wireless flatscreens by......Microsoft :-(

macanoid(tm)macanoid(tm)
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Microsoft Corp said on Monday it had lined up four Japanese manufacturers to begin selling personal computers using its Mira technology that can turn flat-panel displays into portable touch-screen tablets



Mira, instead of working like a laptop or tablet PC, uses a wireless network standard called 802.11 to let users detach their monitor and use a stylus pen to access the Internet, e-mail and digital content via their desktop PCs
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    I remember a day when it was Apple doing this cutting edge stuff... Sad, so very sad.



    Dave
  • Reply 2 of 32
    jasonppjasonpp Posts: 308member
    In theory this sounds really great. But the fact it it will be really expensive for these wireless dispays... >$3000 and that's going to make them fail.
  • Reply 3 of 32
    michael greymichael grey Posts: 384member
    I disagress that wireless/touch screens are really 'cutting edge.' That idea has been around for a while, and quite frankly the need for it has never really materialized. Some people will argue that the technology hasn't been there 'til now, but I think if the need was there, the technology would have advanced much faster.



    Microsoft is notorious for coming to the party too late. In established markets, like game consoles, it can get away with this just because of its enormous balance sheet (the X-box is "expected" to write down close to a billion dollars in the first year). But as far as 'new' technologies? When has MS ever been a pioneer?



    You're right that Apple has traditionally been the leader in innovation, but I think lately they are innovating in more 'practical' ways. Maybe it's still smarting from the Cube thing or maybe it's just the market right now. Or maybe Jobs is just getting older, but I'm kinda glad that Apple isn't constantly swinging for the stands. I'll be happy with a string of base hits (at least for a while anyway).



    My $0.02
  • Reply 4 of 32
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    For the price you'll probably pay for one of these tablet PCs, you can probably buy two iMacs and put them in the kitchen and living room where most of the time would probably be spent.



    1) These LCDs will have to be battery powered also.

    2) Surfing the internet with a stylus or trackball vs mouse. You decide if that's ideal.

    3) I don't think these LCDs are going to be as light as a book. Even if these things are only 2 pounds, that's a lot to be holding.



    We'll have to wait and see how innovative and useful this is.
  • Reply 5 of 32
    jcgjcg Posts: 777member
    Didnt SONY just get out of this game due to slow sales, most likely price related? Its not a bad idea in theory, but for text entry it is much faster to type than write for the majority of people. The main benefit is pen entry is for drawing, and tablet/pen entry for this takes some time getting used to (personal experience). It would most likely be better if you were drawing directly on the screen, but again good technology in this arena cost bug bucks (WACOM's LCD tablet is something like $2500)
  • Reply 6 of 32
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    I think the idea is more to be able able to go lie down on the couch and use the device. By putting an iMac into the living room and kitchen, for example, you sort of have to be directly in front of the device to use it.



    If I had a tablet for browsing the internet, I could use it while on the couch, or get up, and use it while on the crapper (Hey, don't knock it, it beats having to go hunt for the latest Smarthome.com catalog ;-)).



    But I think what it eventually gets back to is that it's such a terribly niche market even once we have acknowledged these intended uses. I have an airport enabled laptop, and have no problems using it anywhere in the apartment. Admittedly, I haven't tried using the PowerBook while on the toilet...



    -j4
  • Reply 7 of 32
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Well, if you're going to be using a 2-3 pound tablet, in your hand...for an extended period...that just seems like such a strain. And if you're going to lay it down on something, you are going to have to bend your neck...



    What's going to happen...They'd have to make it stand on its own like a picture frame, or with an easel.
  • Reply 8 of 32
    mokimoki Posts: 551member
    My question is, what will the power source be? If there is a battery on them, it'll definitely add to the weight, and won't last more than a few hours at a stretch.



    If it requires being plugged in to work, what's the point of being wireless?



    Regardless, it sounds interesting!
  • Reply 9 of 32
    spotbugspotbug Posts: 361member
    Sounds to me like a keyboard-less laptop with Airport and a touch (pen) screen.



    I don't believe the world is really ready for these. Keyboards are still very necessary. Especially for email (maybe with ViaVoice?).



    Add a keyboard to that thing and it might sell better. But then, I'd like the cheaper version which had a regular, non-touch (non-pen) screen. Of course, that would just be a laptop with Airport. Oops.
  • Reply 10 of 32
    thinkingdifferentthinkingdifferent Posts: 1,604member
    Wasn't this the same configuration the new iMacs were rumoured to have. A detachable wireless lcd monitor?
  • Reply 11 of 32
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Going from ThinkingDifferent's point - I wonder how hard it would be to convert the iMac to this type of setup, for those who wanted to pay the extra price. The iMac w/o the monitor really just looks like an Airport basestation already, and it has wireless capability built-in. Take off the arm and monitor, and you have a basestation for your wireless monitor.



