View source for Wish List - Hardware
From Openmoko
You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:
You can view and copy the source of this page:
Template used on this page:
Return to Wish List - Hardware.
You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:
You can view and copy the source of this page:
Template used on this page:
Return to Wish List - Hardware.
This is a page detailing hardware features which some would like to go into future phones similar to the Neo1973.
Openmoko however may run on a large number of devices in the future, some of which may be DVD players, cameras, or convergance devices. Possible features for those devices are listed in Wishlist - Hardware - Novel Devices.
Hardware that is unlikely to appear in any OpenMoko device is listed in Wishlist:Unlikely - due to it being impossible to fabricate with near-term technology, or other reasons.
Accessories that people would like - initially primarily for the Neo1973 - are listed in Wishlist:Accessories.
WiMAX is a high-speed data service, similar to wifi, though longer range and newer. Where service is available, this would complement WiFi. Unfortunately, unlike wifi, frequencies vary worldwide, so global usage may be complex.
Main article: Spell weaving
See also this page containing a link to a video demonstration.
A history of multitouch implementations is here (google cache version)
Hardware acceleration for video playback.
3D hardware acceleration for 3D games, GUIs, etc. (maybe a PowerVR MBX Lite ?).
Or electronic paper display, EPD is used in many new devices such as the new Motorola motofone, sonys new e-reader and Irex's iliad. The technology provides thin, flexible, power saving screens using new eink technology. This technology could cut the weight of the phone and its power usage. For more info see: eink's website.
It would be nice to have (the option of) a transreflective display, which while being less bright, is readable without needing to power the backlight. Then again, it depends on how much power the backlight uses compared to everything else...
43mm x 57mm (2.8inch diagonal) is tiny. A 53mm x 71mm (3.5 inch diagonal) like on the TD035STEE1 would be a nice improvement. A widescreen format at about 53mm x 82.5mminstead of the 3:4 aspect ratio would be even cooler (if one could be found).
Similar to this, except the device would be integrated into the phone itself. Setting the Neo up on a stand on a flat surface (perhaps a stand could be built into the back of the Neo itself, or into a case) would turn the Neo into a micro-laptop. There may be several issues with the inclusion of this technology, including patents, the space required to project the laser grids, and the power consumption. If possible, however, it would make text input a breeze.
2 buttons more, 3 buttons total, mounted sideways would be enough. You could use them for play/pause and loudness controll while the phone remains in your pocket (display locked, ...), reading mails, rss, ebooks,... without wasting display space and so on.
With 5 buttons in total you could possibly emulate a keyboard (2^5 = 32 combinations) for those who know how to play a flute. Useable onehanded, not wasting display space and faster than t9. (It's not faster than T9 - I've used this system with the microwriter agenda --Speedevil 00:00, 2 July 2007 (CEST)) Hopefully this is not patented already.
Game buttons would be best on both sides of the screen. The larger the buttons, the better. 2x 4 buttons in up-down-left-right configuration + some extra buttons separately a bit lower on the device would be good for many for emulation games.
Here is a concept drawing of a possible neo1973 gaming version:
(This has a 4-way direction pad, 8 way may be better for gaming)
Shoulder buttons would be a great addition, too. It would be interesting if there was a total 4 of them, one for every corner. It would make the phone very flexible for rotating and 2 to 6 players playing on one device.
A trackball would provide an efficient mouse-like interface in a very compact package. As exemplified in the newer Blackberry® models. Maybe instead an optical sensor as are used in mice could be used so that the whole phone can be moved over a surface just like a mouse. (It could function as a Bluetooth mouse for other devices like laptop computers: see Bluetooth_Support#Acting_as_HID_device. Adding one other two-axis analogue input (possibly just the screen) would make the Neo usable as a TrackPoint or scroll-and-tilt mouse.) The same sensor might be usable as a barcode reader.
A joystick, or Rollermouse-like device would provide additional control, compared with touchscreen only.
