Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
They don't look cool, they look broken. I mean the things already looks broken before you even start using it. It just has built-in cringe. That's on top of the fact that it is guaranteed to break within minutes of actually using it.
Considering the billions of smartphones in use by people all over the world....no one is complaining about not being able to fold it in half.
The crease is an implementation problem, not something inherent to the idea of a foldable screen. The idea, if we could implement it perfectly, would be cool, but would it be useful? That's what I'm talking about.
If we didn't have to deal with the limitations of batteries, a device which folds like this could actually be useful. As it is, the requisite battery volume (admittedly, an implementation detail, but one not directly related to a folding screen) gives the device really unwieldy proportions, even with an idealized screen.
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
They don't look cool, they look broken. I mean the things already looks broken before you even start using it. It just has built-in cringe. That's on top of the fact that it is guaranteed to break within minutes of actually using it.
Considering the billions of smartphones in use by people all over the world....no one is complaining about not being able to fold it in half.
The crease is an implementation problem, not something inherent to the idea of a foldable screen. The idea, if we could implement it perfectly, would be cool, but would it be useful? That's what I'm talking about.
If we didn't have to deal with the limitations of batteries, a device which folds like this could actually be useful. As it is, the requisite battery volume (admittedly, an implementation detail, but one not directly related to a folding screen) gives the device really unwieldy proportions, even with an idealized screen.
The allegedly usefulness is pitiful in comparison to the engineering challenges and compromises to get there.
Another way of saying that is: It is not worth doing.
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
That’s been my question, not just about these, but a number of high tech gadgetry that has come online in the last few years. Yes it’s cool that they can build a phone that folds in half. But what does that solve? I very much want to point out that if this was from Apple, I’d be asking the same thing. Why? Give me a good reason to put up with a noticeable crease in the middle of my screen, or a ripple in the middle of my drawing tablet, for the sake of folding it in half. Especially if it’s at such a premium over what I have that does the job just fine.
See I think for folding phones to really take off and ever be anything more than a niche product (or at best a replacement upgrade like say how 4K TVs are for HD TVs) they need to do something you can't do on existing smartphones or tablets. Think about how with the original iPhone one of the killer apps was that it had a full web browser on it that would allow you to go on the web whenever you wanted. The original iPhone very much felt like a small laptop in your hand and not like a smartphone or even an iPod with a smartphone.
I think when Apple comes out with a folding phone, they will have solved this problem. They will find something you can do with it you can't with a smartphone or tablet but you can only do with a folding phone. (You might be able to do whatever this thing is on some already existing device but not on a mobile one.)
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
That’s been my question, not just about these, but a number of high tech gadgetry that has come online in the last few years. Yes it’s cool that they can build a phone that folds in half. But what does that solve? I very much want to point out that if this was from Apple, I’d be asking the same thing. Why? Give me a good reason to put up with a noticeable crease in the middle of my screen, or a ripple in the middle of my drawing tablet, for the sake of folding it in half. Especially if it’s at such a premium over what I have that does the job just fine.
They will find something you can do with it you can't with a smartphone or tablet but you can only do with a folding phone. (You might be able to do whatever this thing is on some already existing device but not on a mobile one.)
Fold it to a 25 degree wedge and use it as a door stop? LOL
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
That’s been my question, not just about these, but a number of high tech gadgetry that has come online in the last few years. Yes it’s cool that they can build a phone that folds in half. But what does that solve? I very much want to point out that if this was from Apple, I’d be asking the same thing. Why? Give me a good reason to put up with a noticeable crease in the middle of my screen, or a ripple in the middle of my drawing tablet, for the sake of folding it in half. Especially if it’s at such a premium over what I have that does the job just fine.
See I think for folding phones to really take off and ever be anything more than a niche product (or at best a replacement upgrade like say how 4K TVs are for HD TVs) they need to do something you can't do on existing smartphones or tablets. Think about how with the original iPhone one of the killer apps was that it had a full web browser on it that would allow you to go on the web whenever you wanted. The original iPhone very much felt like a small laptop in your hand and not like a smartphone or even an iPod with a smartphone.
I think when Apple comes out with a folding phone, they will have solved this problem. They will find something you can do with it you can't with a smartphone or tablet but you can only do with a folding phone. (You might be able to do whatever this thing is on some already existing device but not on a mobile one.)
Like when it’s folded it’s a durable action cam, replacing the GoPro. As an example. But dual purpose products are rarely as good at either use care versus single purpose products. The only reason to fold is to make something smaller. To accomplish this with a smartphone I think the flip phone format is the right way to go, but first there needs be be a major advance in battery tech and camera tech. Because the top, flip out, half of the display needs to be much thinner than the bottom half of the phone. And it still needs to house front and rear cameras.
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
They don't look cool, they look broken. I mean the things already looks broken before you even start using it. It just has built-in cringe. That's on top of the fact that it is guaranteed to break within minutes of actually using it.
Considering the billions of smartphones in use by people all over the world....no one is complaining about not being able to fold it in half.
Agreed.
Now if it rolled-up like a cylinder no more than about 1 inch in diameter (I'm trying to be somewhat realistic), with some portion of the display visible in rollup-mode, then it would be something unique. But this is just something that should have died on the bench; but is suffering from "We spent this much on R&D, so we'd better try and recoup at least some of that money."
Any takers on how many recalls before they finally pull this product?
Foldable screens like this look cool and all, but do they solve an actual problem?
They don't look cool, they look broken. I mean the things already looks broken before you even start using it. It just has built-in cringe. That's on top of the fact that it is guaranteed to break within minutes of actually using it.
Considering the billions of smartphones in use by people all over the world....no one is complaining about not being able to fold it in half.
The crease is an implementation problem, not something inherent to the idea of a foldable screen. The idea, if we could implement it perfectly, would be cool, but would it be useful? That's what I'm talking about.
If we didn't have to deal with the limitations of batteries, a device which folds like this could actually be useful. As it is, the requisite battery volume (admittedly, an implementation detail, but one not directly related to a folding screen) gives the device really unwieldy proportions, even with an idealized screen.
The allegedly usefulness is pitiful in comparison to the engineering challenges and compromises to get there.
Another way of saying that is: It is not worth doing.
Which is what I already said in the first post in this chain.
Comments
If we didn't have to deal with the limitations of batteries, a device which folds like this could actually be useful. As it is, the requisite battery volume (admittedly, an implementation detail, but one not directly related to a folding screen) gives the device really unwieldy proportions, even with an idealized screen.
Another way of saying that is: It is not worth doing.
LOL
A crease through the centre of the screen means that the only movies that make sense to watch on the Z are those by Wes Anderson!
Now if it rolled-up like a cylinder no more than about 1 inch in diameter (I'm trying to be somewhat realistic), with some portion of the display visible in rollup-mode, then it would be something unique. But this is just something that should have died on the bench; but is suffering from "We spent this much on R&D, so we'd better try and recoup at least some of that money."
Any takers on how many recalls before they finally pull this product?