Dick Tracy's New Linux Box? 161
An anonymous reader writes "The Zypad is a new arm-wearable computer right out of Futurama. It can run Windows CE or Linux and has a 400 MHz CPU, 64MB Flash memory, 3.5 inch screen. The Zypad leaves the user's hands free — it has no keyboard, just a touchscreen and navigation keys. Voice recognition is 'being developed.' It turns on only when you look at it, so it saves power. It has GPS and Bluetooth/WLAN/GSM connectivity. Price: 1000 Euro." Too bad it's not yet available for sale — that screen looks more useful than the one on IBM's Linux watch from 2000.
voice recognition (Score:5, Informative)
Re:voice recognition (Score:2, Funny)
Yes, it is bad taste.
Re:voice recognition (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:voice recognition (Score:2)
Re:voice recognition (Score:3, Interesting)
System requirements :
256Mb RAM (512Mb preferred)
500Mb Free DIsk space
1Gb > 64Mb
Re:voice recognition (Score:2)
(Turns out he wanted this to dictat
Re:voice recognition (Score:3, Insightful)
Plenty of people have to work for a boss who is paralyzed from the neck up
Upgrade Options... (Score:1, Funny)
Futurama, eh? (Score:5, Funny)
So it's pointless, except on rare occasions when it can used for completely random tasks to fill plot holes?
Re:Futurama, eh? (Score:2, Informative)
Get your facts straight bub.
Re:Futurama, eh? (Score:4, Funny)
mispronounced (Score:5, Insightful)
Somebody mispronounced 'doesn't work yet'.
Re:mispronounced (Score:5, Funny)
Re:mispronounced (Score:1)
Re:mispronounced (Score:2)
Re:mispronounced (Score:2)
Re:mispronounced (Score:2)
Re:mispronounced (Score:2)
Voice recognition is 'being developed (for this wrist-top computer platform).'
Somebody mispronounced 'doesn't work yet (for this wrist-top computer platform).'
Even DNS Mobile Edition won't fit in 64MB of flash. DNS is not relevant to the subject of this article.
Set Zypads to stun! (Score:2)
Re:Set Zypads to stun! (Score:3, Insightful)
I doubt it. From the description, anything you can do on this new toy, you can do (probably easier) on a PDA-Phone. No one REALLY works on PDA-phones either. You work on a LAPTOP where you can type at a reasonable speed.
Granted, my Treo can
Re:Set Zypads to stun! (Score:2)
Re:Set Zypads to stun! (Score:2)
As worn by Duke Nukem Forever! (Score:5, Insightful)
Too bad it's not yet in existence. When I see a radically new gadget from some company I've never heard of whose press release touts multiple moves forward in different realms of technology, and all they have to show is a computer-generated graphic of the thing...well, I've never seen any such device ever show up to market. Not ever, in my memory.
Re:As worn by Duke Nukem Forever! (Score:1)
- RG>
And the 1000-euro question... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:As worn by Duke Nukem Forever! (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh, believe me. It exists. We have a couple of them in the lab here, and they work great. They have some problems with audio, but that appears to be a proble
Re:As worn by Duke Nukem Forever! (Score:2)
Re:As worn by Duke Nukem Forever! (Score:3, Insightful)
Plus, you'd build strong arms lugging it around all day.
It does work! (Score:4, Funny)
The problem is they set a bit wrong and it only works when you don't look at it.
So... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:So... (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, regardless of processor. The press release says it weighs 390 grams, which is 0.86 pounds.
Go to your local sporting good store and get a 1-pound ankle weight. Try wearing in on your wrist all of the time. (Even let
You'll find out it's a lot heavier than you thought, especially for vaporware.
Good news, everyone! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Good news, everyone! (Score:2)
Most people already wear the latest technology called pockets which seem to be able to carry many of the smaller devices, Calculators, PDA, MP3 Players, Wallets, CellPhones, keys, etc... Plus these pockets are able obscure the devices when they are not in use.
We assume that if technology can get small enough it will become useful as
Headlines (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Headlines (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Headlines (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Headlines (Score:2)
It's morphin' time! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It's morphin' time! (Score:1)
Re:It's morphin' time! (Score:2)
Haven't we heard/seen this before? (Score:1)
Is it for sale or not? (Score:5, Insightful)
Publishing a price means that I can bid the asking price and get the product. If it is not available, then the price is "announced to be" and is currently non-existant.
Slashdot editors could learn a thing or two by spending a week in writing/journalist summer-camp. Day in and day out they write non-sensical blurbs, never mind they don't check-out the underlying articles, at least post a cohesive summary.
Re:Is it for sale or not? (Score:1)
As soon as they finish their two weeks at summer fat camp, we will set that up. Thanks for the advice.
-Slashdot
Re:Is it for sale or not? (Score:2)
Anyone who has ever seen /. before knows that the blurbs are user submitted, and in many articles and the FAQ itself Taco has stated that the only editing they do is either in dire need or malformed html.
As such it is pretty obvious, especially with the new quoted view with the CSS that the price information was written up by the submitter, and the mention that it isn't actu
Re:Is it for sale or not? (Score:2)
No thanks!
When you look at it? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:When you look at it? (Score:1)
Re:When you look at it? (Score:2)
The motion sensor in the new Apple Macbook's is probably a good starting point; I wonder if it is possible to hack those to only turn the screen on when the Macbook is 'on the level'.
* I admit, I could be talking rubbish here...