Dual analogue controllers (one trackball or joystick above, one below the screen, most likely) might even be feasible. That might be overkill since the accelerometers or touchscreen can be used to provide a second analogue input. But it would be nice to have four axes of analogue control without having to tilt the screen away from you or partly cover it with your hand.
Digital Television, Digital Radio or even normal analogue TV/radio is available widely in the world. Though unfortunately in various different forms. In markets where one standard is widespread, and hardware is suitable, it would be a great extension of the phone to a general entertainment device for when you're away from home. Multi standard devices would be ideal, but may not be small, low-power, or cheap.
This enables the phone to sense which direction 'down' is, and to sense any movements the phone makes.
See Accelerometer Fundamentals for more information on accelerometers as they may be used in phones.
In some cases integrated gyroscopes may also be needed.
This feature is scheduled for inclusion in the phase 2 Neo1973, currently slated for release in October 2007.
Add a "touch strip" sensor onto the side of the phone which can be used to scroll. By having it on the side you can use your thumb to scroll comfortably while holding the phone one-handed. An 8-element capacitive sensor would work wonderfully and be easy to fab using either a Quantum QT411 (http://www.qprox.com/products/qslide_qt411.php) or Analog Devices AD7143 (http://www.analog.com/en/prod/0,2877,AD7143,00.html) controller. The Analog Devices chip seems better suited due to it's smaller allowable element size. With the AD7143 you can have an 8-element (128-position) 25mm long strip - Perfect!.
Would it be possible to use the phone as a wiimote ?
An RF interface to receive data from popular heart rate straps (Polar, Garmin, Sigma, Suunto, etc.). This would go along well with the existing GPS functionality and possible future Accelerometer functionality to make for a full-blown workout tool.
Software can be written to track heart rate along a running, cycling, skiing, swimming loop, to monitor max and min heart rate, to match heart rate data to GPS coordinates and print map data w/ relevant data.
A digital compass is useful for orienting maps to the terrain when the user is standing still (regardless of GPS reception) and for following a bearing when GPS reception is poor.
An electronic thermometer might become handy for some users.
There are very small I2C devices available, that could easily integrate to the existing bus. For example this one from ti.
A Barometer measures air pressure. This can be used to give weather information, and also as a variometer, to sense relative altitude. Variometers are commonly used in flying microlight and ultralight aircraft, to get accurate relative altitude.
See Wish List - Hardware - Atmospheric for more information.
A fingerprint sensor gives easy and fast access to the phone, could lock the touchscreen etc. An example of this device can be found at Sony UX17.
Most fingerprint sensors in the embedded market include a navigation mode, where they work similar to either a touch-stick or touch-pad of a laptop.
Ability to sense ambient light, and act accordingly. i.e if it's 3am and LightValue<.1 then Ring Quietly.
A navigation wheel like on a sony/ericsson 810i would be nice.
Wireless USB is the wireless version of USB offering data-rates up to 480 Mbit/s over short distances (<3 meter). Chipsets suitable for a phone are likely to take some time to be available.
Other uses.
I2C is an internal 2-3 wire bus in the phone. It is low powered, and can be daisy-chained. It would be a great candidate to bring out into the Expansion Back with an additional connector.
Readily available I2C chips range from temperature sensing, digital input/output chips to 1-wire bridge chips (which is designed for external switches, ID, sensing, ...)
For finding keys, or any other application. May also optionally pulse in time with ring, to make phone more visible.
Small FM transmitter to output to car, and other nearby radios.
This technology requires cooperation from the cellular provider, but UMA/GAN is already offered by T-Mobile in the United States, and perhaps others in other countries. Allowing the user to roam from GSM to wifi, this technology can save the end user a significant amount of money, and also allow the user to deploy coverage where there was none before. There are only a few UMA capable phones currently, but it would be great if this could be made to work on a phase 2 type OpenMoko device.
GSM/GPRS is at best slow. Ideally supporting EDGE - which is an evolved form of GPRS. UMTS - which is widespread in Europe, HSDPA (asia) and any other mobile standards would be nice for faster data connectivity and coverage. It is unlikely that all of these will be supported initially, but it is a goal. Until that goal is reached, it is likely that some phones will be brought out for various specific markets - Europe, Asia, US.
