Re: What do you identify with?

From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH) Maintained by R. Paul McCarty

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I sit here on my computer trying to follow this converstion, and for some
reason I just can't. I can't seem to see the problem with current portable
device UI's. Granted, as I was trying to do my English assignment while
walking to get some lunch on my Tapwave (PDA), I wasn't as effective as I'd
like it to be. Just like my English teacher keeps yelling at us about, we
need to be specific. We need a specific goal we want our "uber nirvana
devices" to do. Is it function we're looking for? If so, don't current PDAs
or Ultra Personal Computer solve our solution. If it's portability we need,
what about the new generation of smart phones? Or phones with a little bit
of PDA function included in them? While we're at it, we could always
sacrifice a little portability by carrying around a pocket keyboard, but
then again, it's not something you'd do everyday (only on a rare day will
you find my frogpad in my backpack). But on the subject of input methods,
your phone (T9), and possibly PDA (other predictive text) should be adequat=
e
enough for the little moment you need to type up something. Or are we
looking for some thing more?

What specifically do people want to satisfy their wearable computing needs?
If we aren't specific enough, how will we know when we've reached "wearable
device nirvana"? Is it input methods we're looking for? If so, then why am =
I
not satisified with my bluetooth frogpad and my Tapwave(besides the fact
that the provided drivers hate don't really work)? Is it just a UI problem?
What would the UI need to do in order to be truly effective? If it's a
matter of input, I think the cellphone T9 is the real future of mobile
input. It's easy to use, easy to learn, relatively fast compared to bare
grafitti, can be done while walking more accurately than my predictive
grafitti on my palm. Maybe people in Japan have sort of seen that it's the
future already, and thus have produced a strange "remote control" syle
keyboard based on the cellphone style input?

I remember reading a little back in all of these related e-mails, and came
across one guy who somewhat complained about having everything synced at al=
l
times. I can relate to this. My phone doesn't have nearly the same amount o=
f
contacts as my PDA (hopefully soon to change that by switching to a smart
phone), but I've gotten my PDA to sync to my always-on computer
automatically before it wakes me up, reducing the hassle of using such a
device.

I keep reading the e-mails everyone has sent in, and I still can't see the
direction people want to go in. Everyone seems to be complaining about UI's=
.
Can someone specifically tell me the problems with currently avaliable
devices? Say, what's wrong with the Palm Treo? (the latest one using Palm
OS). I'm curious to know what specifically everyone is complaining about. I=
t
seems you're all focusing on the physical portion of the UI. What particula=
r
portion of it are you all focusing on? Portability? Learning curve? Input
efficency?

This whole chain of e-mails confuse me... Will someone please explain it
all?

Back to the main topic on hand, I will associate myself with the role of
"gadgeteer". As of now, I have 3 PDAs on my desk. I've used all of them at
one point on my life (which much complains if I may add). And recently, my
desk has enough components to build myself my own "wearable computer"
consisting of a laptop, HMD (old virtual vision), frogpad (needs to be
modded to be wearable), bluetooth PDA (loaded with Pebbles), 2 bluetooth
adaptors (but in need of more usb ports), a vga to composite convertor
(which needs to be fixed, or replaced), and to top it all off, a stereo
bluetooth headset. I'm tempted to walk around campus in my full suit once
I've gotten everything working and set up. I'd probably then seem like a
"cyborg" or a geek gone horribly wrong, but I'm curious to see how effectiv=
e
I'd be. Somehow, I'm thinking, not much more effective than walking to
class, trying to write up my English assignment on my PDA... but maybe, onl=
y
time will tell.

I just see all of my "wearable toys" as part of some grand experimental
project. Maybe, somehow they'll accidentally lead me to stumble across some
combination of devices that'll allow me to do homework while walking to
class. Maybe check my e-mail/myspace while waiting for things around me to
happen, with a minimum amount of invasiveness... Too bad that smart phones
seem to be the closest thing to "my" "uber device".

