Apple, I give up. I want a super all in one iPod
I’m not a fan of convergent devices. I can’t see the practicality of jotting notes in your PDA-phone whilst trying to talk on it. Or trying to take a photo with your camera-PDA whilst calculating the 201st digit after the decimal point in Pi. Or fighting off a crocodile with a pocket-knife-phone, whilst trying to ring emergency. These examples may be a little offbeat but it is the silly season.
Closer to the truth though, convergent devices have other more serious drawbacks:
- One out all out This is probably the biggest worry anyone with a multi-function device faces. If one component fails, you have to replace the whole device. Either that or you live without that component or you go back to a using a dedicated device for that function.
- Lose one, lose ‘em all Like the first, if you happen to lose the whole device, you lose everything, not just a phone or camera etc.
- Quantity rules quality Traditionally, there’s a sacrifice in quality when devices are integrated. Cameras in mobile phones are only just getting to two megapixel, which is not adequate for a decent snap and furthermore, they lack extra essential features such as flash and optical zoom.
On the other hand…
But I’m also fed up with my pockets weighted down by a multitude of gadgets. It’s embarrassing having your shorts dragging down around your ankles because of half a dozen gizmos that supposedly make you more efficient and your life more enjoyable. But there’s nothing efficient about trying to run to catch a bus whilst tripping over your shorts - and there’s definitely nothing enjoyable in having strangers in fits of laughter at your expense.
At any one time I could be carrying any or all of the following devices in my pockets:
- Phone
- PDA
- iPod
- USB stick
- Camera
- Swiss Army pocket knife
Of course… if I should trip over whilst carrying a device combining all these, or sit down too quickly, I could do myself a terrible injury.
Enter Apple.
Apple have a good track record in design. If anyone could pull off such a device (that wouldn’t injure me), it would be Apple. Forget the Motorola ROKR - you can tell Apple didn’t have anything to do with its design. Remember too the iPod is already somewhat of a convergent device - with calendar and notes, albeit you are unable to enter information, only read it.
I want this device to begin life as an iPod, not a phone or any other device - the ROKR shows what happens when you do that.
What I want
- Same dimensions as the current iPod
- 4GB Flash memory
- 4 inch (diagonal) screen.
- 4 megapixel camera with minimum 3x optical zoom
- PDA with an office suite (iWork Portable?)
- Pocket knife, bottle opener, cork screw, philips head and flathead screwdrivers
- Flip out USB connection with, like the shuffle, a dedicated portion of memory for file storage.
- Phone
Wishful thinking maybe, but if Apple don’t bring this out - and soon - there’s going to a lot more unfortunate souls who will see me with my shorts down. And that’s why I want one - maybe in time for next Christmas.
Xmas Wishlist
Whilst I’m being wishful, and seeing as it is Chrissy time, here’s what I’d like to find in my Santa sack sunrise Sunday:
- iMac 20”: For the kids of course…
- PowerMac with twin 23” Cinema displays: Just because.
- PowerBook 17”: For those times I want to leave my desk
- iPod nano: So my shorts don’t fall down quite as easily
Happy, safe and Appley Christmas - or whatever you celebrate - to you all.
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Comments
Chris tell your wife to start giving you bigger portions of food. Gaining 15lbs will help those shorts stay on
I too would love another go at a PDA. The concept is there but the execution really hasn’t been. I should be able to
1. Make phone calls
2. Store Contacts and Calendars
3. Transport Data
4. Listen to Music and View photos
5. Access the internet
6. The ability to sync everything (ensures that if something breaks your data is safe)
All in one device with a capable user interface. There simply too much balkanization in the CE industry. Everyone’s protecting their turf and its leading to substandard products.
If you make this device above right. I will come and buy 2.
lol. Thanks for diet, tip H. I’ll have to remember to ask for a second helping of Christmas pudding.
Yeah… I don’t think Apple would ever do a phone. They like to sell all inclusive hardware where they control every aspect of how it’s used. Whereas a phone would need localization in regions all around the world, and they would need to set up deals with cellular carriers and a load of other mumbo-jumbo that just isn’t Apple. It’s also why I don’t think Apple will ever make a DVR machine.
Re: • PDA with an office suite (iWork Portable?)
I’ve always had a hard time envisioning working comfortably with an “office suite” on PDA-sized devices. For output, the display still seems too small. For input, using a portable keyboard could work but sacrifices an advantage of mobile convergency by toting around that dongle.
Until I need a phone my Tungsten E2 is serving me well enough. I use it for things that avoid the personally awkward i/o limitations. I lug my 12” iBook G3 along when I intend to do any substantial reading/writing (possibly net-connected), which is actually more than it needs to be solely for that purpose.
I haven’t seen a convergent device without the PDA’s i/o limitations and the iBook’s size/weight that would be replace them both. Maybe something about 2-3 times the size of the PDA or half the size of the iBook would be a satisfying compromise, although that would be a pretty large phone (which I’ll probably need next year). Without input capability or phone the iPod remains an uncompelling replacement for my PDA. And the iBook is still portable enough, for now.
I foresee my next upgrade still including two primary mobile devices, probably upsizing the PDA to include a phone (e.g. Treo) and downsizing the iBook for easier mobility (e.g. ???). Unless some near-future all-in-one product surprisingly emerges that can serve my needs for both.