4 ms·

A solution to a problem that doesn't exist

alistairSH 8y ago
As a phone, maybe. As a small tablet, it’s likely easier to carry than a small e-reader or iPad Mini.
shaklee3 8y ago
People use tablets, and these can fold into a tablet. So I would say that it does solve a problem. I wouldn't want one, but it seems useful for some people.
daenz 8y ago
A problem that I now have, after seeing the solution. I've toyed with the idea of getting a tablet, but never made the leap because of how bulky they are. If I wanted a bulky spacious computing device, I'd just use my laptop. If I want a tiny computing device, I'd use my phone. This scratches both itches.
powerapple 8y ago
as a consumer phone, yes the problem doesn't exist. It might open door for better application or something we are not doing now. It creates opportunity. I can already see its use in enterprise environment with suitable application. I think there is a market for it. Once the technology matures, softwares will catch up and it will be standard. Still, I'd prefer a roller display than folded ones.
markmark 8y ago
People want larger screens but smaller devices.
rovyko 8y ago
I thought so too until I saw Westworld. As you'd expect, they use the device like a laptop, except it doesn't need a place to sit. Relevant scenes: https://youtu.be/qvrSUwqt6Mw?t=54 https://youtu.be/qvrSUwqt6Mw?t=54
solatic 8y ago
People want a do-everything device that fits in their pocket. Specifically their pocket. People who already have their phone in their hand are not going to put their phone away, open up their bag, take out their tablet, just to get a larger screen. People leave their bags behind when they go to the gym floor, into the bathroom at work and home, etc. Leave us engineering professionals (who need workstations to be productive) out of it. Most people have one, pocketable, device. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that, if you work within that restriction, that bigger screens will give people better experiences and thus make for better products. If it ever becomes feasible to have a phone that unfolds into the size of a TV, you'll quickly find fixed-size TVs become niche products for always-on monitoring dashboards and advertising billboards. People will just unfold their phones to watch whatever show or movie they're going to watch, even if it takes them a couple of minutes to unfold their phone that far to set it up.
xster 8y ago
This product category solves a huge problem for me. Sometimes you know you'll be sitting down for 5+ min and a larger format is just more useful, whether it's for reading with bigger fonts, shopping with more items displayed per page or just for accessing non-mobile-crippled websites like GitHub. Tablets are like dedicated cameras of the photography world. They might be good at it but it's useless if it's not on you. You don't want to carry a second device. Tablets still can't handle multi-users and you want a personalized experience. You don't want multiple tablets at home. There's no continuity unless there's some drastic change in OSes and we go back to the Novell terminal model of computing. I want to have the exact tabs opened with the text fields I'm halfway through typing. You want a single device to charge. A single device that's paired with the bluetooth peripherals etc etc. Phones already don't fit in pockets and can't keep getting bigger. Developers are already not making native desktop apps except the heaviest class productivity types. I applaud developments in this direction.

As a phone, maybe. As a small tablet, it’s likely easier to carry than a small e-reader or iPad Mini.

People use tablets, and these can fold into a tablet. So I would say that it does solve a problem. I wouldn't want one, but it seems useful for some people.

daenz 8y ago

A problem that I now have, after seeing the solution. I've toyed with the idea of getting a tablet, but never made the leap because of how bulky they are. If I wanted a bulky spacious computing device, I'd just use my laptop. If I want a tiny computing device, I'd use my phone. This scratches both itches.

powerapple 8y ago

as a consumer phone, yes the problem doesn't exist. It might open door for better application or something we are not doing now. It creates opportunity. I can already see its use in enterprise environment with suitable application. I think there is a market for it. Once the technology matures, softwares will catch up and it will be standard. Still, I'd prefer a roller display than folded ones.

markmark 8y ago

People want larger screens but smaller devices.

rovyko 8y ago

I thought so too until I saw Westworld. As you'd expect, they use the device like a laptop, except it doesn't need a place to sit. Relevant scenes: https://youtu.be/qvrSUwqt6Mw?t=54 https://youtu.be/qvrSUwqt6Mw?t=54

solatic 8y ago

People want a do-everything device that fits in their pocket. Specifically their pocket. People who already have their phone in their hand are not going to put their phone away, open up their bag, take out their tablet, just to get a larger screen. People leave their bags behind when they go to the gym floor, into the bathroom at work and home, etc. Leave us engineering professionals (who need workstations to be productive) out of it. Most people have one, pocketable, device. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that, if you work within that restriction, that bigger screens will give people better experiences and thus make for better products. If it ever becomes feasible to have a phone that unfolds into the size of a TV, you'll quickly find fixed-size TVs become niche products for always-on monitoring dashboards and advertising billboards. People will just unfold their phones to watch whatever show or movie they're going to watch, even if it takes them a couple of minutes to unfold their phone that far to set it up.

xster 8y ago

This product category solves a huge problem for me. Sometimes you know you'll be sitting down for 5+ min and a larger format is just more useful, whether it's for reading with bigger fonts, shopping with more items displayed per page or just for accessing non-mobile-crippled websites like GitHub. Tablets are like dedicated cameras of the photography world. They might be good at it but it's useless if it's not on you. You don't want to carry a second device. Tablets still can't handle multi-users and you want a personalized experience. You don't want multiple tablets at home. There's no continuity unless there's some drastic change in OSes and we go back to the Novell terminal model of computing. I want to have the exact tabs opened with the text fields I'm halfway through typing. You want a single device to charge. A single device that's paired with the bluetooth peripherals etc etc. Phones already don't fit in pockets and can't keep getting bigger. Developers are already not making native desktop apps except the heaviest class productivity types. I applaud developments in this direction.