A confused individual with some thoughts,
~Brian Kuriyama

On 4/10/06, Charles Bolton <> wrote:
>
> Vitorio,
>
> You are right - 80% of the people are not going to change their way of
> behavior.  The only thing that will work to reverse the tide is to perfec=
t
> voice input to a UI with simple commands or develop a mind/brain interfac=
e
> to the gadget so that thinking something will make it so.
>
> Of course we old fogies will be replaced in 20 years by people who grew u=
p
> doing text messaging on their cell phones with contractions, misspellings
> and symbols.  One of them may comeup with the next killer UI or they make
> take their texting skills to the next level.
>
> I find that my HP 4700 PDA does all that I want.  All it takes is a littl=
e
> discipline and learning to use the features that are there + calligrapher=
.
> Synching to windows requires that I have two cradles, one at work and one
> at
> home.   All of my contacts first go into my PDA and then get transferred
> to
> my desktop.  My calendar works both ways, I enter dates and update my
> desktop calendar by e-mail.  I keep notes both in handwriting and ascii
> text
> entered using the screen keyboard or use the handwriting recognizer in
> Calligrapher.  I have a bluetooth fold up keyboard, but I never use it.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Charles Bolton
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vitorio Miliano [mailto:]
> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:24 AM
> To: Wearable Hardware Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Wear-Hard] What do you identify with?
>
> John McKown wrote:
> > Your note reminds me of a recent Dilbert in which he asked someone
> > "Are all your problems self-inflicted?" :-)
>
> haha!  Yes, they are!
>
> However, I'd much prefer a comparison to Avery Brooks in that IBM
> eBusiness commercial: "It's the year 2000.  But where are the flying
> cars?  I was promised flying cars!  I don't see any flying cars!  Why?
> Why?  Why?"
>
> The PalmPilot showed the possibility for a better, faster, easier way to
> do things.  Things haven't progressed since then.  In the commercial,
> the internet and the web replaced the need for people to fly everywhere.
> In the real world, UIs still aren't truly usable, and computers aren't
> truly reliable.  There's no alternative; we're just not there yet.
>
> > I think a lot could be accomplished with pocketable keyboards while
> > we're waiting for multi-modal nirvana.  If I could clip the back of a
> > small smart phone to the top of (a manufactured version of) the
> > lashed-up prototype keyboard I'm using now, I'd be as happy as a
> > clam.
>
> Would you, really?  I would be surprised if that were the case.
>
> Because there *are* pocketable, Bluetooth keyboards.  Frogpad makes one
> that works with many smart phones.  Nokia makes a folding one, Sony
> makes their Chatboard, there are also generic folding keyboards, all
> with cradles and clips for phones.  What's stopping you from using one
> and being happy?
>
> I'd wager that the slow, clunky, awkward UI is the reason you don't use
> it much now.  Another device to carry in your pocket solely for input
> isn't going to improve that, it's going to make that worse.
>
> Normal people barely have a two-gadget limit: phone and iPod.  It's
> awkward to whip out a keypad to enter a new appointment or type a note
> compared to writing it on a piece of paper.  I think the only general
> incentive to carry a dedicated input device around would be universal
> applicability: that keyboard would have to be good for every device out
> there, including ATMs.
>
> I could be wrong.  You could absolutely be all over your smartphone UI
> and just wish you had a keyboard for faster data entry.  It could be the
> bee's knees for you.
>
> But I don't think so.  I don't think smartphone UIs work well enough for
> anyone technical enough to know what a good UI works like, and I think
> that's you, if you're on this list.  I think the lack of shared
> online<->desktop<->PDA calendar sync is annoying to many people, from
> husbands and wives to secretaries and bosses.  I think people with
> complex schedules still use personal assistants instead of PDAs for a
> reason.  The interface just isn't there yet.
>
> It's the year 2006.  But where are the better UIs?  I was promised a
> better UI.  I don't see any better UIs.  Why?  Why?  Why?
>
> Thanks,
> Vitorio Miliano
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wear-Hard mailing list
> 
> http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wear-Hard mailing list
> 
> http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard
>

