Toshiba Concept PDA Does a DS
A concept PDA/ebook device demonstrated by Toshiba at the IFA 2006 consumer electronics show in Berlin shares a design philosophy that is very similar to another gadget that should be very familiar to our QJ readers: the Nintendo DS. Right now all we’ve found on this are a set of snapshots and a few words from AVING.net, but they do give a few clues as to how this gizmo works – and if this concept ever makes it onto the manufacturing floor, how the production version might work.
Just like the DS, the concept ebook folds open like a laptop to reveal two screens, with the touchscreen replacing the usual keyboard in a notebook computer. This might make tap-typing with the device rather cumbersome, but there are separate keyboard accessories for PDAs (both first-party and third-party), so typing might not be too much of a problem if the user can spare the space for that extra keyboard. Then there’s handwriting recognition to consider.
Read on for more info and pictures (click on the Full Article link below).
A concept PDA/ebook device demonstrated by Toshiba at the IFA 2006 consumer electronics show in Berlin shares a design philosophy that is very similar to another gadget that should be very familiar to our QJ readers: the Nintendo DS. Right now all we’ve found on this are a set of snapshots and a few words from AVING.net, but they do give a few clues as to how this gizmo works – and if this concept ever makes it onto the manufacturing floor, how the production version might work.
Just like the DS, the concept ebook folds open like a laptop to reveal two screens, with the touchscreen replacing the usual keyboard in a notebook computer. This might make tap-typing with the device rather cumbersome, but there are separate keyboard accessories for PDAs (both first-party and third-party), so typing might not be too much of a problem if the user can spare the space for that extra keyboard. Then there’s handwriting recognition to consider.
The concept device runs off Windows CE; in the pictures, it’s running Excel on the top screen and what looks like the traditional Windows Desktop GUI on the touchscreen (as well as another program, looks like something video-related to us, but the glare keeps getting in the way). It will take SD memory cards; nothing else seen or noted concerning other removable media, but again, this is a concept device. Its production versions – if it makes it to production – should feature additional options for more discerning customers.
That’s all we can gather from the photos of this concept PDA, but we do hope to see more of it – or even a production version – soon. Of course, there are those who’ve thought of converting a DS into a PDA…
Via AVING USA
About The Author
