PDA

View Full Version : Pet Frog -- Generation Next PDA


Russ Smith
06-14-2004, 03:41 PM
Computer users are used to tabbed interfaces. They allow a programmer to make the most of limited screen real-estate, especially useful with PDA's small screens, and present options grouped by function. However, Frog Design has come up with the first hardware tabbed interface.

The petfrog integrates multiple discrete technologies and standards in computing, communication and entertainment media into one seamless and easy user experience which at the same time is highly sophisticated and personally customizable. It enables the creation of a set of applications that will allow you to:
• Browse for movies, music, photos and slide shows right from your TV.
• Listen to your MP3 collection on your home stereo.
• Watch feature-length movies from the Internet in the comfort of your living room.
• Use catalogs to quickly access related content.
• Synchronize - Connect to your Windows© based PC and you can take your content on the go with you.
• Publish - Using the Content Server on your PC, publish catalogs to other users.
• Browse - Browse through your content on more than one PC or a “network.

As you can see from the picture, the major hardware concept used on the Pet Frog is that each periferal hardware item slides out of the main unit on a tab. When you need the screen, you slide it out. When you don't need the thumb-board, you slide it in out of the way.

The documentation doesn't indicate yet whether the hardware tabs are removable and replaceable in such a way that you could select the tabs you want from a suite of options.

Hagar
06-15-2004, 10:44 AM
Another sleeve concept???

How do you find it different from the Compaq's sleeves for the iPaq?

my 2 cents!

Hagar

Pony99CA
06-16-2004, 01:29 PM
Originally posted by Hagar
Another sleeve concept???

How do you find it different from the Compaq's sleeves for the iPaq?
Sliding new modules in isn't really like sliding a sleeve over an iPAQ. Think of the new modules more like Compact Flash cards -- they have to have slots to use them.

That said, the good thing about sleeves was that you could remove them when you didn't need the features they provided, making your iPAQ "smaller".

You might be able to remove PetFrog modules (Lily Pads? :D), which will save weight, but the basic unit will still be the same size with or without the modules.

Steve