Notebook Computer Designs You'd Like TO See

[jyl]

As notebook computers get more powerful and work gets more mobile, more of us have to use our notebooks to do serious work. But notebooks still fall far short of the experience you get in a really good desktop computer. I don’t mean in processor speed, but in I/O.

The best notebook still has a limited keyboard and a single screen. At the office I use triple monitors and my keyboard has a numeric keypad, plus I use the notebook for a fourth monitor. When I’m traveling, like now, working with the notebook is pretty frustrating.

I’d like to see a notebook with a double screen. The second screen could fold out from the existing screen (think like a trifold wallet) with a swivel hinge (such as on some tablet notebooks) if you only wanted to use one monitor. The numeric keypad should be easy enough to add to the palmrest, turn it off when not using and its just a palmrest again.

Any notebook designs or features you'd like to see, which aren't out there?

[island911]

Fold-out Screen!?

pffft.


....I want to see an up-projected haptic interactive hologram.

[jyl]

I'm thinking of the old IBM "Butterfly" notebook as inspiration.

Several years ago I told IBM they should have the option of numeric keypads in the palmrest, since their notebooks were (back then, this was pre-Lenovo) the gold standard for finance/number-cruncher types. They eventually offered a nuric keypad that slid out from one of the drive bays - lame. Lenovo seems to have lost a ton of ground on Wall Street, Thinkpads no longer dominate financial conferences.

[McLovin]

I'd like something like an iPad, but with a bigger screen, and attached to a real keyboard.

[island911]

Yeah, the 10-key work with the bigger screens.

Have you seen this? Dell Adamo XPS Hands On: Insanely Thin (and Just Insane) - Dell Adamo XPS - Gizmodo

..it really is insanely thin, and light. ...w/ a real keyboard, USB ports. . .yadda yadda..

[RWebb]

well, I'd like an iPhone that I can just drop into a base with a socket on it at any place around in civilized areas; the base would have a nice big keyboard and screen -- all the guts & data would be on the iphone
- also the iPhone would be thinner & lighter than currently.

I like your ideas also, as more near-term adjuncts.

re the ipad, yes, I'd like on that is bigger, cheaper, with near permanent battery life - I'd have them scattered all over the house & they can use WiMax, etc. to communicate so each is fungible with the others.

[krystar]

the map thingie gadget from Mission to Mars movie. rollable transparent screen with touch capabilities.

[dd74]

3-D screens would be cool. So would real-world television where the notebook or laptop could get as many channels as Direct TV.

Maybe notebooks/laptops can do this now. I don't know as I'm not up to speed with the technology.

I also wish Mac and PC would play nice together with all software and hardware. Last week I had to return a printer that the salesperson swore would work with Mac. After four hours of driver download, command line installations, etc, yeah, right.

[Zeke]

I dislike laptops. I used one yesterday with the Durametic. What a Neanderthal flat rock. But, it's the oldest of 3 and a cast away. That's why it got sent to the garage.

When they had a track ball, I was just OK with them. I do the joystick too, but I hate the scratch pad. Hover over it too close and all kinds of things go that I don't intend. If I had only one computer and it was a notebook, I'd have a dock, a big monitor, a proper keyboard (I like ergonomic) and of course a mouse.

The Adamo XPS would be better if it had it's own carry handle.

What would I design into a notebook? Fold out stands at the bottom wide enough to rest on your legs and prevent the heat. Side mounted track ball and a side mounted pad for scrolling. Better speakers.

[nocarrier]

Can I get a serial port ?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by nocarrier

Can I get a serial port ?

No, you only get a vowel.

[nocarrier]

as long as it's com1

[Pazuzu]

Boobs. Laptops should have boobs.

Of course, most everything should have boobs...I think that we would abolish war if that happened.

[911pcars]

Heads up display or virtual reality imaging. Imagine the size of the electronics w/o a screen as baggage. It would fit in your breast pocket. That includes female owners as well.

This would also turn ambulance and EMR services into a cottage industry. Make that investment now.

Sherwood