First take a look at this. It's Pixel Qi's new screen technology, descended from the OLPC's hybrid display and built using existing manufacturer techniques. It's due to appear in new devices in Q4 2009, though- at the moment- there's no new chatter. A major product launch is in the make. This is the silence before the storm.
I've thought seriously about buying an eReader like the Kindle 2. One of the drawbacks with the Kindle is that its memory capacity is miniscule. Many of the eBooks in my digital library are more than 50mb each. Some are over 200mb. These are the ones that include numerous illustrations and diagrams- many in full color. The Kindle's effective capacity is less than 2 gb. That's 10 to 40 books. What I want is a device that will allow me to carry a small college library's worth of salient texts at all times. As to why, that'll be a subject of future posts.
So I discoverd Asus Eee PC 1005-HA series laptops with 8.5 and 10.5 hours of battery life. I started to think about a netbook as a replacement for my current laptop, which has not battery life at all, and even my smartphone, which is fine for necessary tasks but too small for undermotivated use. Smartphones also lack Flash. (A smartphone with Flash is a future killer app.) I liked the idea of Kindle's free access to Wikipedia. Not a fan of the lack of graphical support though. I learned that I can potentially use my smart phone's 3G and bluetooth to provide internet access to a netbook though. Thanks, Android.
I started to think of a netbook as a replacement for my iPod for car use- which is where I do most of my educational listening- as much as 20 hours a week.
One other thing. I like to write in my sleep (or nearly asleep). I can do this thanks to the Dvorak ergonomical keyboard arrangement (same hardware, different software driver- is included with Windows, is easier to learn than qwerty, enables much faster error-free typing with far less risk of repetitive use injury). I need a light, thin, cool-running laptop to do that. Even better if it's not tethered to the wall.
I also want a computer that's comfortable in the wilderness. Something I can charge with a small PV. Again, why is a subject for a future post.
So I took a look at netbooks, compared the resolution to the necessary size of a single page view. I decided that I'd have to look at the screen sideways. Asus doesn't make a screen that folds flat either. I'd have to be careful.
I was all but convinced that this is what what I wanted to do when I stumbled upon Pixel Qi. Which is why I'm not buying a netbook until I can get one with a Pixel Qi screen.
Here's what I need:
1. I definitely need integrated bluetooth. Come on. It costs $2 to include it.
2. I need a larger hard drive. 160gb is far too small. It would force me to use a portable drive to supplement it.
3. I'd like you (Asus, Acer, Toshiba, etc.- all of you) to create a recessed usb slot that allows a thumb drive to all but disappear into the laptop's chassis. I want to use a 64gb flash drive as a removable, supplemental data drive. I'll probably never remove it. Unless I'm upgrading it. When I do remove it, I want to be able to transfer truly monumental amounts of data.
4. It has to have touch screen technology. Multi-touch preferrably. Something that will work with either finger touch or fine sylus control. If I have to choose between the two of them, make it stylus driven. Too much of the image is obscured by fingers.
5. I want built-in speakers that aren't an afterthought. I don't want to have to provide my own power source if I want to be freed from having to use headphones. Headphones mean having to carry the whole device around the room with you. I don't want that if all I'm doing is listening.
6. I want to be able to fold it all the way around so that the screen is on one side and the keyboard is on the other. Provide a removable hard plastic keyboard cover (or just disable it) instead of making the screen swivel. I don't like swivel screens.
7. $400 is my price point.