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<div>I sit here on my computer trying to follow this converstion, and for s=
ome reason I just can't. I can't seem to see the problem with current porta=
ble device UI's. Granted, as I was trying to do my English assignment while=
 walking to get some lunch on my Tapwave (PDA), I wasn't as effec=
tive as I'd like it to be. Just like my English teacher keeps yelling at us=
 about, we need to be specific. We need a specific goal we want our "u=
ber nirvana devices" to do. Is it function we're looking for? If so, d=
on't current PDAs or Ultra Personal Computer solve our solution. If it's po=
rtability we need, what about the new generation of smart phones? Or phones=
 with a little bit of PDA function included in them? While we're at it, we =
could always sacrifice a little portability by carrying around a pocket key=
board, but then again, it's not something you'd do everyday (only on a rare=
 day will you find my frogpad in my backpack). But on the subject of input =
methods, your phone (T9), and possibly PDA (other predictive text) should b=
e adequate enough for the little moment you need to type up something. Or a=
re we looking for some thing more?=20
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>What specifically do people want to satisfy their wearable computing n=
eeds? If we aren't specific enough, how will we know when we've reached &qu=
ot;wearable device nirvana"? Is it input methods we're looking for? If=
 so, then why am I not satisified with my bluetooth frogpad and my Tapwave(=
besides the fact that the provided drivers hate don't really work)? Is it j=
ust a UI problem? What would the UI need to do in order to be truly effecti=
ve? If it's a matter of input, I think the cellphone T9 is the real future =
of mobile input. It's easy to use, easy to learn, relatively fast compared =
to bare grafitti, can be done while walking more accurately than my predict=
ive grafitti on my palm. Maybe people in Japan have sort of seen that it's =
the future already, and thus have produced a strange "remote control&q=
uot; syle keyboard based on the cellphone style input?=20
<br> </div>
<div>I remember reading a little back in all of these related e-mails, and =
came across one guy who somewhat complained about having everything synced =
at all times. I can relate to this. My phone doesn't have nearly the same a=
mount of contacts as my PDA (hopefully soon to change that by switching to =
a smart phone), but I've gotten my PDA to sync to my always-on computer aut=
omatically before it wakes me up, reducing the hassle of using&nb=
sp;such a device.  
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I keep reading the e-mails everyone has sent in, and I still can't see=
 the direction people want to go in. Everyone seems to be complaining about=
 UI's. Can someone specifically tell me the problems with currently avaliab=
le devices? Say, what's wrong with the Palm Treo? (the latest one using Pal=
m OS). I'm curious to know what specifically everyone is complaining about.=
 It seems you're all focusing on the physical portion of the UI. What parti=
cular portion of it are you all focusing on? Portability? Learning curve? I=
nput efficency?=20
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This whole chain of e-mails confuse me... Will someone please explain =
it all?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Back to the main topic on hand, I will associate myself with the role =
of "gadgeteer". As of now, I have 3 PDAs on my desk. I've used al=
l of them at one point on my life (which much complains if I may add). And =
recently, my desk has enough components to build myself my own "wearab=
le computer" consisting of a laptop, HMD (old virtual vision), frogpad=
 (needs to be modded to be wearable), bluetooth PDA (loaded with Pebbl=
es), 2 bluetooth adaptors (but in need of more usb ports), a vga to&nb=
sp;composite convertor (which needs to be fixed, or replaced), and to =
top it all off, a stereo bluetooth headset. I'm tempted to walk around camp=
us in my full suit once I've gotten everything working and set up. I'd prob=
ably then seem like a "cyborg" or a geek gone horribly wrong, but=
 I'm curious to see how effective I'd be. Somehow, I'm thinking, not much m=
ore effective than walking to class, trying to write up my English assignme=
nt on my PDA... but maybe, only time will tell.=20
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I just see all of my "wearable toys" as part of some grand e=
xperimental project. Maybe, somehow they'll accidentally lead me =
to stumble across some combination of devices that'll allow me to do homewo=
rk while walking to class. Maybe check my e-mail/myspace while waiting for =
things around me to happen, with a minimum amount of invasiveness... Too ba=
d that smart phones seem to be the closest thing to "my" "ub=
er device".=20
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A confused individual with some thoughts, </div>
<div>~Brian Kuriyama<br> </div>
<div><span class=3D"gmail_quote">On 4/10/06, <b class=3D"gmail_sendername">=
Charles Bolton</b> <<a href=3D"mailto:">=