MEMS Accelerometers (Score:2)
I've played with them on model helicopters (they help to stabilize it by keeping the tail pointed i
Re:When you look at it? (Score:1)
Re:When you look at it? (Score:2)
Re:When you look at it? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:When you look at it? (Score:2)
Well.. (Score:3, Funny)
Well.... (Score:1)
Re:Well.... (Score:1)
It turns on only when you look at it? (Score:1)
It turns on only when you look at it, so it saves power.
I didn't see any reference to how it switches on in TFA or the PR PDF. I was wondering how it detected that you were looking at it. (Is it like the old Pulsar LED watch that you had to shake your wrist to see the time?)Dell? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Dell? (Score:1)
Re:Dell? (Score:2)
Gotta make sure those gateway rustlers don't steal their cattle.
64MB should be enough for everyone (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:64MB should be enough for everyone (Score:2)
I wonder... (Score:4, Interesting)
Seriously though, I'm curious about the technology that makes this possible (no I didn't download the PDF yet). It would be pretty slick to incorporate this into other devices.
It's a cool idea, but personally if I were to drop a thousand euros on one of these I don't think I'd be wearing it on my wrist. I'm kind of a klutz sometimes and am pretty hard on watch crystals so I don't think it would take me too long to crack the display.
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
That description makes it seem much cooler than it actually is. It turns on when your wrist tilts to bring it into view, even if you aren't looking at it.
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
It's actually pretty easy, and shipping in actual real products. Lot of watches have an option
to make the light turn on when the watch is on a specific angle. It's like a tilt sensor.
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
maybe you were kidding, maybe not. Try calf massages (gentle), foot massages, incense, quiet remote places. Look up stuff online. Ask her what she wants in a private comfortable setting.
Cheers
Breakthrough???? (Score:1)
Re:Breakthrough???? (Score:2)
Physics majors have to work somewhere (Score:5, Funny)
"It turns on only when you look at it,..."
Looks like they have a Quantum Physics guy hiding out in R&D.
Re:Physics majors have to work somewhere (Score:3, Funny)
speaking of quantum (Score:2)
http://www.quantum3d.com/products/Expedition/Expe
Leela's Armband Computer (Score:1)
Futurama Prior Art (Score:2)
Futurama? More like Back to the Future... (Score:2)
Re:Futurama? More like Back to the Future... (Score:2)
I like this part (Score:2)
It could but it ain't going to happen. No one but the most extreme, purist form of nerd is going to be seen dead wearing one of these things. Might have applications in military or warehousing, but those kind of people would probably as happy to have something that sits in a holster until required.
just tape a pocket pc to your arm (Score:2)
Geeky as hell for normal people/useful in industry (Score:2)
If I saw someone wearing that, I would think they were a total goofball--beyond just geeky, into the realm of "do you realize how freaking silly that looks". Perhaps in 5 years, wearable computing won't be so odd... but right now it would look goofy.
One opening I do see for this, however, is in industry. Just as the Xybernaut [xybernaut.com] (a commercialization of Steve Mann's work in wearable computers, IIRC) is selling to workers who need easy access to computer data without the heft and inconvenience of a separate m
Back in the 80's I worked with handicapped people. (Score:2)
This thing is pretty ugly looking - even Toranga Leela would sneer at it! I predict a dismal sal
Officer Number 1-B-D-I (Score:2)
Left-handed model? (Score:3, Interesting)
Paradox (Score:2)
Emacs Bindings? (Score:2, Funny)
Bar code scanner (Score:2)
If it's right out of Futurama (Score:2)
seems upside down (Score:3, Insightful)
Did marketing do their homework on the photo for press release?
its like... (Score:2)
I think I'll wait until wearable computers have sufficient power/memory/battery-life to be truly useful, and look like a slim writswatch.
I've got a better idea... (Score:2)
Fast forward 10 years... (Score:3, Funny)
Language (Score:2)
Why should we believe people who'd name a company after "Euro" and "tech"? "Euro" is so 90s, and "tech" is more a 60s through 80s thing. And the idea that "Zy" (or anything beginning with "Z" or "X") is sexy? Right out of the 50s (although currently enjoying a revival in pharmeceuticals). And that company slogan - belongs back in the 40s somewhere.
From these clues, a good guess would be "fraud whose real aim in attracting foolish investors." Folks who really
more publicity for vaporware? (Score:2)
But I WANT a keyboard (Score:2)
Writing a "non crashing OS" I exclude Palm OS, by the way.
Does anyone know if that configuration exists?
"Turns on when you look at it"? (Score:2)
There's a joke somewhere in there involving slashdotters and success with women, but I just can't seem to put my finger on it.
Let's face it. Most people will get this for keeping smut at arm's length at all times. The real challenge for most users will be maintaining eye contact with the screen when their arm is involved in a particularly repetitive lateral motion.Hands free? (Score:2)
Oh. My. God. Get This thing OFF my ARM!
Cheap bastards! (Score:2)
Points to improve/add before putting it on sale (Score:2)
2. s/GSM/UMTS/ or at least GPRS, More memory and one or two CF slots
3. Implement a IR device so it can be the ultimate remote
4. Drop the price to a reasonable level of under 500,-
Re:Yes but... (Score:2)
Re:Useless/Redundant (Score:2)
No, this [pcmag.com] is a PalmPilot that fits on your arm. Mine's been working well for me for a while now. It even doubles as a gaming device that DOES NOT accidentally fall into the toilet (no comment, thank you). Although I admit, having a bigger screen would be a bonus.