02 Jan 2006
The All-In-One Card

This card would make mp3 players like iPod history and most PDA's and cell phones look bulky and old. It is called "All-in-One Card" or AIO Card" (or Advanced Input Output Card) It has almost everything you need in a modern gadget and more.
AIO card is a thin client. It is like a remote display on a card over wireless. It means all its processing, and storage remains on a powerful server.
It uses the same thin client technology found in
Sun Rays.
It only needs a small processor that does nothing but send the touch and other inputs to a server, and the server sends the display and sound back. Since all the storage is on a server, it gives you virtually unlimited storage for your data, pictures and songs.
(unlikes iPods and mp3 players which have a limited memory)
Since its applications run on the server, it can run many rich application like your favorite games or other productivity apps like web browser or OpenOffice. All the apps and songs are instantly available.
It has a paper like display similar to
E-Ink which is thin, touch sensitive and very energy efficient. You can use your bluetooth headset to hear audio. You can make and receive unlimited phone or video calls!
It can also interface to any other bluetooth device like keyboards or mouse or cameras.
Since it doesn't need much power for the processor or the display, it runs on energy from solar cells (similar to those you may find on a calculator) So you never have to worry much about charging it.
It has the same size as any credit card, and is compatible with Java Card or Smart Cards. So you can use it as an ID card or credit card. You can keep it safe in your wallet.
It has GPS or more accurate
Galileo.
Which means its server can know about your location and movements.
This means a whole new world of services, including alerting you in case there is a traffic congestion ahead of you, or helping you find people, if they allow you to see their where abouts.
If you need a bigger display, you just insert it into a special smart card reader connected to any normal monitor or TV or projector and it will show the display. Which means for people who use a PC for email, browsing or just games, they longer need a home PC. You have a terminal that gives you terrabytes of disk storage with super computer like processor! All you may need are bluetooth keyboad, mouse and monitor! Needless to say you don't have to worry about your home PC getting infected with virus and worms - there would be administrators at the server regularly upgrading the system and backing up your data.
It is cheap since it is basically fabricating a single integrated card.
If it gets damaged or stolen you don't lose anything. All the data
is safe back on the central server. You can borrow some one else's and login with your account. Or if you have many of those cards, you can arrange them next to each other and get a bigger display area.
Update 1:
It is
not an actual or planned product. Images are obviously made with
GIMP.
This is my vision or prediction for 2006.
Read it as my pet peeves about today's iPods or mobile phones - cant keep them in a wallet, limited storage, limited processing capability, need for a charger, monopolistic service providers who try to squeeze every pennies out of your pocket for silly things like incoming calls....
I am just tossing an idea, catch it and build it if you want :-)
Comments to some questions raised in comments below:
1. Bandwidth requirements: Many Sun employees (for eg
Dan)
have
Sun Ray at home, which is a thin client LCD screen, keyboard, mouce etc., which connects securely to servers inside Sun. This is over broadband and works like magic. AIO card if displaying on card surface, would require
much less bandwidth than a typical sun ray. So its bandwidth requirements should be met with today's state of the art. Thre are wireless
Sun Ray laptops too - which are much lighter and cooler than laptops with a processor!
2. About a central server: - No, it does not have to be just one server. You can login to any server by any service provider. You can turn your home PC into a dedicated server just for you.
You can run any OS on your PC (eg. Solaris, Linux or Mac OS X) and get the display on card.
3. energy requirements: Solar cell was a rough estimate, assuming that display (which is a major power hungry component) is replaced with E-Ink type of components. Else you can just use a clip to charge it.
Update 2: Some
calculations using today's technology make it seems like it is much more feasible than I initially thought,
-Chandan (commenting on things to come in 2006)
Link |
Posted by Sean on December 31, 2005 at 01:23 PM PST #
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Posted by zajako on December 31, 2005 at 02:18 PM PST #
Posted by Tazu Meen on December 31, 2005 at 02:38 PM PST #
Posted by jayarbee on December 31, 2005 at 03:22 PM PST #
some quickly hashed numbers...
