Phone, Tablet and Gizmo Thread #0x02

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 05 Mar 2013 23:30

These in-your-face wearable displays (Chacha's Chashma or other lesser known protos like those from GB, Vuzix, Kyocera, Sony ityadi) have 1 fundamental problem which needs to be solved before they gain mass market appeal. That is the problem of being discreet. Discreet in this context is a higher order of normal privacy becoz not only should what I am looking at be hidden from you but the very fact that I am looking at it, should be hidden from you. So even if someone is able to solve the problem of making the display thin, light, 90%+ transmissivity or even embedded in contact lenses, it still won't fly in most social situations becoz as a 3rd party observer I can see either the display itself or its reflection in your eyeball and hence, can also see its change in state (this is quite distracting actually). So some fundamental changes to display technology and groundbreaking innovation are required here at the fizzyics and materials sciences level.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 05 Mar 2013 23:58

Bosubabu is worried about getting caught watching L&M material by his students...

I wonder how an individual can watch this screen with one eye while keeping the other eye on outside world. Will it cause super comprehension problems

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 00:03

^^^^students, hain??? You got me confused with Bade main.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 06 Mar 2013 00:58

Raja Bose wrote:These in-your-face wearable displays (Chacha's Chashma or other lesser known protos like those from GB, Vuzix, Kyocera, Sony ityadi) have 1 fundamental problem which needs to be solved before they gain mass market appeal. That is the problem of being discreet. Discreet in this context is a higher order of normal privacy becoz not only should what I am looking at be hidden from you but the very fact that I am looking at it, should be hidden from you. So even if someone is able to solve the problem of making the display thin, light, 90%+ transmissivity or even embedded in contact lenses, it still won't fly in most social situations becoz as a 3rd party observer I can see either the display itself or its reflection in your eyeball and hence, can also see its change in state (this is quite distracting actually). So some fundamental changes to display technology and groundbreaking innovation are required here at the fizzyics and materials sciences level.

Chacha Chashma - I like it and this needs to go in to the BRF dictionary!

Those of us who are Chacha pankha (myself included) and may wear sun glasses or glasses will have no issue. By the time it becomes available, the price should be less than the Microsoft Surface Pro (which isn't saying much).

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 06 Mar 2013 01:21

RamaY wrote:I wonder how an individual can watch this screen with one eye while keeping the other eye on outside world. Will it cause super comprehension problems

That eggsactly is the problem that Steve Mann talks about in his article. Let me see if I can scrounge out the link from slashdot.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 06 Mar 2013 01:50

Mort Walker wrote:Those of us who are Chacha pankha (myself included) and may wear sun glasses or glasses will have no issue.

I had that question too. Can it be worn on top of script glasses? I have problems with script glasses as it is with all kinds of allergies due to the material (any metal other than Ti causes problems), and the nose pads, and weight (high myopia + no line bifocal for hypermetr. + cylindrical with axis for astigmatism). How much weight would it add?

May be all of us should reconcile to a near-future world of direct implants in the brain

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 04:18

Mort Walker wrote: Those of us who are Chacha pankha (myself included) and may wear sun glasses or glasses will have no issue. By the time it becomes available, the price should be less than the Microsoft Surface Pro (which isn't saying much).

Mortullah finally comes out of the closet after many denials!

ChromeBook Pixel costs more than Surface Pro with half the storage and twice the weight.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2013 07:03

I suspect even for something as contractor grade as a fighter HUD, the eyes have to focus back in unison to a near object (the HUD symbols) before focussing back on outside scene ? or does a HUD somehow manage to make the symbols appear at infinite distance away?

human eyes focus in unison,,,,,wonder how Brin saab intends to control his eyes independently one far and one near when doing driving etc.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 06 Mar 2013 08:11

CC (Chacha Chashma) does some corrections I guess so that the displayed text/icons/graphics look as if they are floating a little bit inside. Not sure how they are managing this. /. discussion has some details (if they can be believed).

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 09:13

^^link to the /. article?

The CC display is a prism display where it feels like the content is suspended within the display (downside is the display is thick like bottom of coke baatli). Vuzix M100 uses a waveguide invented by GB which brings down the thickness to 1.3mm but is more expensive and has lower production yields. In the case of current version of CC, you do have to consciously look up and focus on the display since it is sitting above your eye, not in front of it (see motorhama above doing that).

Speaking of projecting into the distance, good automotive HUDs do project beyond the glass for reasons SaiKollah mentioned but this is done with laser projectors which have infinite focus. Rumour is Chacha's X is interested in that takniki so you might find it in their self driving car down the line.