    Sell the iMac base for $1,000, and then one of these wireless monitors for another couple thousand. Not a low-end product, but maybe a special edition iMac.
  • Reply 12 of 32
    the swanthe swan Posts: 82member
    Don't sweat it guys, this is going to flop for about three product generations. Then microsoft will do it right, and it might succeed. Microsoft's problem is they just don't get it. Whatever "it" is. Its the same reason WinCE, PocketPC, whatever, failed for the first five years. Microsoft has geeks who makes things that are cool to THEM. (Hey look! The Start Button shuts down the computer, isn't that funny!) Apple has geeks who make things that are cool to US. Microsoft management is a bunch of guys who never left their dorm in college. In order to understand what the world wants, you have to live in it! I mean, do you think Johnathon Ive stayed in every Friday night? Yeah, didn't think so, and we know Steve didn't. Now, what WILL we do about Phil Shiller. He's trying to be cool, I think one day he's going to get the hang of it.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Still the fruits of Kormac's evil words continue to contaminate these forums. But at least now, as many posters realize that this is a product without a market. Maybe it takes seeing it materialize before people realize that it ain't all that great.



    If it were no more expensive than a currnet display, had hours of battery life, and was light as a feather, then people certainly wouldn't turn it down. But it isn't, won't be for a long time, and it's fragile to boot. It won't suceed. But mostly it won't succeed because the concept isn't as good as we imagine. People want big displays, if displays get bigger, they get harder to transport. 15" is already BIG for a laptop, and you use that sitting at a table or resting on your lap. You gonna hold a 15" panel in one hand and write on it with the other? Even just peck at menus and such? Not for hours, or even minutes, I imagine.



    eBook sized/'lab coat' pocket sized PDA's with paper quality display resolutions will eventually fill some notebook type duties, and have the durability, platform maturity, and battery life to make them more than just expensive agendas in the best cases, and electronic liabilities in the worst. But that time isn't untill some much better technologies are in place. Still, that concept would be a 'supplement' to current displays. Another computer (a small one) on your network, talking to you personal network with greater ease and integration than exists right now, but still a seperate computer.



    A detachable wireless display is so nearly useless that it can only be described as technology for technology's sake, and expense for stupidity's sake.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    The iBook and PowerBook trackpad is the best input device ever invented IMHO. I love my Newton but there is no comparison between pens and trackpads (I know there is some crappy ones on most PC notebooks but thats beside the point)



    I can make you a better deal very easy: Take one iBook, strip it from cd-rom, battery and 2,5 inch HD. Put in Airport card, 1,8 inch 10 GB drive and battery a la iPod (more flexible). Reduce weight and size and sell it for $3000*.



    [*=including VGA display adapter, modem cable, power adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, and lithium-ion battery; Mac OS X v10.1, Mac OS 9.2, QuickTime, iMovie 2, iTunes 2, AppleWorks, Mac OS X Mail, Microsoft Internet Explorer, EarthLink, AOL, World Book Mac OS X Edition, Otto Matic, PCalc, Acrobat Reader, and FAXstf 10.0 Preview; Apple Hardware Test CD; complete setup, learning, and reference documentation; limited warranty; and one iMac Superdrive model]
  • Reply 15 of 32
    spotbugspotbug Posts: 361member
    [quote]Originally posted by The Swan:

    <strong>... WinCE ...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Every time I see that, it makes me giggle. How in the world did that product name escape from the Redmond campus?
  • Reply 16 of 32
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    [quote]Originally posted by spotbug:

    <strong>



    Every time I see that, it makes me giggle. How in the world did that product name escape from the Redmond campus?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    At least it's not AppleScript Studio.



    I agree, the MS tablet will be an expensive curiosity at best. The technology simply isn't there yet. Even when it is, it always takes Microsoft at least three iterations to get something right (and three more to really hose it, but that's something else).
  • Reply 17 of 32
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Agreed. The technology isn't there yet. Even though I'm not a subnote person, Anders' idea is a much better more useful proposition. When the tech is finally in place, Apple will have something of superior functionality to offer, but they won't sell what are effectively prototype products. They learned their lesson with the Newton -- which is not to say that Newton wasn't great, but they lost a lot of money there. Better to keep working on concepts/ideas, to evolve a product to a highly refined level so that when the technology is in place and affordable you have everything you need worked out. Look at iPod. Mp3 players existed before, but none of those even come close. Apple coulda jumped in early, but they wisely waited for the technology to catch-up.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    mr.emr.e Posts: 20member
    So MS is going to produce a wireless monitor. This isn't going to be the same as a "tablet." It will be heavier, obviously. And I agree with most who mentioned that it will be too expensive, and that it will fail.

    Whether one is talking about a wireless monitor or a tablet device, people, forget about long-term typing or input. Let face it, a computer is only for input or output. So, consequently, a smart user is going to use a wireless montior or tablet device to retrieve information. So when I some of you posters worried that you want to attach keyboards to a wireless monitor or tablet, you're missing the point. And forget about pens/stylus' the finger is the most available and advanced input device there is, not the trackpad. And there are on-screen keyboards available for minimal character input. So one is only going to input information about 5-10% of the time, the other 90% will be accessing information. Just my 2¢.
  • Reply 19 of 32
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    IF it is a wireless monitor they must have done miracles with 802.11



    IF it is a tablet (with CPU) it will be very expensive and heavy for what it does. You might as well give it all the trimmings that makes it a full portable.



    Its not like there is no marked for it but it will be very small the price considered
  • Reply 20 of 32
    jesperasjesperas Posts: 524member
    Someone always tries to introduce a tablet pc type product. This year happens to be MS. I don't think anything will come of it, at least until they replace current LCD technology with polymer-based screens.
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