For a game:
640 width*
480 height*
4 bytes per pixel (32 bit color)
*30fps=
36864000 bytes=35MB/s
for normal applications
320x240 * 2Bpp (16 bit color) * 10fps=2457600 bytes=2.3MB/s
so to run basic client apps you'd need a 2.3MB/s wireless link.. which is easily applicable on a g network (54mb/s=6.75MB/s) but a game... well... tetris maybe >.> that doesn't need more than the normal 320*240 pixels to not look like crap
Posted by Dakusan on December 31, 2005 at 03:36 PM PST #
Posted by Nil on December 31, 2005 at 03:56 PM PST #
"It is cheap since it basically fabricating a single integrated card." <- fix this sentence
it will need a stylus, or a mega bulky gui to accomodate fat fingers
it will need screen protectors, it needs to be water resistant.
it will need a hold switch, to prevent accidental button pressing, in pockets.
replacable battery would be a plus, so the life of the device is not restriced to the life of the battery.
on the topic of batteries, a device that requires bluetooth everything provokes battery mayhem. not included in your mock-ups is the bluetooth hardware required, their sundry individual battery chargers, and their sundry corresponding non-interchangable replacement batteries.
the concept would sound a lot sweeter if the accessories were equally impossibly advanced. a wafer-thin folding solar powered keyboard would be pleasant. battery and charger universality would be a definite plus.
Posted by erick on December 31, 2005 at 04:12 PM PST #
Don't forget to factor in compression, and then you will get some more bandwidth friendly numbers.
I think it would be better if the card just acted as a bluetooth display for a little (smaller than a cellphone) device which clips on to your belt. It could do a lot of processing, while sending audio to the bluetooth headset, and pictures to the screen.
The belt device could then connect to the server computer for more power hungry tasks and file sharing.
The card could attach to the belt device for recharging of their batters (both ways if it is sunny)
Posted by Phire on December 31, 2005 at 04:56 PM PST #
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Posted by dadada on January 02, 2006 at 05:43 PM PST #
The only difference between the PDA solution and his is that you have some offline storage for critical documents/apps, and it is doable now.
Posted by Raymond Deppe on January 02, 2006 at 07:01 PM PST #
Posted by Mark Jenkins on January 02, 2006 at 09:23 PM PST #
Posted by Ketan Chawda on January 02, 2006 at 10:50 PM PST #
Posted by Chris on January 03, 2006 at 05:42 AM PST #
The personal data store will be able to hold gigs of info and music. Your phone and music player will be a small headset also talking to the data store. Your camera will be tiny, using the PDA screen for its display purposes.
For serious laptop-style work, you could use a screen that will roll up -- also not far off now. The keyboard can be either a virtual projected one, or a small folding one -- they fit in large shirt pockets now.
This is technologically all just around the corner. Sociologically, we are moving towards very capable mobile phone PDAs which advertise our status as rich gadget lovers as we wave them around. Practical security would suggest that keeping the valuable bit hidden and using relatively disposable peripherals makes more sense (presumably you can have your PDA card gold-plated and diamond-studded if visible status matters). The peripherals could also be chosen and upgraded piecemeal, according to which functions matter most to you.
Posted by Xandra on January 03, 2006 at 06:03 AM PST #
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Posted by Endtimes Watchman on January 09, 2006 at 08:46 AM PST #
Hi!...
The GIMP link on this post is broken
Well, you said this prototype can use e-ink or something, I would recommend this one from Siemens, a 1-by-2-inch paper-thin electronic display costs just 30 cents to produce!!!!
Posted by David Sánchez on January 09, 2006 at 03:42 PM PST #
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Posted by pabbasrinivas on March 19, 2007 at 07:27 AM PDT #
I already have a patent pending on this device.
20040005914
Posted by JP Dear on September 16, 2007 at 06:59 PM PDT #
Hi Chetan,
The idea sound's intresting, infact am looking out for such innovative ideas. Am in middle of planning of a brainstorm house where like minded 'brains' get a chance to work, discuss & play on different things... this planet's a playground i feel... play hard... play to win!!
Anyway, would like to interact with you. If possible email me with you contact. Will get back then. Cheers :-)
Posted by Abhijeet Satam on December 09, 2007 at 02:09 AM PST #
This is great, I hope to offer to my 100,ooo thousand customers..if it is feasible..
Keep up the good work
Cheers
Grace
Posted by Grace Wong on December 29, 2007 at 02:00 AM PST #
its looks all to simple it can be made now but yo would still be left carying around the device doing all the work for it
Posted by lorenzo on April 04, 2008 at 08:18 PM PDT #
I realy like the idear of bringing new ways to help us in our day to day surviving I wish I had chance I could have realy come in assist or help bring more ideas
Posted by Richie on August 16, 2008 at 09:01 AM PDT #
Please send the pricing and website address of the above mentioned the ALL-IN-ONE CARD
phone : 9246969009
Posted by PABBA SRINIVAS on August 17, 2008 at 08:44 AM PDT #
I already have a patent pending on this device.
20040005914
Posted by lingerie wholesale on December 04, 2008 at 07:14 AM PST #