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Darwinism & Technology (Part 2)

4/9/2013 2:54:06 PM

Where does this leave us? Possibly back where we started. It has already reached the upper limit for screen sizes, which means that tablets and phones will have to find new ways to differentiate themselves. Notebooks are now taking cues from the older generation of mobile phone so who is to say that phones won’t take a cue from the notebooks. There are more than a few people who would love to own a sliding phone again (Ed: or a clamshell for that matter!).

Notebooks are now taking cues from the older generation of mobile phone so who is to say that phones won’t take a cue from the notebooks

Notebooks are now taking cues from the older generation of mobile phone so who is to say that phones won’t take a cue from the notebooks

Notebooks on the other hand will have to do a bit of soul searching. Do they really need to compete with tablets? One would have to say that they do. However, this competition is seeing a convergence of form. Both are beginning to look more and more like the other. Keyboards for tablets are now extremely commonplace, effectively turning these machines into Android powered Ultrabooks. They are so frequently available now that most manufacturers bundle the two together anyway.

Windows 8 (Win8) and the integration of touch into the Microsoft ecosystem has moved the next generation of notebooks towards Windows powered tablets. The Microsoft Surface is a good example of where we are going with Win powered notebooks.

The Microsoft Surface is a good example of where we are going with Win powered notebooks

The Microsoft Surface is a good example of where we are going with Win powered notebooks

It would be fascinating to note that Win8 RT, the cut down version of the new operating system, has not been as attractive as first anticipated. Samsung recently announced that they would not be bringing any sort of RT device into the US, citing poor demand for its decision to consider such a venture.

Somehow, consumers are now seemingly very much done with using their tablets as playthings. Something that the industry must come to terms with. Productivity apps are still very popular within any of the app stores. Do ignore the fact that games constantly have the highest amount of downloads as those numbers obfuscate the fact that once you have your word processor and spreadsheet editor, you really won’t go shopping around for another one. Unlike mobile games, which are only able to hold ones attention for a week at most and are usually downloaded on a whim.

Innovative convergence?

The answer to where this leaves us may lie with the thought that, ideally, we want a single device to do everything. Watch movies, buy plane tickets, surf the web, do homework, instant message, social network, and maybe make the occasionally voice call.

Asus new Padfone (aka Padfone II)

Asus new Padfone (aka Padfone II)

Perhaps there is one company that has found the answer. Asus, and their oddly named Padfone. On one hand, phone-tablet (I despise the term phablet!) combinations do exist but those are large and unwieldy when one wishes to make a simple telephone call. They are also difficult to wear on the body unless you dress specifically to carry these things.

The Padfone on the other hand, uses the concept of two components that operate as a separation mechanism which allows one to have a phone when such a device is preferred. Admittedly, the original version was an overly bulky brick of a device that failed to catch on. But this is technology; someone has to fail first before the idea really takes off.

In this sense, Asus has been very lucky. Instead of waiting for someone to steal their idea and improve on it, they quickly redesigned the Padfone for another go. The new one looks much better and removes a lot of what made its predecessor a dud. It does, however, fail to address a couple of important issues.

We are not here to analyze the failings of the product but rather applaud the effort in being able to foresee where the industry is heading. They have tried to jump ahead of the game. Unfortunately, consumers have yet to wrap their heads around the idea of what they really want. If Asus new Padfone (aka Padfone II) Asus decides to go with the path of Windows 8 on their device, we may then once again, see a game changer.

CES and Samsung

The Consumer Electronics Summit (CES) is usually a decent place to get an idea of where the industry is heading. It is the event where hype can be generated for the coming year in all things tech. On occasion, the products do live up to what was promised. Those are very good days to be a techie.

Between Samsung and Asus, we might be closer to the true next generation of mobile devices

Between Samsung and Asus, we might be closer to the true next generation of mobile devices

2013 has promised us that flexible screen devices will finally appear. The CES show fulfilled that promise, in a way, from a very unlikely source: Samsung. Known as the company that Samsung YOUM Keynote at CES 2013 has been accused of stealing ideas rather than innovating, it was the only manufacturer to debut a flexible screen (for a mobile device). This is perhaps the most suitable riposte against their detractors.

The Korean company took the time to show off their new brand of truly flexible OLED screens. A concept video even showed a phone that could fold open to become a tablet. Tagged as the Youm, it promises a change from the usual phone, tablet, Ultrabook combination that people carry around. Truly, it is convergence at its finest!

Between Samsung and Asus, we might be closer to the true next generation of mobile devices. Albeit, one that will take at least another two years to arrive.

All things Google

Outside the consumer technology circles, there had been other attempts at revolutionizing the interaction between man and machine. This boils down to taking another look at how devices are built. Google has managed to drum up quite a bit of press (as usual) with their Google Glass project, which is a futuristic look at a smartphone system built into a head mounted device.

Google Glass project is a futuristic look at a smartphone system built into a head mounted device

Google Glass project is a futuristic look at a smartphone system built into a head mounted device

This sort of thing isn’t new. People have been trying to create it ever since we read about Scouters in Dragon Ball Z. It’s a good idea. Leaving your hands free to do other things while you make calls or surf the web. Ideally, this also means having an augmented reality system to create a more interactive environment. One where street signs are things of the past because your HUD is already telling you everything you need to know about your surroundings. It would be a literal seamless blending of the analogue and digital worlds.

There are, of course, many obstacles to make this concept work. A new way of interfacing with the technology will need to be created. Most assume that there will be sensors that detect the location we are in and scan for the motion of our hands, to simulate touching, pressing and swiping on a screen. The obligatory Minority Report reference would belong here.

Naturally, the technology is still many years away from being commercially viable, mostly, because Google has been selling developer units of the Project Glass for $1,500. A price tag that is a little too high for the average consumer.

Evolution forms

I asked several manufacturers for their opinions about what the next form factor would be. Unfortunately, CES prevented them from being able to comment in time. Perhaps there will be a proper follow up with their opinions in the future. Despite this, the keynote speeches made during the CES week did give us an idea of what everyone has in mind for the coming year and possibly the year after that.

After all, it’s not like we will be seeing radical change any time soon. Evolution takes time to figure out what works. Those who become complacent will simply be left behind. Rushing innovation will only be tampering with the natural order of things.

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