The Boom Produces Some Strange Hardware

June 15th, 2007

Anybody remember the Audrey? The eBook (I do)? Well, it seems at the crest of any technology upswing comes the strange hardware. Some are making an appearance right now, in between all the Web 2.0 acquisitions.

This Palm Foleo is DOA, IMHO.
I’m really, really, really not into pen computers. For starters, pens are quickly lost. Second, my handwriting is terrible. Lastly, I can type ten times faster than write.
This negative article about the Apple TV I don’t totally agree with, but I must mention I still haven’t bought one.
Monitor glasses for the iPod. I’m still confused by this concept. If you wear video goggles in public you’re just asking for someone to steal your iPod as you walk into poles distracted by Grey’s Anatomy. If you’re in the safety of your home, wouldn’t you just turn on the TV?
Return of the eBook. This Sony reader is thin, looks cool, and you can put a variety of document types on it. But the grayscale eInk display inverts each time it’s refreshed, which might get old really fast. I think OLEDs will allow the hardware reader to finally take off. And it will happen: even laptops are moving ever closer to notebook-thinness.
Another person (Justine) is strapping a webcam to their head. I don’t think this will go anywhere. Twitter, yes, but the masses strapping cameras to their heads? No. At least, I hope not.

I enjoy the boomy stuff as much as anyone (who knew 2007 would be the year of the widget?) but then people start thinking it’s now time for all the goofy hardware ideas that have been around forever and never seem to gain traction. I can name only a few futuristic hardware ideas that really have mass market appeal: the Wii, the iPod, the PSP, digital cameras, and the iPhone. It takes a lot to convince people to carry around yet another gadget in addition to the ubiquitous cellphone, laptop, and iPod - well, unless you get into wearable computing.

Meanwhile, I expect the revival of the Smell-O-Vision and Internet in the kitchen. Just make sure they have HDMI outs, please.

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