Speculation: The Palm Screen of the Future?

Posted By: Ed Saturday, September 16, 2000 8:32:30 AM

One of the largest problems handhelds face is the conflicting desires for a small form factor but a large screen. A solution for this dilemma may be coming soon. Later this Fall, inVisio will be releasing a pair of devices based around Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) microdisplays. These are displays about the size of a postage stamp that, when held close to your eye, create a virtual image equivalent to a 19-inch 800x600 desktop monitor viewed at 2.5 feet. One of their new products, the eShades, is a pair of goggles that is meant to be worn like reading glasses and plugs into a PC Card or Compact Flash slot and consumes less than 1 watt of power.

If there was some version of this for a Palm handheld, would you use it? Would you have a problem putting on a pair of goggles to use your PDA? Let us hear your comments below.

Another inVisio product, the eCase, is a device about the size and shape of a TV remote with a single LCOS microdisplay that is meant to be used as a PDA and runs WinCE. Unfortunately, the only way to see the display is to hold it a few inches from the eye, which might make Graffiti a challenge.

Would you use some future Palm handheld it it had one of these displays? Please tell us what you think about it.

Want to see a demonstration of the two devices to learn more? Here is one in Real Video format (low or high resolution).

Is there some other new technology you have heard of that might someday make a good screen for handhelds? If so, let us know about it.

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whatever

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/16/2000 9:31:41 AM #

I think this is a nice idea, but not good for practical use, if it was a add-on, this would really rock.
There could be some nice things you could do with it, but even nicer would a foldable display be.

cheesy!

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/16/2000 12:33:50 PM #

there is absolutely no way that i would use this if it became available. part of the palm os' appeal is it's simplicity. i don't mind plugging a module into my visor, but that is about as far as it goes.

RE: cheesy!

PFloyd @ 9/16/2000 6:58:58 PM #

I'd be pretty interested in something like this if I could use it with my laptop and/or my palm, cell, etc. I don't think I'd be very interested in one JUST for my palm. I understand the simplicity argument but personaly I enjoy pushing the palm and tweaking. I'd like this as a possible expansion for my palm. It may even go best with a Visor because of the expansion slot. I can imagine using the display with GPS/Mapping for example. That's not a big stretch.

oh please....

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 11:59:09 AM #

A notepad and a pen is simplicity.... DOS is simplicity, and so is counting rocks... I can see this device serving purpose for certin functions. An Add on module or device would be a good idea. No one is forcing your Palm to be difficult. Remember, you don't have load any other app, that is too difficult for you to use.. Geesh..

Another virtual display

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/16/2000 2:16:26 PM #

If you're interested in this then you might also find the Olympus Eye Treck interesting.

http://www.olympus-eye-trek.com/

huh?

macfixer @ 9/16/2000 10:22:36 PM #

hee...hee...hee...hee...hee...no, really...

Just another thing to carry/break = hassle

EGarrido @ 9/16/2000 11:22:02 PM #

I would hate to have to put on those glasses everytime I had to use my PDA. Especially since I usually only have to glance at the screen for a second, and that often means while I'm walking. Walking with the glasses on would be a little difficult.

Eric

PDA SHADES

Bryan Moten @ 9/17/2000 5:31:31 PM #

There's NO way I would were some type of high tech shades to view my PDA! Lets explore some other alternative!

No Way

gadgetguru @ 9/17/2000 6:13:42 PM #

How would you be able to tap on
the palm screen with those
glasses on? You wouldn't be able
to see your handheld!

RE: Seeing Your Handheld

Ed @ 9/17/2000 6:53:25 PM #

You wear them like reading glasses, halfway down your nose and look over them. See this page for an example:
http://www.inviso.com/eshades.html

---
Plenipotentiary
Palm InfoCenter

Projection?

