Firm pitches tech trio powered by portable processor
Quad-core keyring
Tech-design outfit I'm has unveiled ambitious plans for a collection of mobile devices which all run off a single, keyring-sized processing hub.
The I'm Core squeezes a quad-core processor, Sim card, GPS pick-up and Wi-Fi radio and more into a diddy unit which becomes the brains for a phone, tablet and smart TV trio the company labels the 'I'm Circle'.
Planned to feature software based on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the I'm Core can even be turned into a desktop computer using other arcs of the Circle.
Firstly, the I'm Screen - the company's proposed smartphone - doubles up as a trackpad. It'll feature an accelerometer and magnetometer, with front and rear-facing cameras.
Without need for a built-in processor unit, the handset could save enough space for a shot at the 'world's thinnest' award too.
The same can be said for the I'm View, set to launch as the set's tablet. It also comes with an accelerometer and magnetometer and acts as the touch-to-type keyboard for a desktop config.
Next up is the I'm Vision, a 21in HD display that's just 10mm thick. The display's stand will work as a wireless charging base for the other Circle components too.
Finally, there's the I'm Cinema, which connects the I'm Circle to a TV, acting as a charging base for the Core itself, which we imagine might need a juice-boost regularly if it's going to handle all of these gadgets.
Communications between components and Core takes place wirelessly, the screen image sent by the hub to whichever of the screens you're using, with finger-tap data coming in the other direction.
Further details on I'm's new product are unclear, except that it'll come in a range of colours and should hit shelves later this year. ®
COMMENTS
re: Have you seen my phone?
I think you might be missing the point. Your girlfriend will watch TV using her core gadget.
The screens just become peripherals anyone can use.
You walk into a hotel room, and the TV links to it.
You get on a plane/train/car and the display mounted in front of you links to it.
You sit at someones desk and you get your desktop on their display / keyboard / mouse / whatever.
You give a presentation and the projector links to it.
You're going out climbing/skiing/biking, so you take a bulky ruggerdised display to link to it.
You're going to work so you take you thin, large screen, iPhone-esque handset to link to it.
etc.
You upgrade to the new 4G 8-core version, and all the other screens/peripherals still work.
Lots of practical issues (battery life mostly) others have mentioned. But a very cool idea.
"Ill considered"? I think not!
All those piercings in "private" places were obviously smart people getting future-proofed for devices like these.
Now they're all healed up and ready to clip their CPU up to their *ahem*, who's the foolish one now?
You know, it does bring a whole new meaning to the phrase "F***ing computer!"...
Ok, I'm going, I'm going...
Can it really fit a CPU, wifi chip, sim card, battery, memory in a keyfob-size container? Yes. Do keep up; the graphics suggest quite a chunky keyfob, and there's more than enough room in that for a complete ARM SoC based device and little cell radio.
Can a keyfob size container really dissipate the heat of a CPU, etc? Yes. Heat output of small modern devices is low, because their power requirements are low. If the case is made of metal and thermally coupled to the hottest components, it may well dissipate heat more effectively than your mobile phone.
Have you seen my phone?
Looks like a mess to me.
Which part rings? What happens when you take the screen to work and leave the other part at home? How big is the hub? Why would I want to carry and charge two gadgets to do the work of the one I have now? What happens when the girlfriend wants to watch TV but I'm out with the phone? Or use the computer whilst I'm watching the TV?