---

While searching for the /. article, found this

"Microsoft says that the death of its 'Scroogled' ad campaign against Google has been greatly exaggerated. 'Scroogled will go on as long as Google keeps Scroogling people,' said a Microsoft spokesperson. 'Nearly 115,000 people signed a petition asking Google to stop going through their Gmail.' So, is Microsoft's scare campaign justified? Well, in a recently-published patent application for a Method and System for Dynamic Textual Ad Distribution Via Email, Google explains how its invention can be used to milk more money from advertisers by identifying lactating Moms, which might make some uneasy. Google also illustrates how advertisers can bid on access to those suffering from breast cancer, bi-polar disorder, depression, and panic anxiety. Hey, what could possibly go wrong?"

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 06 Mar 2013 12:33

Raja Bose wrote:These in-your-face wearable displays (Chacha's Chashma or other lesser known protos like those from GB, Vuzix, Kyocera, Sony ityadi) have 1 fundamental problem which needs to be solved before they gain mass market appeal. That is the problem of being discreet. Discreet in this context is a higher order of normal privacy becoz not only should what I am looking at be hidden from you but the very fact that I am looking at it, should be hidden from you. So even if someone is able to solve the problem of making the display thin, light, 90%+ transmissivity or even embedded in contact lenses, it still won't fly in most social situations becoz as a 3rd party observer I can see either the display itself or its reflection in your eyeball and hence, can also see its change in state (this is quite distracting actually). So some fundamental changes to display technology and groundbreaking innovation are required here at the fizzyics and materials sciences level.

sab hai aaj kal .

magar.....

rokda doge tho khilauna milega babuji. .....rokda.

manish · Post by **manish** » 06 Mar 2013 14:14

Chacha trying to step on Takla Co.'s toes...
Google said to be testing same-day delivery service from local retailers

As if Google didn't have enough on its plate, it seems the Mountain View company is adding yet another feather to its cap by entering the delivery business. As originally reported on TechCrunch and then confirmed by Reuters, the search giant is apparently working on a same-day delivery service that could pit it against the likes of Amazon Prime, eBay Now and local dispatchers like Postmates' GetItNow.

Known to both outlets as Google Shopping Express, it would bring purchased goods from local retailers directly to your door via third-party couriers. According to TechCrunch, Google plans to charge around $64 or $69 a year for the service, while a Reuters source said a small fee per purchase might also be a possibility. Reuters even said Google has already started testing the service in the Bay Area in "recent weeks."

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 06 Mar 2013 14:50

^^^
Pretty soon.
You go for your morning dump.
The dump has a google logo on it.
Pretty soon.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2013 16:08

and then there's samsungs smart features on GS4 soon..always keeping an eye on the user.....if we release too much gas it will do a complimentary flush, sniff our residues for signs of illness, inform medical records , post a facebook update maybe with the exact mixture of the gas

analytics and big data is coming to our personal space bigtime

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 06 Mar 2013 16:35

Soon. Pretty Soon!

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 06 Mar 2013 21:17

Raja Bose wrote:ChromeBook Pixel costs more than Surface Pro with half the storage and twice the weight.

Chromebook is DoA and I think everyone who is chacha pankha agrees to that. The Surface Pro has to compete with the touchscreen notebooks coming out that are also running Win8, but at significantly lower price.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 22:32

Singha wrote: analytics and big data is coming to our personal space bigtime

It already has - you just don't realize it.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 23:13

GlassUp Wearable Display

A better form factor than Chacha Chashma and less in-your-face but will suffer from all shortcomings of projector based displays.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 23:18

Mort Walker wrote:The Surface Pro has to compete with the touchscreen notebooks coming out that are also running Win8, but at significantly lower price.

Its positioned at competing with the Ultrabook category so its the same pricing band. As the Pixel demonstrated, hardware like that doesn't come cheap in terms of BOM so I doubt it will magically get cheaper by more than 10-15%. That being said, I would prefer the price point of the Surface Pro to hit $500-$550 which seems like the sweet spot. I started to notice a few Surface Pros out in the wild now in the silly-con valley cafes. Interestingly one motorhama looked like a designer/artist type (normally they are hardcore Macbook users - a trend which has been unchanged since the 80s).

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Mar 2013 23:35

For smartwatch enthusiasts....

With an iWatch looming, Microsoft's Bill Buxton details the 37-year history of smartwatches

For those who don't know, Bill Buxton is one of the pioneers of UX and interaction design. His book 'Sketching User Experiences' is standard text for pretty much any designer in ITvity and CE.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 07 Mar 2013 00:16

RB here you go

/. link

Adjusting to Google Glass May Be Hard

Could Google Glass Ruin Your Eyesight?

Submitted by fluxgate on Friday March 01, @11:00AM
fluxgate writes

"Steve Mann (who you might know for his having pioneered wearable computing as a grad student at MIT back in the 1990s) writes in IEEE Spectrum magazine about his decades of experience with computerized eyeware. His article warns that Google Glass hasn't been properly engineered to avoid creating disorientating effects and significant eyestrain. While it's hard to imagine that Google has missed something fundamental here, Mann convincingly describes why Google Glass users might experience serious problems. Full disclosure: I'm an editor at IEEE Spectrum."

and the IEE Spectrum Link

Steve Mann: My “Augmediated” Life:What I’ve learned from 35 years of wearing computerized eyewear

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 07 Mar 2013 00:21

So, technological plogless implies starting with sticking funny looking things in your ears (BT headphones), and now sticking funny looking glasses over your eyes ? Clearly the next magical iDevice/gDevice will be dangling from our nose.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 07 Mar 2013 02:01

would that chacha chasma be useful in corporate face-face meetings? instead viewing from a distance on the projections, one could view it right from their cubes? it needs wifi to view what is shown in the board room or meeting room /when subscribed or invited to attend.

