November 28, 2002 23:08 | Bits

Gimme gimme!

I want a combination Apple iPod and SonyEricsson T68i (WITH the "CommunicCAM" camera... and why not a CHA-30 digital pen).

First let's mention the obvious reasons:

  • one device for portable music, cellphone, contacts, calendaring, file storage and little digital pictures.
  • über-techno-geek-godness ;)

    Some less obvious advantages (with minor software tweaking on the device):

  • voice operation ("dial John K."... why not "Play Bob Marley Jammin'" ? Why not?)
  • scribble SMS messages? Sure... how about scribbe blog entries, SMS'ed to an XML-RPC/SOAP system? Attach a picture to that while you're at it.

    Hmm... how about some feature combinations that would REALLY get shit moving:

  • Dictation: "Take a memo: I just saw a blue Smart car downtown! End memo, attach last picture, submit to my blog."
  • Dictation: "Take a memo: Oh my god I figured out what Einstein meant by E=mc2! Blah blah blah blah.... End memo, e-mail to self"
  • Transcription: "John this conversation is really interesting, do you mind if I record it/have it transcribed? Start Trascription /.../ end transcription, e-mail to self."
    (I'd happlily sacrifice 5Gig of my 20 to a fully portable voice dictation system)
    (Some may balk at the privacy issues of that last one. I consider that a detail that will work itself out, as it always does, as the technology makes it possible.)

    So, what we need for this:
    On the device itself:
    Essentially a cellphone with a 20Gig harddrive and existing cell communication, music playing, filesystem, voice navigation, TCP-IP stack, I/O (FireWire, USB.Bluetooth, keypad, scrollwheel...) etc..
    Voice dictation/trasncription software ported for the hardware platform (I bet someone has this... IBM? Dragon? Locus Dialog?
    On the "network" (service providers/carriers):
    web-technology interfaces (XML-RPC, SOAP, et all)... it's software, people... easy stuff... ;)
    hey, the voice dictation/trasncription could even be done on the service provider side. That DEFINITLY exists. Locus Dialog make that.

    I leave the rest to your imagination. :)