See also: Alternate Neo1973 case designs for a list of cases being considered for design/manufacture by the community.
The hole at the bottom of the phone takes a lot of space. A Kensington Security Slot could be used instead.
We need something you can drop from 4 feet in to a puddle of dirty water on construction site. You know the big ugly pseudo military version.
Make a transparent, see-through casing. Why do we need a closed casing for open hardware and open software? Show the world it is a truly Free/Open source phone.
Replacement fronts with e.g. extra buttons.
Many PC-based media centers are being equipped with an RF (433 MHz) / X10-based remote control. The X10 protocol also facilitates home automation to control lamps, switches, etc. The advantages of using RF for control instead of Infra-red this that it also works when furniture, walls, or doors are blocking the path between RF remote and the equipment or device. Lirc supports X10-based RF remotes (but expects having an USB RF receiver attached to the media center).
Neo1973 | iPhone | Sony Ericsson P990i | Nokia E65 |
184 g | 135 g | 150 g | 115 g |
The Neo1973 uses a 4-conductor 2.5mm jack for stereo headphones and a microphone. 2.5mm jacks are the commonest headset format.
Adapters to 2.5mm are of course available, but 3.5mm jacks are much more robust.
There is an emerging convention used in the Nokia N800 and some other devices. A 4-conductor 3.5mm jack that can use a microphone with special headsets, but can also be used with off-the-shelf 3.5mm stereo headphones.
Neglecting space limitations, multiple sockets - 2.5mm and 3.5mm would be nice. Probably not practical in a phone. Other expanded plugs might allow remote controls.
Other uses might be better met using bluetooth, or USB audio.
Include a built in laser pointer. Everything is better with lasers.
Consider selling one device with absolutely no non-free components in it, even if that means dropping the GSM support. I believe having one such device available would be good, because then it could be recommended by organizations like the FSF which typically never recommends anything if it has even a little non-free code in it.
Some people want less features, because they do not need them. Leaving out some features either lets the phone get smaller or possibly enhances battery live.
One big suggestion in this area is a b/w lower res display instead of the big colour display.
These are consumer units that the Neo1973 can be considered to be in competition with, based on featureset and price point.
Portable Game System Price: $170
Interfaces: Wifi IR USB (terminal device only) Headset (audio out + mic in) Game keys Memory Stick
Accessories: GPS Camera
Features:
Multimedia: MP3, MP4, jpg, AAC, ATRAC Multimedia capability is adequate. Controls are not necessarily intuitive, given that it's a gaming unit, and not a media player, though third party and earphone jack media remote control is available. Memory is provided by removable flash (Sony Memory Stick, proprietary) up to 4Gb in size, which is plenty large enough for movies at full resolution. And the screen! My god, it's full of stars! The PSP screen is pretty much the best screen going, both in terms of size and clarity, unless the iPhone has done better. Unlike the iPhone and the Neo1973, no touchscreen. UMD is irrelevant to this discussion.
Networking: TCP/IP over Wifi. Applications include network firmware update, RSS/Podcast downloading and streaming, internet video viewing using Sony's Location Free Base Station (ala Slingbox), VoIP, and a web browser.
Flaws: No keyboard, and no keyboard support, neither infrared nor USB. And the text entry UI relies on, ahem, cellphone styled number keying. Too much Sony propriety.
Personal portable communicator $300
Interfaces: Qwerty keyboard Game style function buttons Wifi USB headset+mic Memory Stick
Features:
Multimedia: MP3, MP4, jpg, AAC, ATRAC Network: Skype VOIP, Yahoo, Google, and Skype IM.
PDA $300
Interfaces: Stylus SD Card Wifi Bluetooth Serial port IR Optional keyboard
Features: Multimedia: jpg, mp3, mp4 Network: Wifi, Bluetooth. Wide range of third party TCP/IP apps available