[NTLK] Paradigms of Portability (Joel)

From: Alexandre Enkerli (aenkerli_at_indiana.edu)
Date: Thu Nov 01 2001 - 10:32:17 EST


> Data capture: How to get information into the machine either by
> keyboard,
> HWR, voice, docking etc. This seems to be the main determinant for the
> minimum screen size.
Along with display. It'd be hard to imagine a device with a display
smaller than its touch screen...

> Even with voice recognition (assuming it's really good
> - a big assumption) HWR will always be desiriable if your intention is
> to
> add data when away from home base.
Absolutely. But I keep thinking about what a voice-based device could be
and it's not necessarily as limited as I thought first.
In fact, it could be limited less in function than in context of use.
Supposing you can use it as a voice recorder that will later communicate
with a display-based computer, it could be fairly useful.
As for the quality of ASR, it surely is a big issue. So is the quality
of the other end of a voice-based device, Text-to-Speech. In fact,
people in Speech tech seem to be motivated in part by such dreams and in
part by an interest in speech itself.

> Data transfer: There are virtually no implications for the physical
> format
> of the device
And the dream here would be a fully wireless device connecting to
basically anything.

> I don't view my Newts as simulating what my PowerBook or desktops do and
> wouldn't want them to.
No, but it seems some people basically want a cross between an
ultra-portable device and a full-fledged computer.

> A PDA requires a different way to manage the
> interface and different priorities for managing tasks.
My point exactly.

> Note taking is a dream on the Newt
Working with a 130, it'd be hard for me to say the same. But I use the
device's lack of speed to simply think about my notes and how they fit
together.
BTW, a dream I've had is that of a real shorthand HWR, even a phonetic
one. True, it'd necessitate getting used to the system. But I believe it
could be a lot faster than longhand or typing.

> This is PDA as companion and not just servant.
Which seems to participate of both paradigms. I basically think there's
a market for a digital servant that would just do a couple of neat
things (such as giving you weather forecasts and stock quotes) and
there's also a market for a full-fledged digital companion as well as
everything in between. Was just pointing out that those are competing
schemes with their own implications (hence the "paradigms").

> A question. I like to have hardware controls instead of forcing
> everything
> onto the screen and would have liked to have seen scroll buttons and
> something like a jog-dial on the Newt. What do you think?
I fully agree. Apparently, some PukPC2k2 devices should have something
like that and I thought the idea was neat. One could even go into the
whole need for a complete sensorial experience of a digital device...But
I won't, just now.

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