Anders @ 9/17/2000 8:11:17 PM #

Maybe if the screen was somehow projected into or just in front of your eye, with a hologram or something similar, then this would be viable as a primary siaplay.
But, for what these people are talking about, then that is ridiclus. Imagine having to carry around a pair of glasses, and your palm. this is ridiclous.
If they build it into a pair of perscription galsses, or as some sort of add-on, and the screen was transparent other than when displaying data, then that might be useful, for those of us who wear glasses.

Projection?

Anders @ 9/18/2000 8:25:05 AM #

One word...

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 9:26:40 AM #

STUPID

Other option

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 10:25:50 AM #

I think a pair of glasses would be perfect as an add on. The only thing that would have to be re-engineered would be the imput method (I have no clue how to solve that). As to the problem with wearing the glasses and walking at the same time, check out this page

http://www.microopticalcorp.com/eyefaq.htm

I personnally think that this is the way of the future or maybe the other sollution is a rollup screen (this is not a joke I saw an artical in a dutch news paper that Philips is close to a rollup screen)

Display needs to be wireless

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 10:51:35 AM #

I could see this as a wireless option. Tap a button and the Palm would broadcast a higher resolution screen image for more graphically intense uses (maps, video mail, games etc). The Palm would have to have a scroll Combi-wheel that could be used one handed to maneuver around the displayed image. Resolution could be selectable to improve response where needed. This type technology could be used for multiplayer wireless games where one device manages the screen images so all players within a range play off the same screen.

I think this will be part of the future once wireless gets out of the box.

*** Ben

Glasses I don't think!

Helder @ 9/18/2000 12:17:41 PM #

I like the palm because it small
and easy to use. Glasses would be
a problem to use... not only because I already have glasses
but I prefer to have a palm in my
pocket other than a paim of glasses.

RE: Glasses I don't think!

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 3:30:30 PM #

well, what if the glasses were connected to the palm/visor via bluetooth? then the palm could be in your bag or pocket still. with a little bit of voice recognition (ARM CPU), id go for these. i wear glasses anyway. if there was a bluetooth module to connect glasses to palm, then the palm could retain its regular screen as well. The problem (oh darn) is PalmOS currently doesnt need this size of viewport.

I Raise my Glass

pdakid @ 9/18/2000 7:12:47 PM #

I remember talking to a 3Com rep shortly before they spun off Palm & he said there were no Vxc plans in the works. Of course that may not be altogether true. Wouldn't be a bad idea tho. Sony's PEG is overpriced a bit. Why the m100 size screen.

Fold-out

mvader @ 9/18/2000 10:16:43 PM #

Althouqh it would be hard to implement, I think that a fold out screen would be the best way to get a bigger screen.

New Displays

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2000 11:54:53 PM #

Recently, I read (in either PC World or PC Magazine) that there is research being done
on low power LCD-like screens. The article talked about how the screens were not like
today's LCD screens...that they required very little power and made of plastic... I wish
I had more details, sorry...

However, I wish there was some type of fold-out display for PDA's...that would be cool.
Kind of like the current fold-out keyboards... You would open it up and slide it together
forming one large screen.

As for the glasses... I would not use it. It would look silly and be cumbersome. Also,
I would have to wear these things EVERY TIME I wanted to use my Palm...no thanks.
Maybe as an add on, or something for home...but I don't think so.

Great add-on

Dan Urquhart @ 9/19/2000 12:28:09 AM #

I would love to have glasses as an add-on for my palm, but I would not trade them for the display.

With Bluetooth...

K. Sandven @ 9/19/2000 3:29:19 AM #

How about this product combined with Bluetooth connectivity? Wireless glasses for both Mac, PC, Palm or Visor with Bluetooth would be great. If there where any way of turning the glasses off so that you could see through them or something without taking them off it'll be great too. I'm not sure I'd use the glasses as they are now.

Goggles

Harry Gonzalez @ 9/19/2000 4:19:01 AM #

I do not think this type of display would be practical. You would require a separate character entry area taking time to look into the area where you are supposed to write. The solution would be to include eye movement recognition hardware and software in the display to enhance the data entry process.