment sheets released
by E Ink last week, it seems safe to say that consumer products are
pushing this way. The application could eventually have great uses
in currently power-hungry palm-screen devices, since the pigment
requires less power to charge it once and hold it.
But with the troubled status of WAP, it also seems unlikely that most
users will be lining up for devices like this until wireless
connectivity is a secure reality. Oh, and considerably cheaper.
Still, until that time, this is one to watch.
climbing into the car. Cold, cold, cold. Plus before you get in,
you have to scrape. A lot, sometimes. What a blessed gift it would
be to be able to start the car from the house. The stuff of hot-rod
enthusiasts has come down to real-market folks. And it is eminently
affordable. You can turn on your heat and defrost your windshield
before you ever step out of the house.
nonstop, you might consider looking into a high-tech toy that
encourages them to explore the world around them - even if it is in
very small pieces. The Intel© PlayTM Computer Microscope allows you
to magnify objects approximately 10, 60, and 200 times - so you can
get a really good look at the small things. Since it hooks up to
your computer, the possibilities go way beyond just looking. You
can capture images and string them together over time to make a movie
of, say, a butterfly coming out of its cocoon.