--

q: on roku streaming media player: is this one time buy to view movies or there is a monthly subscription?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 07 Mar 2013 04:51

Finally! For all those who wondered what those pins on the side of the Nexus 7 were supposed to do...

Nexus 7 dock reaches Google Play Store

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 07 Mar 2013 09:58

Wait till chacha changes the Nexus 7 in May, then what? Chacha is bad on accessories and follow up sales.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 07 Mar 2013 10:02

I am guessing it will be compatible with the new Nexus 7 too.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 07 Mar 2013 22:38

Android and others give up market share to iOS

Even Windows took a loss after the release of Windows 8 phones by Nokia and HTC.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 07 Mar 2013 22:46

so have they fixed the problems with iOS 6 ?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 07 Mar 2013 22:57

They need to separate out WinMo and WP otherwise its hard to get a meaningful stat.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 08 Mar 2013 00:26

At such a low percentage, does it matter? Even if WP gained at the expense of WinMo the upper limit on the total gain of WP 3.1% which is lower than Apple's gain of 3.5% which is an older product. Not that I care, but just sayin.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Mar 2013 00:42

It matters for analysis purposes becoz it indicates whether the growth/loss is coming from. BTW the cause of gain/loss in this context has nothing to do with an older or newer product. In US it has everything to do with which product gets pushed/advertised most by the carriers and their salesforce - that is the iPhone (even recently for VZW which is traditionally prioritized Android). In fact iPhone4S sales growth (& possibly volume, I am not sure) is more than iPhone5.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 08 Mar 2013 00:46

Seekingalpha is suggesting that Apple buy Blackberry. Are they on crack or does that even remotely make sense ?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Mar 2013 00:49

What will Fruit Co do with Bibi now?

Bibi has no assets which Fruit Co can leverage without totally doing a makeover. It makes sense for Chacha to have nikah with Bibi.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 08 Mar 2013 02:19

Raja Bose wrote:It matters for analysis purposes becoz it indicates whether the growth/loss is coming from. BTW the cause of gain/loss in this context has nothing to do with an older or newer product. In US it has everything to do with which product gets pushed/advertised most by the carriers and their salesforce - that is the iPhone (even recently for VZW which is traditionally prioritized Android). In fact iPhone4S sales growth (& possibly volume, I am not sure) is more than iPhone5.

Windows 8 phones were available on all US carriers during the fourth quarter of 2012. The statistic is meaningful because it shows total share for Microsoft including Windows 8 and Windows Mobile and the total has declined.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Mar 2013 04:13

^^^The total share (WinMo + WP) without the breakup is meaningless for anal-e-cysts since WinMo is not an actively maintained or retailed platform for a while now and I dont think anybody sells WinMo devices either so its share can only decline with time.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 08 Mar 2013 04:29

^^^So you are suggesting WP OS actually increased in market share in the 4th quarter of 2012? Maybe, we'll see later this year as the 1st quarter of 2013 closes.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Mar 2013 05:47

^^^No idea. I stopped tracking externally sourced anal-e-ticks after seeing all the fudging that goes on. After all there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

What Mickey needs to do is push on carriers (esp. the greedier ones like VZW) by offering higher commissions like Chacha did back in '09.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 08 Mar 2013 09:17

Breakup is not important. The upper limit for WP gain is 3.1%. The question is whether this is the lower end of a hockey stick or the upper end of a s curve.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Mar 2013 09:23

I doubt its the upper end of the curve or the lower end of the hockey danda. The only WP handset in the high-end in US has been the 920 from GB so they need to increase momentum there otherwise they will be only seeing such numbers or lower. In the low end, looking at the 520 and 720, I think GB might be onto something here (since UX is Android Achilles heel in low end) though time will tell if they actually are.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 08 Mar 2013 10:04

Suraj wrote:Seekingalpha is suggesting that Apple buy Blackberry. Are they on crack or does that even remotely make sense ?

Seekingalpha is a bunch of morons. An analyst there ran a hedge fund solely buying and selling AAPL stock. Guess what happened after the recent bloodbath in share prices? Apparently wiped off the retirement savings of many people.

A journalist who used to give great publicity this fellow (who by the way had no formal training or expertise in investing) then wrote an article "why I was wrong in giving publicity to the fellow", which goes on to support my theory that newspapers have become facebook for their reporters. They are the story, not the stories they choose to push.