.com</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Vitorio,<br><br>You are right - =
80% of the people are not going to change their way of<br>behavior. &n=
bsp;The only thing that will work to reverse the tide is to perfect
<br>voice input to a UI with simple commands or develop a mind/brain interf=
ace<br>to the gadget so that thinking something will make it so.<br><br>Of =
course we old fogies will be replaced in 20 years by people who grew up
<br>doing text messaging on their cell phones with contractions, misspellin=
gs<br>and symbols.  One of them may comeup with the next killer U=
I or they make<br>take their texting skills to the next level.<br><br>I fin=
d that my HP 4700 PDA does all that I want.  All it takes is a li=
ttle
<br>discipline and learning to use the features that are there + calligraph=
er.<br>Synching to windows requires that I have two cradles, one at work an=
d one at<br>home.   All of my contacts first go into my PDA and t=
hen get transferred to
<br>my desktop.  My calendar works both ways, I enter dates and u=
pdate my<br>desktop calendar by e-mail.  I keep notes both in han=
dwriting and ascii text<br>entered using the screen keyboard or use the han=
dwriting recognizer in
<br>Calligrapher.  I have a bluetooth fold up keyboard, but I nev=
er use it.<br><br>Cordially,<br><br>Charles Bolton<br><br><br>-----Original=
 Message-----<br>From: Vitorio Miliano [mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:vito_wearh=
">
</a>]<br>Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:24 AM<br=
>To: Wearable Hardware Discussion List<br>Subject: Re: [Wear-Hard] What do =
you identify with?<br><br>John McKown wrote:<br>> Your note reminds me o=
f a recent Dilbert in which he asked someone
<br>> "Are all your problems self-inflicted?" :-)<br><br>haha!=
  Yes, they are!<br><br>However, I'd much prefer a comparison to =
Avery Brooks in that IBM<br>eBusiness commercial: "It's the year 2000.=
  But where are the flying
<br>cars?  I was promised flying cars!  I don't see any=
 flying cars!  Why?<br>Why?  Why?"<br><br>The Palm=
Pilot showed the possibility for a better, faster, easier way to<br>do thin=
gs.  Things haven't progressed since then.  In the comm=
ercial,
<br>the internet and the web replaced the need for people to fly everywhere=
.<br>In the real world, UIs still aren't truly usable, and computers aren't=
<br>truly reliable.  There's no alternative; we're just not there=
 yet.<br>
<br>> I think a lot could be accomplished with pocketable keyboards whil=
e<br>> we're waiting for multi-modal nirvana.  If I could clip=
 the back of a<br>> small smart phone to the top of (a manufactured vers=
ion of) the
<br>> lashed-up prototype keyboard I'm using now, I'd be as happy as a<b=
r>> clam.<br><br>Would you, really?  I would be surprised if t=
hat were the case.<br><br>Because there *are* pocketable, Bluetooth keyboar=
ds.  Frogpad makes one
<br>that works with many smart phones.  Nokia makes a folding one=
, Sony<br>makes their Chatboard, there are also generic folding keyboards, =
all<br>with cradles and clips for phones.  What's stopping you fr=
om using one<br>
and being happy?<br><br>I'd wager that the slow, clunky, awkward UI is the =
reason you don't use<br>it much now.  Another device to carry in =
your pocket solely for input<br>isn't going to improve that, it's going to =
make that worse.
<br><br>Normal people barely have a two-gadget limit: phone and iPod. =
 It's<br>awkward to whip out a keypad to enter a new appointment or ty=
pe a note<br>compared to writing it on a piece of paper.  I think=
 the only general
<br>incentive to carry a dedicated input device around would be universal<b=
r>applicability: that keyboard would have to be good for every device out<b=
r>there, including ATMs.<br><br>I could be wrong.  You could abso=
lutely be all over your smartphone UI
<br>and just wish you had a keyboard for faster data entry.  It c=
ould be the<br>bee's knees for you.<br><br>But I don't think so.  =
;I don't think smartphone UIs work well enough for<br>anyone technical enou=
gh to know what a good UI works like, and I think
<br>that's you, if you're on this list.  I think the lack of shar=
ed<br>online<->desktop<->PDA calendar sync is annoying to many =
people, from<br>husbands and wives to secretaries and bosses.  I =
think people with
<br>complex schedules still use personal assistants instead of PDAs for a<b=
r>reason.  The interface just isn't there yet.<br><br>It's the ye=
ar 2006.  But where are the better UIs?  I was promised=
 a<br>better UI.  I don't see any better UIs.  Why?&nbs=
p; Why?  Why?
<br><br>Thanks,<br>Vitorio Miliano<br><br>_________________________________=
______________<br>Wear-Hard mailing list<br><a href=3D"mailto:=
en.org"></a><br><a href=3D"http://www.haven.org/mailman/=
listinfo/wear-hard">
http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard</a><br><br><br><br>________=
_______________________________________<br>Wear-Hard mailing list<br><a hre=
f=3D"mailto:"></a><br><a href=3D"http=
://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard">
http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard</a><br></blockquote></div><=
br>

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